Bremsscheiben: ATE Powerdisk im Regen - Top!

Hello,

I already mentioned that I upgraded to the Powerdisk. Now I've put the first 2000 kilometers on it, including several rides in the rain.

The scary noise is gone! So, it's definitely related to the standard glass. It seems like a similar issue to the mass airflow sensor (MAF).

AUDI simply isn't interested in making improvements through product refinement that couldn't also be marketed as a facelift in their brochures.

It's difficult for me to explain why Audi drivers have been complaining about the brakes for 10 years, without Audi taking any action, which is something that is demonstrably possible!

By the way, the brake pads are from JURID, not even ATE.

I can fully confirm that.
It was quite exciting with that sudden scare during the heavy rain.

Hello,
I've heard a lot of good things about the Power Disks. However, I've also heard that they significantly increase brake pad wear. Is that true?

Hi,
Until recently, I was also a fan of Powerdiscs. I can definitely confirm the lack of braking power in the rain. However, I couldn't observe any abnormal brake pad wear. The set of rotors and pads lasted approximately 110,000 km on my car, after which the rotors were worn out. However, that was mostly highway driving, often in the evenings and at night, with correspondingly few braking events.
I then removed the replacement brake pads after 10,000 km because they were completely uneven. Either the material wasn't right, or the discs were warped. I then installed "standard" Jurid brake pads of original equipment quality, and since then (another 20,000 km), things have been quiet (although with a moment of fright).
I once read somewhere that the brake disc has a tendency to warp under stress (like during a full stop from 200 km/h or so).
I've always wanted to measure the dimensions of these parts on a lathe, but I haven't had the chance yet.

Best regards from Berlin.
Olli.

Hi,

If the brake pads only last for 3 years instead of the advertised 4 years, and the 'adrenaline rush' experienced during braking is eliminated, is that a good deal or what???

When brake discs are hot and parked, they tend to warp to some degree. The hot disc cools down, but not uniformly where the brake pads are in contact. That's often enough to cause warping – even a single incident can be enough.

hm....

I'm having a hard time deciding... the original brake discs on my Octavia show quite a bit of wear, but the pads themselves are barely worn. Do you think power discs would make a difference?

'I have a different, scarier experience: if I've been driving for 50 kilometers or more in heavy rain without braking, and I even just touch the brake pedal, my dentures come out of my mouth. It looks like there's a lot of rust buildup.'
My mechanic also reports issues with the golf clubs.

That's very mysterious...

Cu Gremlin.

Hi.
@garth
I can absolutely rule out a violent braking followed by a complete stop; therefore, I suspect the problem lies with the material (which was ATE in both cases).
I once read an article about uneven wear on brake discs caused by minimal disc warping due to uneven contact with the wheel hub or something similar; the material of the disc plays a significant role in that. I can almost rule out actual disc warping, as I always use a dial gauge during installation. However, it's possible that any warping in the rear discs could also have an effect, given the diagonally split brake circuits.

@gremlin
The wear and tear on brake discs and pads likely always depends on how well they are matched to each other.
When the first brake discs on my car started to lose their grooves, the brake pads were still far from needing to be replaced.
It's likely that relatively soft brake pads (e.g., Jurid) need to be installed so that the pads wear out faster than the rotor disc.

Regards,

Olli.

Hello!

The dreaded "A6 shudder" also drove my brother to me. I then installed a complete set of slotted Zimmermann brake discs and new pads for him. This also helps to combat the shudder. Moreover, these parts don't cost a fortune (I even think they're cheaper than the Powerdiscs). The result is pleasing, although I can't comment on the wear yet, as the brakes haven't been used for long. I also recently upgraded the brakes on my T4. The brakes are no longer so "spongy," are easier to modulate, and subjectively provide a better braking feel. I don't care if the pads don't last as long (the old discs and pads had 80,000 km on them), because if I achieve better braking performance, I don't mind buying new pads, as they don't cost much either.

Regards, Peter.

P.S.: I've only heard that the grooves on power discs can become clogged with brake dust, which can lead to negative performance. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Hello,
I have previously shared my experiences with ATE Powerdisc brakes here.

/viewtopic.php?t=4088&highlight=ate+powerdisk

Since then, almost a year has passed, and nothing has changed. The loud noise I described when braking from higher speeds (similar to the sound of worn brake pads) is now increasingly annoying , to the point where I've considered contacting my parts dealer about an exchange.
To get it out of the way: I broke in the new brake pads and rotors last summer with more than excessive caution.

Can anyone who drives a Powerdisk confirm my observations?

Regards,

Andy.

I can confirm what Olly experienced.
My first set of Powerdiscs lasted approximately 40,000 km without any issues, then the grooves wore away and they started to make a humming noise. The pads still had about a third of their original thickness remaining.
Unfortunately, I had to brake quite abruptly (emergency braking after about 100 km), which caused them to start vibrating annoyingly. Perhaps it was also due to the material?
I'm going to install some new ones now and try to return the last ones.

@McGiver
I did not observe any added grooves.

Hi,
Today, I put the disassembled power disks on the lathe and measured a runout of 0.15 mm. However, this runout was not consistent but was distributed very unevenly.
I've now shaved off 0.3 mm from both sides and will reinstall the rotors this weekend (of course, with the planned shims). I'm curious to see if there will be any noticeable changes in behavior over the long term. I'll also be replacing the rear rotors, as they seem to have already reached 250,000 km (approximately 155,000 miles) including the first set of brake pads.

Visually, the grooves in the old discs were slightly filled with dust and wear, but the braking performance in wet conditions did not deteriorate. I can confirm, however, that there was initially a somewhat louder braking noise (after switching from standard discs).

Best regards from Berlin.

Olli.

I can only recommend perforated brake discs from Zimmermann, for example. They are silent, provide excellent braking performance, and of course, they all have the required E-mark and ABE approval.

Greetings, Peter.

Hi Andi,

I can confirm that the power disc is louder when braking from higher speeds. However, I attribute this to the heat generated. The braking performance also increases. This means that when braking from 160 km/h with constant pedal pressure into a turn, the brakes will be audible to the extent that the braking performance increases.
It can get so loud that you think they're rubbing together or something is broken. But as soon as they cool down again, it goes away.

It doesn't bother me - just eat it like that.

Actually, it's the complete opposite of my old brakes, where I always had to brake harder to compensate for the fading. I'm not sure if this is typical or if it was due to my worn-out brake pads.

Hello.
'I've been using Powerdiscs for about a year, and I was initially thrilled that the annoying squealing noise when braking in wet conditions disappeared. However, recently, during a full stop from 220 km/h, I realized that the braking performance at high speeds is simply poor. Despite applying maximum force, I couldn't get the ABS to engage. Also, I feel like the performance has decreased, even though there's hardly any visible wear.'
Does anyone have experience with Powerdisk and other brake pads, such as sport brake pads?
Regards,
Martin.

I'll just say this:
a) VW-NBL solution for the wet brake problem (e.g., as seen in the Passat 3B/BG).
b) Slotted Zimmermann brake pads for increased braking performance.
Upwards, there are naturally no limits. So, brands like BREMBO and MOVIT, etc.

Greetings.

Take a look and see if the holes or grooves (I'm not sure what the power disc has now) in the discs are sealed.