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Dear all,

I'm still in the market for discs for my Defender Td5 90 XS. I can't believe the mine field of options available. Yes I could quit easily replace with standard discs blah blah blah but I like to explore all the options. If I do opt for modified discs I was looking at DBA (Disc Brakes Australia) they are getting good write ups and all that I have spoken to use them with either Mintex standard pads or EBC Green or Yellow stuff pads. Whilst surfing for best prices etc I happened upon a company called Rossini. Almost unheard of but when you delve deeper they are up there with the best and not far off Brembo etc (that includes the price as well). Has anyone heard of them, fitted their stuff or indeed know of anyone currently using their products on a Land Rover Defender?

Cheers

landypc

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Steer clear of EBC they had notorious problems with the friction material breaking up and crumbling away

I thought they have a very good reputation. Is this a one off issue? If not then I am surprised that it is not better known.

Chris

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I put a set of greenstuff pads on my 90 and thought they were horrible. Either wooden or grabby when they were cold and driving in town, and when hot they performed no different to normal pads - which I put on a couple of months later!

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One of DBA's engineers steered me clear of EBC years ago.

Too much inconsitency batch to batch (at the time)

Again, at the time, (eight or nine years ago) he reckoned Ferodo were at the top of the non asbestos pad game, in both road and race compounds, but things change quickly.

Mintex always had a solid rep too, and I can't fault the Australian Bendix pads we have in the Patrol.

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a well sorted set up using vented fronts disc & calipers & rear disc with stainless steel pistons will be more than adequete for any Defender unless it's be tweaked way above the factory settings.

I'd agree with that in as much as any well maintained system will work well. Vented discs are only advantageous if you brake a lot, like living in a hilly area with an auto box or doing a mountainous expedition with a heavy vehicle. For lighter vehicles used a lot in mud, they're a bad idea as the vents fill up and lead to vibration and uneven cooling (thermal stresses).

Though I have had very good results from my EBC pads and grooved/drilled discs on my RRC, I am using standard pads and discs on my 109 conversion. I did have a bit of glazing on my RR's rear discs, but that was due to seized inboard pistons keeping the pads on and cooking the discs. Rebuilding the callipers with Zeus stainless pistons has cured that, and the discs sorted themselves out fairly quickly without any treatment. The new pistons make no difference to braking effort, naturally, but at least they won't seize again. I'm using them in my 109's callipers, too.

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In defence of EBCI have Greenstuff on both my defenders, and have had for several years. I tow a horse trailer and I don't hang around solo, but I don't go into deep mud. Both 90 & 110 have vented fronts. I have had no problems with EBC so far, and they work well.On 110 the Mintex they replaced were effective but squealed loudly frequently and consistently. The 90 on EBC has never squealed, but the 110 when warm occasionally gives a squeak at very low speed, and I put this down to the state of the discs which because the vehicle was crashed at one point, became rusty while it was being assessed and repaired, and they aren't as clean as the 90.

From experience with my cars, poor brakes have been a result of seized pistons, a duff servo and worn out vacuum pumps- all replaced shortly after purchase. If brakes seem unresponsive I'd measure vacuum levels first, then look at calipers.

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In defence of EBCI have Greenstuff on both my defenders, and have had for several years. I tow a horse trailer and I don't hang around solo, but I don't go into deep mud. Both 90 & 110 have vented fronts. I have had no problems with EBC so far, and they work well.On 110 the Mintex they replaced were effective but squealed loudly frequently and consistently. The 90 on EBC has never squealed, but the 110 when warm occasionally gives a squeak at very low speed, and I put this down to the state of the discs which because the vehicle was crashed at one point, became rusty while it was being assessed and repaired, and they aren't as clean as the 90.

From experience with my cars, poor brakes have been a result of seized pistons, a duff servo and worn out vacuum pumps- all replaced shortly after purchase. If brakes seem unresponsive I'd measure vacuum levels first, then look at calipers.

It might not be, but often "squeaky" pads the outer plate of the pad vibrating very quickly against the piston which makes it sound like a squeal. Copper slip on the rear face of the pad and ensuring the pad is seated correctly with any shims/spacers or spring plates it should have will normally stop this.
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I have to agree with the anti Greenstuff people, I had a set on the front of my V8 90 and thought the brakes were awful cold and hot, what worried me more was on the motorway in the wet nothing seemed to happen straight away on brake application then they grabbed like hell. I have since changed back to Mintex and have had no problem and they were much cheaper. I did think the calipers had something to do with the grabbing, but these were rebuilt with stainless pistons and new Lockheed disc's with the Mintex pads in the brakes were really good. So I thought give the Greenstuff pads another go, so I put them back in for a couple of weeks - they were still bloody awfull, so they are back on the garage shelf. The greenstuff pads are bloody expensive and Mildly miffed right off I have not worn them out! I only bought these as I used to used Padgid pads and they were brilliant - soft on the disc's and braked really well. Then they stopped making that pad and I was convinced about Greenstuff. Now I would stick to Ferodo, Mintex, Lockhead, etc and forget the EBC expensive ones. This is my opinion anyway.

Toby

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Re the squeak, I tried with the mintex pads several times with coppaslip, it worked for a couple of weeks then returned. I haven't tried coppaslip with the EBC (though they had some applied when fitted), but I must admit the squealing put me off mintex on Defenders - used them fine other vehicles. Years ago Ferodo used to be considered one of the best against squealing.

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the greenstuff pads are terrible,i had them in the rear of my 90 and my mate had them all round in his, they wore out in no time! and as said the brakings carp,weve since fitted ferado pads and cant fault them at all,ive never had mintex pads on the 90 but i did used to have them in my subaru,thought they were great pads but they did squeel which after reading this thread sounds common with them

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I have never had a squealing problem from any pads that I have fitted, however I always fit anti squeal shims (I make my own out of brass shim) but sure you can get them from Bearmach. Some pads are hard rubber backed to stop the squealing, but cannot remember which makes! Incidentally my callipers are 110 (the big piston, and big pad) not that it makes any difference.

Toby

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