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Which Brake Discs/pads?


Pitmonster
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Hi all,

Mk2 Focus 1.8 TDCi Zetec

I'm considering fitting new front discs and pads to my Focus - not as a performance upgrade, just routine maintenance.

I've changed brakes plenty of times in th past so I'll most likely do this myself, getting the parts from somewhere like Euro Car Parts or similar.

The problem is that when I go on the ECP site there's various brands and prices, and I don't know which are the correct ones:

Front discs - brands are Pagid or Eicher, and prices are from £30 to £46

There seem to be 2 sizes - 278 and 300mm. Which do I need?

(I have 16" wheels, car is diesel)

Front pads - brands are Pagid or Eicher, and prices are from £21 to £33

There seems to be only one specification, so does it matter what size disc I have? Will the same pad fit both disc sizes?

Are the two brands compatible? Will I buy one and find they don't fit?

(I once had this with a previous car - the manufacturer used 2 brake suppliers and I managed to buy the wrong part. Although it was the correct part for that model/year, through pure bad luck it wasn't the correct part for *my* car, if you know what I mean)

Or can anyone suggest the right parts to get and where to get them from?

Finally, are their any special tools I need or tricks I need to know?

Thanks for your help.

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The 1.8 tdci uses 300mm front and 280 rear. Used plenty pagid brake parts, seem ok.

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Thanks for that :-)

Do the same pads fit both disc sizes?

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No there are front pads and rear pads. The front 280 or 300mm use the same pads however.

The 280 rears use smaller pads

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I was having a look for the same as mine will need doing within the next couple of thousand miles, but the Pagid stuff looks pretty expensive on ECP... the discs are priced each, not for a pair.

I've seen recommendations for the guy knocking out Mintex stuff on eBay, might go down that route myself.

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remember you get a discount through the forum for ECP - 25%. unless of course they have a better offer on the site

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remember you get a discount through the forum for ECP - 25%.

How do you get that?

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FOCCOM25 at checkout. Think that's the code...

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FOCCOM25 at checkout. Think that's the code...

I never knew that, thanks.

Do you get the discount in person?

There's a branch of ECP not far from me and I would rather pick the parts up than get them posted.

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I never knew that, thanks.

Do you get the discount in person?

There's a branch of ECP not far from me and I would rather pick the parts up than get them posted.

if you order online to pick up in store you will get the discount

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Excellent!

Do I need any special tools to fit front discs & pads, or need to know any special tricks, or is it pretty straightforward?

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  • 1 month later...

Bit of a late reply to last question, no its pretty straightforward. Apart from the usual tools you'll need;

Torque wrench to do securing bolts up correctly

Hex socket of the right size for mounting bolts

Wire brush and can of brake cleaner (new discs usually have a coating to stop tarnishing which needs removing)

G clamp or piston retractor (not the wind back sort) to push piston back

Hose clamp and length of bleed pipe so fluid isnt pushed back up the system when piston is pushed back in

Anyway, a question to the forum.... Sources and makes of brake parts. I need to do all my discs/pads, buying all Pagid stuff off ECP would cost £150 including their current 30% discount. I'll call my other local motor factors for prices too, but does anyone recommend any other online sources that could be better value? Any makes to avoid?

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Good spot, cheers. Actually I've been going by Haynes spec for disc diameters but I've got a feeling they're wrong, better pop it up later and measure.... could be all in for under £130 with the promo code.

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Dont forget some brake grease to keep the caliper slide surfaces lubricated, and some copper grease for the pad backs, to stop squeal. Also its a 7mm allen key you will need for the caliper mount bolts. the haynes manual dosnt tell you what size, and a 7mm was the only one I didnt have :rolleyes:

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Yes ta, already gone and got a 7mm hex socket so I can torque it back up correctly.

FordEtis warns against using "grease or lubricant on the brake pad contact points or the brake caliper piston". Oddly it only states this for the rear, not the front. Think I'll just apply a tiny amount where the caliper slides and if there's a squeal take it from there.

Well Haynes Focus 05-09 Diesel is wrong, it reckons 1.8td is 278mm, 1.6 and 2.0 are 300. Also reckons all rears are 280. I make it 278 on the front and 265 on the rear for a 1.6, lucky I measured before ordering.

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The 1.8tdci is defo 300mm front and 280mm rears, also stamped into the . Good old Haynes ay?

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Just a last word, well worth picking a tube of this up if you don't have something similar:

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-accessories/car-maintenance-accessories/maintenance-fluids-and-greases/grease/?526770250&0&cc5_150

copper-ease isn't recommended these days due to the metal particles is contains.

http://www.pagid.de/images/stories/downloads/pagid_technicx_en_050825.pdf

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Can anyone confirm front disc size for a 2.0TDCi 2005 focus?

Just to point out im not lazy, I would take the wheel off and measure myself, however its a tad difficult with a complete rear corner missing at the moment.

I expect there 300mm, just want to check though.

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Also its a 7mm allen key you will need for the caliper mount bolts. the haynes manual dosnt tell you what size, and a 7mm was the only one I didnt have :rolleyes:

Why is it so hard to get a 7mm allen key (or hex socket for my socket set)?

Vauxhall use the same size for their caliper bolts too, so it seems to be common in car circles, but whenever you get a set that has multiple sizes it tends to go 4/5/5.5/6/8/9 and almost always misses 7 out. Why?

Is it a conspiracy?

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No idea why they are always left out. As you said, Vauxhall use the same, as do many other makes. I had to buy a single 7mm hex socket just for the job. Its not hard to get hold of them individually though.

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Finally got around to buying the brake parts for my Focus from Euro Car Parts, and a mechanic friend is fitting them at the weekend. He has all the necessary tools and the right greases etc, and will fit them in a fraction of the time it would take me!

Had a choice of two brands - Pagid or Eicher. The latter was cheaper, but I'd never heard of them and a quick Google gave some bad/mixed reviews, so I went for the Pagids

A full set of discs & pads for all 4 wheels came in at £148 incl vat, which I thought was pretty reasonable for such a recognised brand.

(The Eichers would have been £100 but I prefer to see brakes as an investment rather than an expense, and £50 isn't much in such a crucial area. If the discs last 5 yrs that's only a tenner per year difference, and I can happily live with that)

Next a set of tyres, new Wiper Blades and a sidelight bulb, and I'll be all set for my MOT next month.

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