[joel benatar]

Hi All
Happy New Year to all of you and to all of you in Asia sorry for all the pain you are going through. I am about ready to change out my front brake pads on my 550. By the way I am in the brake pad business. My company sells products like Raybestos,Bendix, Akebono, Sumitomo and EBC pads. I am thinking of putting on a set of the RED EBC pads which are made for high speed driving and some track events. Also does anyone know whether there is a sensor that need replacing or not. Appreciate you comments
Joel

 

[Stradale]

Most of my 550 owners friends canged their front pads to Pagid yellow from the factory supplied Brembo. I'm not sure if there is a sensor for the 550. But there is for the 360.

The sensor sits in a slot cut at the rim at the centre of the arc of the brake pad itself. Only Brembo OEM pads have this slot but I think that can be easily machined with the other brand pads.

Why don't you remove your current brake pads and check it out.

 

[joel benatar]

550 Brakes

Have just completed a full brake job on the car. Eventually put on Porterfield R4S Pads front and rear and new Brembo cross drilled rotors. The front brake pads have a slot for the sensor. The actual sensor is a BMW 850 sensor that needs to be modified. I will say that the Porterfield pads a un believable. On cold drives it does require a little heating up before they grip well but there after the harder you push the better they fell and stop. Also there is minimal dust and squeal. If any one wants to get some quotes on these products please let me know as a iwill be glad to help out.
Joel

 

[Andrew]

Re: 550 Brakes

Have just completed a full brake job on the car. Eventually put on Porterfield R4S Pads front and rear and new Brembo cross drilled rotors. The front brake pads have a slot for the sensor. The actual sensor is a BMW 850 sensor that needs to be modified. I will say that the Porterfield pads a un believable. On cold drives it does require a little heating up before they grip well but there after the harder you push the better they fell and stop. Also there is minimal dust and squeal. If any one wants to get some quotes on these products please let me know as a iwill be glad to help out.
Joel

Joel,

Thanks for the useful information. Interesting that the BMW 850 sensor worked. What was the maker of that sensor and what needed modifing to get it working on your 550?

 

[joel benatar]

550 Brakes

The Brembo Caliper used on the 550 front is the same as that used on the BMW 850, so the pads are identical FMSI 7517D639. I stock these in my warehouse in the ATE brand, EBC brand and as said before the ones I put on my 550 were the Porterfield. As for the sensor it is the same as that used for the 850 application but the connector to the car's electronics is different. I cut off the BMW socket and soldered on the Ferrari connector. Works great. For your info the Pricing on the Brembo Cross drilled rotors are $239.00 F.O.B. San Diego and the Porterfield pads are $159.00 F.O.B. San Diego
Thanks
Joel

 

[Bart]

My front brakes have always made funny noises, even after a brake job. Oh, well. They still stop the car. I go with whatever my friend tells me regarding anything about my 550.

8)

 

[stephen550]

Re: 550 Brakes

The Brembo Caliper used on the 550 front is the same as that used on the BMW 850, so the pads are identical FMSI 7517D639. I stock these in my warehouse in the ATE brand, EBC brand and as said before the ones I put on my 550 were the Porterfield. As for the sensor it is the same as that used for the 850 application but the connector to the car's electronics is different. I cut off the BMW socket and soldered on the Ferrari connector. Works great. For your info the Pricing on the Brembo Cross drilled rotors are $239.00 F.O.B. San Diego and the Porterfield pads are $159.00 F.O.B. San Diego
Thanks
Joel

The caliper is the same as the Nissan GTR R33, R34 and now 350Z with sport brake package. You will find the "Nissan" parts are much cheaper than Ferrari. A lot of people recommend the Ferodo DS2500 as good street/high performance pad.

 

[stephen550]

Re: 550 Brakes

Have just completed a full brake job on the car. Eventually put on Porterfield R4S Pads front and rear and new Brembo cross drilled rotors. The front brake pads have a slot for the sensor. The actual sensor is a BMW 850 sensor that needs to be modified. I will say that the Porterfield pads a un believable. On cold drives it does require a little heating up before they grip well but there after the harder you push the better they fell and stop. Also there is minimal dust and squeal. If any one wants to get some quotes on these products please let me know as a iwill be glad to help out.
Joel

Isn't the cross drilled rotor standard? How do the Porterfireld RS4's compare to the Pagid RS19 or the new RS29?

 

[joel benatar]

550 Brakes

Yes the cross drilled rotors are O.E. on the 550. with regards to the pads I cannot compare tehm to the Pagid as I have not driven a 550 with those pads. However compared to the pads I had on the car ( which I believe were the Feroda's) the car stopping power is better when the Porterfield once the pads a re a little hot. As for fadding I have not expierienced any and we have been on some high speed runs through the mountains of Julien in San Diego where there are a lot of 80 - 100 MPH straights into 25 - 30 MPH corners and the pads are great. The only negative is that when they do get pushed hard they do let off a bad smell. Rather stop and smell than not be there to smell.
Joel