Just bought a 03 STR with 80k miles. The pads look thin but the rotors measure .60 + for both rears and .42 + for both fronts. Any recommneded pads, less dust, less price, we are not racing this one. Several sets on Ebay but I have my reservations about cheap hardware as important as the brakes. Found the Youtube on replacement proceedure. Could not believe what the local Jaguar dealer wants for this afternoon in-the-driveway chore..
Phil in Tenn

 

Congrat's on your purchase Phil.

I'm going to do brakes on my 03 STR this weekend. After reviewing all the threads on this site on the topic, went with Akebono's from Tire Rack for about $120 for pads.

My car only has 24k miles, the rotors are fine so they are staying put.

If yours are OE, then it's probably time for them to go. At the very least, make sure they are true. Not much left to take off, so I wouldn't shave them. So if they are true, then you could probably stick with them. If they are the slightest bit out of true, or have any scoring, excessive pitting, or heat glazing, chuck em and get new ones.

You are right, dealer quote I received was $1100 for fronts only. Insanity.

 

Congrats - nice car

Make sure you get the workshop manual.

Discs: fronts start at 32mm, discard at 28mm so yours appear to be UNDER HALF the discard thickness. (Is that even possible?)
Rears start at 15mm which looks to me like .6" so they should be fine.

Fronts ventilated, rears solid.

All the above are for the hefty Brembo calipers.

Someone check me please

 

Could you explain what is meant by those measurements- is that thousands of an inch or mm?

 

My guess which is the same as jagv8's is that the dimensions are in tenths of an inch.

So jagv8's math is good, .42"= 10.67mm, something fishy I think.

 

Good to know that it's relatively easy to do the rotors and pads. I am going to be doing mine (03 S Type, not the R), and can't imagine it is really much different. I was a little concerned with the quotes from the Jag shop.

So Chris, are the Akebono's the way to go? I don't mind spending a little more, but obviously cheaper is good!

 

I would re-measure because it must be wrong. Your STR front rotors should be in the 1.24 inch range. I have cut mine to less than factory recommendations (1.12"-1.15") and they are still fine after much abuse and 35K miles of driving. But it is a risk.

It's not hard to change the pads but unless you have worked on a fixed caliper design before they are a bit different from the more common sliding caliper brakes. As was advised PLEASE, PLEASE buy the $10 service CD off of EBay (JTIS-Jaguar Technical Information Services) and download the free EPC (Electronic Parts Catalog-This is what the Jaguar dealer parts guys use to order parts) from this site.
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Phil, I just replaced all four rotors on my STR with really nice cross-drilled rotors from Brake Rotors Discs Pads Brakes Cross Drilled & Slotted I spent about $425 for all four including shipping. I also used redstuff pads all around and have been very pleased since they broke in. Here is a pic.

 

My 03 STR has 50k and I'm probably going to do brakes in the next few months.

I'm going with crossdrilled and slotted rotors from here:

Premium Dimpled and Slotted Brake Rotors

239.00/pr front and 192.00/pair back.

or you can do the dimpled/slotted rotors with free pads for 290/pr F & 244/pr R.

Haven't decided on ceramic or metallic pads... ceramic are better stopping, lower frictional heat but produce more dust.

Ceramic (Standard) Brake Pads

I can't tell you who makes their rotors or pads though. I emailed them to ask, if they reply I'll post it here.

UPDATE

Brake Performance responded:

Whodathunkit? Wonder if they are actually made here in the US of A or if little Mao is making them?

 

They are Centric rotors I actually talked to them over the phone when I ordered mine and asked lots of questions they had really good customer service. Didn't even get mad when I asked about 50 times whether they were the correct size and what the sizes were. They are all Centrics they buy them blank and do all the coating or slotting or drilling after getting the blanks. Mine have been holding up great they are the crossed drilled and slotted and black coated.

 

Good to know. What about the pads?

 

Sorry I didnt get their pads so I dont know. I'm sure they might be Centric also but I dont know for sure. They didnt do the free pad deal when I got mine.

 

Interesting. Went over the Centric's site and they do the Powerslot and Stop Tech brakes.

Some of the same verbage and what not so I bet you are right, rotors and pads come from there.

 

After taking the time to mic the rotors myself ( dont guess from badly written note tech scribbles on a envelope but it could have been I misunderstood). The fronts are huge , compared to my Lotus and Mazadspeed Miata. The fronts average from 4 measurements 1.24 drivers side and 1.25 inches pax. The finish is relatively smooth and free of any significant grooves. The pads look like they have seen a lot of service. The rears measured .40 and .38 inches with obvious wear patterns all though the pads could be the same mfg (color) as the fronts. The pads are no brainer, local parts has both ranging from OEM to "Gold for european cars" . The rear rotors will take more looking. Since the fronts stay, I will replace rears with the OEM standard...drilled and dimpled next time. May take this one to the BMW performance school next month at the Nashville Superspeedway, SCCA instructors and a road course..

 

If I've looked up the sizes right, those rears are far too worn. They should be no thinner than 13mm (about 0.51").
I suppose the failures might include shattering or the pistons too far out.

(Here if in an accident you'd be risking being blamed, with potentially criminal (and civil) legal implications.)

 

I used Centric ceramic pads in combination with EBC slotted/dimpled rotors on my X type. Very happy with them. They are a touch noisy and fairly hard on the rotors, but very little dust and stop very well.

Markuss - I will post up my impressions of the Akebono's (ceramic). There are several threads on here where users have stated they are very happy with them on the STR, so that feedback aided my decision. They HAVE to be less dusty than the black cloud producing OEM pads.

 

Markuss,

Impressions of Akebono Ceramics - so far, I'm very happy. Installed them yesterday, the front brake job is a breeze. Of course i made it hours longer than needed by scrubbing the calipers and suspension bits while I was there.

Anyway, went for a 30 mile break-in drive on back country roads to bed the pads. After a bit they started to bite nicely, provides a linear feel and easy to modulate the braking. Not much noise at all. Best part, after I got back I expected to see the usual brake dust that the OEM Textar's would leave - but there was basically no brake dust. At all.

So far, so good!

 

This is really just an fyi,, and my experience..I just completed the full front and rear install of the brakeperformance dimpled and slotted rotors.

I put on the standard semi metalic pads(included when you buy the premium rotors)

I bedded the pads and have driven now 300 plus miles. The good news is that the dust is easily 75% less

The bad news is that I am returning these rotors.

I am fully aware that cross drilled and or slotted or combos are noisier then normal rotors, I have installed on all my cars in the past.

However these are so unbelievably noisy, i thought there was something wrong at first. I removed and rechecked but all was good. I then put the car on a lift and ran it an braked to check the noise and its just these rotors.
as each slot passes the leading edge of the pad, the resulting noise could mostly be described as touching a house fan blade while its spinning. or perhaps when a kid sticks a straw into his spokes whil they are riding. Its an embarassing sound to be honest

Brake performace indicated that i needed upgraded pads but I disagree as this is not pad noise, like squealing or such from an inferior pad.

They do have great service i admit, and the end result is that they agreed to replace with the cross drilled only.

SO if anyone else is/was considering these,, just a heads up.

 

I don't understand the fascination with drilled and slotted rotors. They don't stop any better than plain rotors and in theory don't stop as well due to reduced surface area.

 

yes they are noisy, i have them on mine. if you drive next to a barrier you can hear them too.

HOWEVER i know the noise due to racing on my crotch rocket. doesnt bother me too much at all. i keep the windows up anyway( thats a joke btw)