Hi All,

regardless of needing replacement or not, we are due to do a big trip down through the alps and having only had the car a few weeks I would prefer some pads with a bit better bite. Can anyone recommend some replacement pads for front and rear? Do the stock pads have wear indicators that mean replacements also need wear indicators?

Thanks

 

You recently bought a used 5.0L XKR but didn't give us enough information to answer your question. What year is your XKR and how many miles? When was the last time the brake fluid was flushed and refilled? How many previous owners and do you have the service records? Who did the service? Has it ever been in an accident?

Slapping on a new set of aftermarket pads, without doing anything else, could make things worse. What is the thickness and condition of the rotors? What about the tires, front bushings and other suspension parts, and alignment?

Yes, OEM pads have wear sensors.

Worth reading: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...brakes-200062/

 

I put Porterfield pads on last time, also new rotors. The braking was improved over whatever had been on it before, and brake dust was noticeably reduced also.

 

Same here (on my F-Type).
Strange that you (OP) would say "I prefer some pads with a bit better bite", as my experience across three Jags now (2010 XFS, 2010 XFR and 2014 F-Type) is that the stock pads and rotors are excessively "bitey", waaay too much initial bite for my liking such that driving in peak hour stop/go traffic it was damn near impossible to drive smoothly coz the brake pedal was like an on/off switch.
If your XKR is still on OEM pads and rotors but you find the brakes to be "not bitey enough" then I suspect something is wrong with them and I would check everything mentioned by Stuart S.

 

Selection really depends on your driving style.
As a very aggressive driver (seeking out, and running twisty roads as a hobby) for some 30 years now, I have gone through several manufactures and near racing compounds. Sadly, when I got my Jag, the choice of pads fell to a dismal few, thanks to our cars limited production.
One thing to keep in mind is that an aggressive pad can produce a lot of brake dust, which for me is a fair trade.
At the top of my pick list would be the Porterfields. The R4-S has great bite and is very linear in modulation and release, while the R4 is that and more, but are higher dust, fast to wear, and can be noisy.
I use currently use EBC YellowStuff which tolerate heat well when pushing them, but even they have limits I could exceed when I tracked my Lexus. Side note: I was delighted to see they now use NRS backing plates, which was not the case a few years back.
Hawk is a better company than EBC (IMO), but they only make one pad for us, and it is for the Alcon Fronts only. Even there, not having a matched rear pad is something I would avoid.

You will get others with better experiences in with day to day, light-dust pads, and I can't help at all in that area. I'm an old lunatic with a license, and I go around anyone that gets in my way on back mountain roads.

Also per Stuarts recommendations, flush your brake fluid if it has not been done recently.

Above all.... Remember......... Brakes stop tires, but tires stop cars...

BOL