GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Okay, I'm mechanical enough to change my oil and simple jobs such as spark plugs and alternator, but I've only done brakes once and was really only assisting. Do I need to pull the rotors in order to change the front brake pads? Also, what type of pad do you recommend and why?Thanks in advance and thanks as well for everyone who makes this site so useful.Ben

You don't need to take off the rotors to change the pads. I get my car parts from Rockauto.com. Just do a search for the appropriate parts for the Vibe. I think I've used even the cheapest stuff on their site and have had no problems with them at all. Good luck!

You don't have to pull the rotors to change the pads.Once you take the wheel off the caliper comes off with 2 (14mm i think) bolts.Then you need a caliper compressor or C-clamp to push the piston back in the caliper.Then you pop the pads out and take off the anti-squeal shims and put them on the new ones.Then put the caliper back on and bolt it back up.Not too hard.As for the pads,I use the factory ones because one of my buddies works at GM,so I only pay $20 for them.Maybe someone else can refer you a good set of pads to use.

I've found that all the different brake pads work about the same, but the more expensive semi-metallic don't make so much of that thick brake dust that blackens the front wheels. So I spend the extra $8 to buy the more expensive version that's always in stock at my favorite parts store.

I've been told that for a lot of the newer cars its better to buy the factory pads instead of the aftermarket ones (stock ones, I'm not talking brembo's here). The reason was that usually the factory ones have less of a tendency to squeak and squeel b/c of the components in the pad. The ceramic pads are the best for the least amount of brake dust on your wheels.As taken from the Tire Rack website:The steel strands used in semi-metallic pads to provide strength and conduct heat away from rotors also generate noise and are abrasive enough to increase rotor wear.Since they were first used on a few original equipment applications in 1985, friction materials that contain ceramic formulations have become recognized for their desirable blend of traits. These pads use ceramic compounds and copper fibers in place of the semi-metallic pad's steel fibers. This allows the ceramic pads to handle high brake temperatures with less heat fade, provide faster recovery after the stop, and generate less dust and wear on both the pads and rotors. And from a comfort standpoint, ceramic compounds provide much quieter braking because the ceramic compound helps dampen noise by generating a frequency beyond the human hearing range.Another characteristic that makes ceramic materials attractive is the absence of noticeable dust. All brake pads produce dust as they wear. The ingredients in ceramic compounds produce a light colored dust that is much less noticeable and less likely to stick to the wheels. Consequently, wheels and tires maintain a cleaner appearance longer.Ceramic pads meet or exceed all original equipment standards for durability, stopping distance and noise. According to durability tests, ceramic compounds extend brake life compared to most other semi-metallic and organic materials and outlast other premium pad materials by a significant margin - with no sacrifice in noise control, pad life or braking performance.This is quite an improvement over organic and semi-metallic brake materials that typically sacrifice pad life to reduce noise, or vice versa.

Thanks to all for the help!

I have EBC Ultimaxx pads on my Subaru and i LOVE them... They are a small step above stock and work great... EBC sells many different kinds of pads form just above stock to full race pads... A well known name in the brake industry..