I'm needing to change the pads and rotors on my 06 Accord V6 6Speed, and am debating what to throw on there. I changed them originally at 30k miles due to badly warped rotors, and when I pulled the pads, one of them had a crack in it. I replaced them with OEM Honda pads and rotors. Now, I'm at over 130k miles and it's time again. I'm seriously impressed that I got over 100k miles out of the stock pads. The rotors however, have been warped for a while and I've just put up with them, so I'm not as impressed with them.

This has me debating just saving a little money and going with the Brembo blanks. I've had pretty good luck with them in the past on my 96 Accord and on friends cars I've put them on. Parts store brakes I've not had such great luck with. Is there any reason I should go with OEM's over these? Or are there any better rotors out there?

Also, does anyone know if the coupe rotors will fit the sedan? Everything I'm seeing listed is only listing brake parts for the v6 6speed coupe, and I'm not seeing anything for the sedan.

The next question is pads. This is where I'm really debating. I hate the brake dust, so that is drawing me to a set of ceramic pads. However, on the other hand I just can't believe I got over 100k miles on the oem pads and it's making me think I should just use those again and clean the brake dust off the wheels a little more often. Are there any other suggestions for pads better than OEM ones, or are OEM ones the way to go?

I want good brakes most importantly, but I never had a problem with the OEM setup, and them lasting a long time is also a nice addition. I know I'm probably way over thinking this, but I want the most bang for the buck, while still having a good setup.

 

Go OEM if you are unsure or do not want to compromise. You can never get the best of a particular segment.

If you want better feel and stronger braking, you'll have to sacrifice via brake dust, and rotor/pad life. That's just how it goes, otherwise there wouldn't be so many to choose from.

In your case, you could look at something a step above OEM pads and stick w/ OEM rotors.

Brembo Blanks have been okay for me, but I haven't had enough mileage on them to warrant anything. I've gone a long way w/ OEM, but then again I'm just a daily driver.

What I did notice was when upgrading pads over OEM, I felt instant improvement in brake feel. OF course I had to pay w/ brake dust, but that didn't bother me.

 

Go OEM again if you got over 100k on the last set. It will get you from point A to B without much fuss. You will be at around 230,000 miles when they need to be changed again, that's if you don't get rid of the car before then.

 

Honda Accord:
V6 6MT Coupe/Hybrid/TSX - 11.8" front rotors
Others - 11.2" front rotors

I replaced my OEM rotors and pads with aftermarket @ ~95K, due to worn pads and brake shudder/pulsation. I've put about 10K on the replacements and they've worked great for my daily-driver.

Centric Parts C-Tek Standard Brake Rotors (Front:121.40036, Rear:121.40055)
Akebono ProACT Ultra-Premium Ceramic Brake Pad Set (Front:ACT787, Rear:ACT537)

I'm pretty sure all models use the same pads. Make sure you do a full brake fluid flush/bleed; it will definitely improve the pedal feel.

Check out v6performance.net, acurazine.com (TL & TSX sections), and driveaccord.net for more info.

 

Well, after doing lots of reading I ended up buying a set of Brembo blanks and the Akebono ProACT brake pads. I haven't installed them yet, and just got the rotors today, so I hope that I'm happy with this setup. I was going to go with Brembo blanks and OEM pads, but the more I read the more I started to think these Akebono pads were a better choice and I got them for $15 cheaper than the OEM pads. Thanks for the recommendations guys.

 

I agree, oem is the safe bet if you are concerned.

 

^The OEM pads are the problem; they lead to uneven buildup of the pad material on the rotors. This is what causes the shudder/pulsation, especially in the front.

 

Late reply, but this is what I did for my 2003 Accord LX 4cyl;

I had on again off again rotor warping problems with the OEM rotors and replaced them finally at 30, 000 miles with STS slotted and drilled rotors. No more warping problems after that.

With 114,000 miles now on the Accord I replaced the entire front brake system. New Rotors using StopTech Cryo-SportStop Drilled Rotors and rebuilt calipers using Centric Posi Quiet Loaded Calipers and pads. Ordered the parts through Tire Rack and installed myself. Total cost for the parts was $376.65.

As a side note back at 108,000 miles I finally replaced the rear drum brake pads for the first time and turned the drums. The pads still had some miles left on them but were well used! Wheel cylinders showed no sign of leakage so I left them alone except for bleeding the entire brake system.

The Accord is stopping smooth as silk once again!

 

If I'm not mistaken, the Brembo rotors don't come with the coating on the hat and vanes. I would see about painting them myself, if you care about the visible rust on the rotors.