I would like some advice as just noticed the brake disc's are different on my Panda, Does the car come with grooved rear disc's..?

Rear's: Notice these are grooved on the disc





Front: These are not grooved



If Fiat provides grooved disc's allround then the front's look like they need to be changed asap. I have bought new front disc's n pads & will replace next weekend.

OE discs are plain front and rear.

Thanks for the reply, wonder why the rears where changed to grooved as most of the braking is done on the front.

No idea, complete waste of time really seeing that the rears don't do much.

Have used grooved discs in the past, but they do tend to eat through brake pads. Would just stick with OEM discs and change the pads if you must.

Maybe it was a misguided attempt to deal with the famous Panda rear disc squeak/grind noises.

Look like Tarox to me - I've tried them on several cars and I'm not sure they add anything other than the better quality materials that Tarox use compared to OEM.

Replaced the front disc's & pads today with a Mintex set:



Old Front:



Rear's side on the Front:



New Disc's:



New pads on the right hand side:



All replaced, feel safer now:

I'm trying to think as to what happened to your old discs, to cause those marking on the inside. Weird.

trackdayqueen said:

I'm trying to think as to what happened to your old discs, to cause those marking on the inside. Weird.

Click to expand...

Perhaps the inside pad was dragging and overheating the discs, and what we're seeing are the places where the internal fins are because they cooled at a different rate than the rest of the disc?

Or the disc is very heavily worn on that side for a reason like KozmoNaut suggests and we are seeing the beginning of the ventilation structure, providing an insight into how they are cast?

Whatever the reason is for the discs looking as they do, thank goodness you have replaced them!

Just out of interest, I don't suppose the old disc thickness was measured in comparison with the new discs?

maybe the front discs were grooved and it had just worn past the depth of the groove?

midget4hire said:

maybe the front discs were grooved and it had just worn past the depth of the groove?

Click to expand...

I reckon that would be it. In the picture of the disc still on the car it looks like it's far too thick for the internal venting to be coming through just yet.

midget4hire said:

maybe the front discs were grooved and it had just worn past the depth of the groove?

Click to expand...

I wondered that myself but ruled it out on the grounds of being too ridiculous to be true!

well the rears were grooved

LeanMeanRacing said:

I wondered that myself but ruled it out on the grounds of being too ridiculous to be true!

Click to expand...

Not as ridiculous as what I was suggesting!

lewey said:

Not as ridiculous as what I was suggesting!

Click to expand...

If what you were suggesting were true, those discs would be have seriously worn!

Not sure if anyone has noticed yet but if you look at the first photo of the discs still on the car in Thunderbug's post with wheels off, the marks on the outside face of the disc line up with the vent ribs between the discs. It looks like there's some sort of discolouration being left on the disc faces from the vanes. Could be either part of the manufacturing process showing through as the disc wears, or the discs are overheating and the vanes are showing through because of it....

doctorchris said:

Maybe it was a misguided attempt to deal with the famous Panda rear disc squeak/grind noises.

Click to expand...

Funny you should say this as the car does squeak at low speed.

What makes this noise & how can I cure it..? Do I need to replace the rear disc / drums as well..? If yes what make is good & how much does a set cost.