New Disks

[SwansSaab]

Starting to get worried now as I will soon need new disks I have scoured the net and not getting much joy finding them, disks are 332mm Brembo made Hirsch, part number E520001000.

I really dont want to go through my local Saab dealer as quite frankly they are muppets, and its a job I can do my self so just want to order these

any help 

[phoenix]

Try another dealer who are Hirsch specialists?

When I had the same setup I trawled through the entire Brembo catalogue to see if I could find out id there was an equivalent size disc made as OEM for another car, but there isn't which may explain the price. The only other option was to get some "stock" 332 x 32 discs mounted on custom made bells. Probably mroe expensive initially, but cheaper when you ge tot the second set of discs.

Having gone from the Hirsch setp to stock size discs with DS2500 pads on my Aero, I haven't really noticed a major difference in performance, but I am using better pads now- DS2500. You might want to consider doing this as it works out a lot cheaper in the long run.

My assessment is that he Hirsch kit only provides a marginal improvement over the stock kit for normal road use- there's not a great deal of extra mechanical advantage in the disc radius and the pad area is comparable. I think the real benefit of this kit over stock Aero is if you regularly abuse the brakes e.g. trackdays.

[Louis]

I looked into this a couple of years ago. I was unable to identify which Brembo discs hirsch was using. They like to keep that information to themselves.

[SwansSaab]

OK so I was basically advised to contact Reading Saab as they are the main Hirsch people ... apparently there where various size disks for Hirsch, the Reading parts chap said he needs to contact Hirsch so will have to wait and see.

[sgould]

Your car has the 322mm discs.  The later option was for the 345mm discs with the single piston callipers.

As far as I know there are only two options since 2002.  Earlier Hirsch cars were sold as "Troll" or "Carline".

[SwansSaab]

Your car has the 322mm discs.  The later option was for the 345mm discs with the single piston callipers.

As far as I know there are only two options since 2002.  Earlier Hirsch cars were sold as "Troll" or "Carline".

322mm ?? Pauolo had them down as 332mm

[phoenix]

332 X 32. Just checked my old scrap pair

[nine-fiver]

The caliper carrier must be different to the Aero 308 version then? Are they the Vectra rotors? Wonder if parts are swappable....

[paolo]

Your car has the 322mm discs.  The later option was for the 345mm discs with the single piston callipers.

As far as I know there are only two options since 2002.  Earlier Hirsch cars were sold as "Troll" or "Carline".

322mm ?? Pauolo had them down as 332mm

They are 332mm by 32mm (SGould just made a simple typo that's all) Some were 30mm or 28mm IIRC too.

You may see in the catalogue 331/332mm though.

They are sometimes in stock, but very limited. Brembo make them up for Hirsch, some kind of special order I think.

PS- Nine Fiver- the calipers are Brembo 4 pot's

P

[Drac]

I need a recommendation on front disks and pads for an Aero...

Disks (all 308mm):
- tarox G88: £250
- tarox SJ: £250
- black diamond 8 groove/16 slot: £200
- saab: £190
- ebc drilled/slotted: £190
- black diamond 12 groove: £180
- mintex: £110
- brembo: £100
- pfs el-cheapo: £90

Pads:
- mintex c-tech: £120
- tarox fast road: £115
- brembo sport: £110
- ferodo ds performance: £110
- ebc red stuff: £90
- black diamond fast road: £60
- saab: £55
- textar: £50
- mintex: £35
- pfs el-cheapo: £30

Criteria: good performance, low amount of dust, no squeal, good mileage, value for money...

Any comments would be more than appreciated.

Genuine saab disks seem to be really overpriced...

[nine-fiver]

At a recent carclub meeting this very thing was discussed. Many options from your list were evaluated by an expert who had actually bought them and used them, being a dealer mech. Conclusion was that unless you are doing a track meet every other weekend, then the OEM factory pads are actually very good and great value for money. Discs not so important and you don't necessarily get what you pay for. The Cheaper ones are just as good in many cases as the more expensive types. Factory markup on discs is notorious, so the Brembo's look to be good value. The Chinese discs (RDA/EBC) are actually made from good 'ol Aussie BHP steel and I can't fault them. Yes I hammer them on the track occasionally at Club meets and they are straight as a die.

[phoenix]

IME the best all round combination of value for money,  quality and performance is Brembo discs with Saab OEM pads.

Don't touch any of the grooved/dimpled/drilled discs with a bargepole.

Many of the enhanced pads need to get up to temperature to work properly and can even be worse than OEM when cold.

Best performance orientated setup is Brembo & DS2500 but this combination can be a little squealy and like all the other performance pads, dust levels are higher than stock. I run this combination on my Aero and am very happy with it apart from those two minor drawbacks.

[Norfolk Jim]

I agree - mine (not long fitted) are Brembo (cehapest price was from GSF) and OEM pads.

Heaps of stopping power in dry or wet and no squealing