Tested: Bendix Ultimate Brake Pads and DOT 4 Brake Fluid
Apart from tyres, brakes play an equally crucial role towards both vehicle safety and handling. Like tyres, this is an area of vehicle maintenance that cannot be compromised upon, and Bendix, a leading brand in this particular area, knows this.
Not only internationally renowned, Bendix has been in Malaysia market for about two decades now. Its most notable offerings lay in braking systems, hence its varied range of products that include pads, rotors and fluids.
So, how good are they? Fortunately, the folks at Bendix Malaysia had kindly supplied us with some of its core offerings to test out first hand, those being a pair of its Ultimate brake pads plus a bottle of Bendix DOT 4 Brake Fluid to match too.
Having tried and tested them over the last two months in various driving conditions, it’s safe to say both products deliver on their respective promises exceptionally well. These may just the upgrade your car needs, and here’s our overview of both.
Ultimate Brake Pads
Like any brake pads, it all starts with the compound used to manufacture it. With the Ultimate series, Bendix have gone the extra mile indeed.
First, it’s been specially formulated at the molecular stage to provide both a high friction surface and high temperature tolerance. After which, the Bendix Ultimate brake pads are then coated with Noise Absorbing Shims that reduces vibration and noise during extreme braking.
The result of which sees the Ultimate pads deliver not only a strong bite, there’s also greater pedal feel plus higher resistance against fade, not forgetting the promise of shorter braking distance, as well as quieter operation too. Effectively, these brake pads are indeed suited for ‘dynamic’ or ‘energetic’ driving styles according to Bendix.
It didn’t take long after installation and running in for these qualities to shine clearly in this writer’s own car – a not so old but still peppy Proton Perdana V6. With these pads, it has now allowed for not just higher speed highway cruising, but also greater control when traversing through twisty B-roads at a lightly ‘spirited’ pace as well.
Apart from slight squeaking caused by one lightly damaged rotor in our Perdana V6 test bed, the only price to pay here lies in the higher than usual amount of dust these pads emits. However, this isn’t a deal-breaker at all considering the increased effectiveness and performance delivered, especially when paired with the next item…
Bendix DOT 4 Brake Fluid
For good measure, the pads were paired up with a bottle of its DOT 4 Brake Fluid as well. In similar fashion, this brake fluid in particular was especially formulated with high temperature tolerance in mind too.
Contrary to what many might think, brake fade isn’t just caused by overheated pads and rotors, it’s also caused by overheated fluids. The latter happens when the fluid heats up to boiling point and creates air bubbles within the brake lines, which in turn leads to reduced brake strength and dulled pedal feel.
The DOT 4 Brake Fluid from Bendix combats this thanks to its high resistance against extreme heat. Suitable for both hydraulic and conventional systems, this fluid’s long-lasting resistance against extreme helps to maintain optimum braking performance for much longer periods.
Given that we were now experiencing higher braking temperatures when driving with the new Ultimate pads mentioned earlier, it was only natural to replenish the Perdana V6’s brake fluid with the Bendix DOT 4 fluid too.
The result spoke for itself too where we experienced no moments of fade – there was always optimum bite and strength when demanded. In short, when swapping out pads, swapping out old brake fluids is highly recommended, and the Bendix DOT 4 Brake Fluid stands as an ideal replacement.
Price and Availability
Take note that the Bendix Ultimate brake pads are only available on selected car models. Get in touch with the Bendix Malaysia team on via the Bendix Malaysia official Facebook page to find out more.
