Hella Pagid 355042971 Front Disc Brake Pad Set

These are the Hella Pagid 355042971 front disc brake pads, a low-metallic set built for the larger 360mm front brakes on the Porsche and VW/Audi platform. If you've got a Cayenne, a Panamera, a Macan, or a Touareg running the bigger front rotors, this is the front-axle pad set that drops into that caliper. OE-formulated friction material, prepared for a wear indicator, and cut to the same shape the factory pads use.

The one thing to nail down before you order is the front rotor size. This set is for the 360mm front brake package. On the Porsche cars that's brake option code 1ZT or 1LD, and it also covers some Audi Q7 and some VW Touareg builds fitted with that same larger front brake. Two cars that look identical from the outside can run different front brakes depending on how they were optioned from the factory, so check your rotor diameter or your build sheet before you buy. Get that right and the pad set seats like the original. If you're cross-checking a parts counter, this Hella Pagid number carries OE reference 7P0698151C, which is a quick way to confirm you're on the correct front brake.

Low-metallic is the friction compound here, and it's worth knowing what that means for how the car stops. A low-metallic pad runs a higher steel and metal content in the mix, so it bites hard when it's cold, transfers heat well, and holds up when you're loaded down, towing, or hauling a heavy SUV down from highway speed. The trade-off is a little more brake dust on the wheels and a touch more noise than a quiet ceramic pad. That's the compromise you make for a compound that grabs firmly and sheds heat. For a Cayenne or a Touareg that weighs the better part of three tons, that firm, fade-resistant bite is usually the right call. If your car spends its life doing school runs and highway cruising, you'll notice the confident pedal more than the dust. If it sees mountain roads or the occasional track day, you'll appreciate the way the compound stays composed when the brakes get hot.

The pads come prepared for a wear indicator, which means the friction material is formulated and slotted to work with the factory wear-sensor setup on these cars. The sensor itself isn't part of this set. If your old wear sensor is worn through or already triggered on the dash, plan to grab that separately so you're not pulling the wheel twice. Keystone lists this as a set of 2.

A front pad job on these platforms is straightforward for anyone comfortable working around a caliper, but there's one detail that trips people up. The big calipers on the 360mm cars can use a 7 or 10-point socket to back the original pads out, so have the right bit on hand before you start rather than finding out with the wheel already off. Once the new pads are in, bed them in properly. That means a series of moderate, controlled stops to transfer an even layer of friction material onto the rotor face before you lean on them hard. Skip the bed-in and you'll chase squeal and uneven bite for weeks.

Who's this for? Anybody doing a routine front pad refresh on one of these Porsche, Volkswagen, or Audi models, or bringing a higher-mileage car back to a firm, confident pedal. It's a front set, not a rear set, and it's built for the larger-brake versions of these cars, so match your front rotor size and you're set. Do that homework up front and you've got a clean, direct-fit front brake refresh from a friction supplier the factories have trusted for a long time.