Non-OE Brake Pads

[mis3]

For the next brake pads change, I am thinking to go non-OE. I read many good reviews on Akebono Euro Ceramic Pads (Premium). Somehow Tirerack's rating on stopping power is only 3 of 5 stars. How do these pads feel, as compared to stock OE pads? Just curious, who makes the OE pads?

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[Clkboi]

I have heard great reviews on Centric rotors + Akebono pads.
The price is very decent as well!


I am changing mine soon so will update this thread again when done

[mis3]

I did not think of changing the rotors as well. I want to change th pads because of the brake dusts.

Why change the rotor?

[Louie D]

I was having the same problems with the brake dust as you are with the OEM pads. I replaced the rears with the Akebono pads and love them iI will do the fronts when needed.

No need to get new rotors unless you need them and you will sooner or later.

Louie

[Glyn M Ruck]

Pity stock pads make such a mess. I still rate them highly all round for feel & bite.

[eddieo45]

I have stock pads on my E350 and they grab like glue, stop on a dime, and make a *****-mess of my wheels in a day and half. Akebonos and R1 rotors on the CLK and not a speck of dust and minimal rotor wear, but they don't stop as well. Oh, and I rear-ended an X5 with my C230K cuz I couldn't stop in time (yet still bought Akebonos again, but not for my wife's E)

[Mka77]

Plenty of bite with my Akebono pads and R1 drilled/slotted rotors... oh, and zero dust

[Rudeney]

A lot of people scoff at Centric rotors as they are made in China, but I put a complete set of Centric D+S rotors and their matching "Posi-Quiet" ceramic pads on the C240 for about $300. They've been great! They stop better than OEM and are dust free. They roar a bit on hard stops because of the slots, but otherwise, they've been on there about 18 months and no complaints.

[mis3]

My priority is the feel and bite. The brake dust is annoying but can be managed, just a lot of work.
Wish they make pads that perform as well as OE but less dust.

[Frank Rizzo]

Originally Posted by mis3

My priority is the feel and bite. The brake dust is annoying but can be managed, just a lot of work.
Wish they make pads that perform as well as OE but less dust.

Then you don't want the Akebonos then. I did all four wheels about a month ago. There is almost zero dust but the initial grab and pull down feels about 20% weaker than stock. And they squeak whenever I back up. I'm going to try a set of EBC RedStuff ceramics. I had them on my R32 and they were pretty good.

[Kevwood]

Originally Posted by Frank Rizzo

Then you don't want the Akebonos then. I did all four wheels about a month ago. There is almost zero dust but the initial grab and pull down feels about 20% weaker than stock. And they squeak whenever I back up. I'm going to try a set of EBC RedStuff ceramics. I had them on my R32 and they were pretty good.

I couldn't agree more. The Akebono pads on my 500 were great for absolutely no dust but the initial bite was significantly reduced. On the track, they disintegrated in 7 laps and as a result almost ended up in a very bad accident.

I ran EBC reds back home and really liked them, also a very clean pad and not much of a bite reduction.

[mikata]

Originally Posted by Glyn M Ruck

Pity stock pads make such a mess. I still rate them highly all round for feel & bite.

+1

[mis3]

Looks like we have to choose between safety and cosmetic.
Definitely safety for me.

[Supafly]

Texstar has come out with a new line of pads....Low dust; no squeek, but with OEM gripping capabilities...

I find them way better than my Hawk Ceramics and Akebono Ceramics...

[CLK5OO]

Don't mess with the junk. I have been racing cars in SCCA club racing for years. I've used pads from every racing pad manufacturer and I found that the company I have been buying from for years has pads that don't dust and flat out work. I got them from Porterfield. Google them and while not cheap the R-4 line will hold up to track use and stop your car on the street without the dust of factory. Those on a budget need not apply. It was about $180 for a set of front pads. Thank me later. I have no affiliation with porterfield and frankly I prefer Hawk for my current competition car, but have used the endurance porterfield compounds in long distance races with good results. These are not racing pads I'm using on my CLK.

[Glyn M Ruck]

Originally Posted by mis3

Just curious, who makes the OE pads?

Sorry - just reread & realised I did not answer this.

Pagid and Jurid

[Rudeney]

On the Porterfields, I have not used them myself, but I have heard nothing but good things about them. I ran Rotex Gold Kevlar pads on my ML and they were superb, but also expensive. I don't think they make them for the CLK, though.

[mis3]

I am confused with the part numbers.

Last time the dealership changed my brakes, these are the part no:
Front pads:. 003-420-60-20
Rear pads: 003-420-28-20

I just went to Autohasaz and found these part no. for my car (2004 CLK320):
Front pads:. 003-420-26-20
Rear pads:. 003-420-52-20 and 003-420-28-20 (why 2 different items)

Also, I could not find OE rotors there.

[Rudeney]

A 003 420 60 20 is the correct updated part number for the front brakes. A 003 420 26 20 is an older part number, but Autohaus often lists them since that may be what customers are searching for.

A 003 420 52 20 is the rear brake pad set for vehicles with the sport package. A 003 420 28 20 is the rear brake pad set for cars without the sport package (i..e with the luxury or elegance package).

[mis3]

Thanks, Rudeney.

IMO. The stock rotors and pads are well performed. The only problem is the brake dust. I will stick with OE.

[Rudeney]

While the OE pads do generate a lot of dust, it washed off easily. I had a BMW X3 and it was terrible. Not only did the brakes generate a ton of black dust, it stuck to and pitted the rims. I tried every cleaning solution and nothing helped. I even clayed and waxed the rims and that didn't help, either. It was terrible! The only redeeming quality was that the X3 stopped on a dime - it stopped faster than most everything on the street, except for a few Porsches and some supercars.

[LexDiamonds]

The Porterfield R4s sound interesting. Can anyone comment on if they squeak at all? Looking at pairing these with the R1 premium drilled/slotted.

Also, are the OEM rotors on the 55AMG larger? Will those work on the CLK500 with the stock 4pot calipers?

[Kevwood]

Originally Posted by CLK5OO

Don't mess with the junk. I have been racing cars in SCCA club racing for years. I've used pads from every racing pad manufacturer and I found that the company I have been buying from for years has pads that don't dust and flat out work. I got them from Porterfield. Google them and while not cheap the R-4 line will hold up to track use and stop your car on the street without the dust of factory. Those on a budget need not apply. It was about $180 for a set of front pads. Thank me later. I have no affiliation with porterfield and frankly I prefer Hawk for my current competition car, but have used the endurance porterfield compounds in long distance races with good results. These are not racing pads I'm using on my CLK.

I raced SCCA for years, now I'm in Extreme Super Lap, what are you running for a competition car?

[Glyn M Ruck]

One should also remember that the stock Brembo rotors from Benz are fine & well priced.

Porterfield pads are great!

[Rudeney]

As for brake squeal, I've only once found a pad I couldn't keep from squealing - and it was the Rotex on my ML. 99% of the time, brake squeal isn't coming from the pad to rotor contact, but from the pad to caliper (or piston) contact. The pad vibrates and causes the squeal. Some pads come with backing material that dampens the squeal. If not, you need to use anti-squeal compound that basically creates a soft layer of cushion between the back of the pad and the caliper/piston surface.

Oh, and on the Rotex pads, they squealed because they had too much metal in the. The solution was to sand them down occasionally (along with a rotor knock-down sanding), but it would seem to come back every month or two. I just lived with it because of their incredible stopping and dustless output.