See if Hawk HPS pads fit your car, check on TireRack. I just put them on my A4 and they're awesome so far. Its a popular choice among German vehicles, great bite, very low dust and no noise. These things just grab and pull you to a stop. Price is pretty good too, $100 for the fronts. For the performance and characteristics, they're worth it.

 

Thank you GDawg for the thorough and detailed advice! Exactly my price range.

 

Actually, even cheaper than I thought. The Hawks come in to versions, HPS and Ceramic, HPS is better right?

 

HPS is traditional metalic pads with carbon, they will dust, maybe low dust, but dust. Ceramic pads won't show any dust, even after weeks of driving. My wife can go a month of no car washing and there's no evidence of dust. The closest comparison is look at the rear wheels before you wash your car, the amount of dust on the rear wheels is comperable to what the front wheels will look like with low dust pads. Then wash the wheels, this is what they will look like with ceramic pads before your next car wash.

 

True they will dust, I didn't say no dust but compared to OEM, much less dust.

 

I'm assuming there is a noise difference between ceramic and metallic carbon pads.

Hawk has described the metallic carbon pads as "virtually noise free" and the ceramic pads as "Extremely quiet" with the only other difference between the two in the description being the dust issue. For me noise-free is first, dust second. Unless someone has the ceramic version and can vouch for them as being noise-free.

 

Noise is a function of how well you lubricate and break in the pads....any pad will make noise if not installed and broken in properly.

 

Sorry, I'm being lazy today. Just wondering how many miles on average people got out their rear brakes? I'm at 36k, getting some squeal. I assume its them since I had the fronts replaced in Jan.

 

Question, does the 4 vs. 2 piston setup affect the rear? I've got a rare '05 that has the 4 piston setup up front how does that affect rear? prolly need rear pads..so do I look for '05 C230 rear pads or '04 C32 rears (like I did for the fronts)?

 

The squeal is probably from the front pads. A rule of thumb is one set back pads for every two sets front pads.

 

amen !

 

use the VIN # to check what pads you need for your rear brakes, assuming that's the way they came when the car was bought new.

I can no longer go by VIN # on my Coupe, because my front brakes are AMG C32 4-piston, and my rear brakes are AMG CLK55 2-piston.

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com

 

That's odd...I got about 28k out of my original front pads, and now a mere 8k later I'm getting squeal out of them. Ugggg.

 

Ditto... Improperly installed and/or broken in pads will squeal no matter what they are made from. Get the rotors cut or replaced if you change pad material.

 

Don't confuse squealing with worn brakes. Your pads do not have the common "screech strips" that rub against the rotor when the pads are worn to a certain point.

 

Yup, one rear for every two sound about right but complete opposite on my A4 (as well as others ) I'm on my second set of rear pads and just put on new front pads a few days ago (original pads were on!), 70k miles. The fronts could have gone longer, probably about 80k miles before needed changing. My rears seem to wear out about every 30k.

 

Well then whats the best way to end the squeal?

 

i'm pretty sure BUELLWINKLE has posted the process about a dozen times on these forums. Check his website too !

 

Yeah, I know I've seen it..just couldn't find it...

on another note...anyone ever heard of Posi-Quiet?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MERCE...5365QQtcZphoto

 

When I went to the company's website, they show dust as a 7 on scale of 1-10 and ceramic being a 10. These do not say they are ceramic and I've never heard of them.

Noise/squeal is created when the pads vibrate against the rotors, sort of like the same effect you get when you scrape chalk on a chalkboard. Of course you can lubricate the rotors/pads and eliminate noise but you won't stop well. The brakes pads float in the caliper, this is what allows them to squeal freely. So the most obvious thing to do is put a cushion between the pad and pistons. The easiest way is with antisqueal compound, sort of a rubbery glue type substance transfers the vibrations to a more solid object like the pistons and caliper piston brackets. Also, some brake pads, most noticebly the ceramics have stainless steel shims on the back of the pad that have a similar effect. The key with antisqueal compound is to put it exactly where it's needed (where it would touch metal, look at the old pad's backing plates where you can see the contact points as a reference) and let it dry before putting pads back in and make sure you don't scrape it off putting the pads in. Also you can take other precautions, 1) bevel the leading and trailing edge of pad (most new pads come this way, MB pads don't), this keeps the edge from catching and starting the vibration, 2) use emery cloth on the rotor in a circular pattern to create swirls in the metal so the pad catches quicker and misses the vibrtion point and allows the pad to mate to the rotor quicker, 3) clean everything before assembling, use a generous amount of brake caliper cleaner to make sure there's no dirt that may have gotten on the pads and rotors (brakes is a dirty job so this is not always easy but important).

Different pad materials seem to be more prone to squeal than others, don't know why but I wouldn't go with a pad known to be noisy. It doesn't really bother me but it bugs the heck out of my wife and then she bugs the heck out of me so the effect is the same, haha.

 

Hi, I'm looking for recomendations on brake pads for my 04 C320 Sport Coupe. I'm pretty happy with the OEM, but the dust is a drag. Some of the ceramics only have fronts. If possible I'd like to do front & rears with the same brand.

Thanks
Curtis

 

go back and read all the brake pad threads....
your questions have been answered ad-nauseum !

 

Thanks For the advice. I should have put numerous disclaimers of my search efforts in the original post. Searching was done.

I'd really like to know if the C320 Sport Coupe has the same brakes as the other w203 and find a supplier that can come up with front and rear creamics for my car.

 

Merged into General Brake Pad discussion thread.

 

i will be investing in a pair of front hawk pads...tired of brake dust!