C450 low quality brake pads
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,202
Likes: 199
From: Brooklyn, NY
2018 GT R; G82; M340
C450 low quality brake pads
Couldn't find any info on this..
I'm having problem with brake pads dust. It's just horrible! 10 miles on a highway after hand car wash and my wheels look like I didn't wash my car for a month! Has anyone replaced their brake pads with something better?
Btw I can't access the secret(engineering) menu on C450..
I'm having problem with brake pads dust. It's just horrible! 10 miles on a highway after hand car wash and my wheels look like I didn't wash my car for a month! Has anyone replaced their brake pads with something better?
Btw I can't access the secret(engineering) menu on C450..
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 630
Likes: 188
C450, GLS 63 and a few other things
Just to be clear, these likely dust because they are good at their primary job - stopping. They are not "low quality" as best as I can tell with my limited testing and seem to grip very well when cold (haven't tried to get them super hot yet, still in brake-in period). It is very common for high performance pads to dust.
That said, they do dust a lot, and you can probably get 90% of their effectiveness for 10% of the dust. Lower dust pads tend to be a little harder on rotors though, FWIW.
I'm not sure anyone has figured out exactly what pads we need yet. Can't find OEM or aftermarket part numbers anywhere. I think they will be pretty common and available (particularly the rears) but we need to figure out what they are.
Carbotech will custom make pads (or tell you what they are if they are readily available) if someone has time to pull a pad and send them the pad or a template.
That said, they do dust a lot, and you can probably get 90% of their effectiveness for 10% of the dust. Lower dust pads tend to be a little harder on rotors though, FWIW.
I'm not sure anyone has figured out exactly what pads we need yet. Can't find OEM or aftermarket part numbers anywhere. I think they will be pretty common and available (particularly the rears) but we need to figure out what they are.
Carbotech will custom make pads (or tell you what they are if they are readily available) if someone has time to pull a pad and send them the pad or a template.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,202
Likes: 199
From: Brooklyn, NY
2018 GT R; G82; M340
Just to be clear, these likely dust because they are good at their primary job - stopping. They are not "low quality" as best as I can tell with my limited testing and seem to grip very well when cold (haven't tried to get them super hot yet, still in brake-in period). It is very common for high performance pads to dust.
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 505
Likes: 58
From: Gold Coast, Oz.
C300 S205 AMG, GLA 45 AMG
Ate also have their ceramic pads and Ate make alot of OEM brake kit for mercedes..
In case Akebono sourcing is tricky..
Same issues here.. gives you the ****s eh..
At least it washes off easily after the wheels are waxed / coated..
In case Akebono sourcing is tricky..
Same issues here.. gives you the ****s eh..
At least it washes off easily after the wheels are waxed / coated..
Trending Topics
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 316
Likes: 10
From: Orange County
C450
yeah, I hosed mine off in the driveway and I thought I may have to call the EPA with the amount of black powder it left in my driveway. Low quality, no. High dust, yes. The sign of an organic pad that won't wear the rotor as much and does great in stopping. Lower dust usually means higher metal quantity in the pad which chews up rotors. I have searched for replacements but have found none to date. If you find an alternative, please let us know.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 630
Likes: 188
C450, GLS 63 and a few other things
Not sure if thats true, but i have had my Genesis Coupe with OEM Brembo brakes and OEM pads and rotors with little dust, then i upgraded them to R1 Concept rotors and HAWK pads - same little to no dust. And oh yeah, they were MUCH better than C450 brakes.. Friend of mine has a Tesla Model S D85 performance brakes (Brembo i believe) also no dust. Another friend has a GLA and as you can guess already - no dust. So I'm still considering brake pads on C450 as a low quality product.
Again, you can get very good performance without dust for a street car that won't be fighting high heat brake fad from a track environment. I have no idea what is on the C450, but I'm guessing similar compound to the C63, and I imagine it will hold up well for an OEM pad. I have several high performance cars with dusty OEM pads, some I've changed out, some I've left for performance.
For comparison sake:
60-0 stopping distance all from Motor Trend
C450 106 FT
Genesis Coupe 111 FT (and 400 pounds lighter)
Tesla D85 113 FT (and way heavier)
GLA 110 FT (and 250 pounds lighter)
C300 - RWD 131 FT (and 300 pounds lighter)
W204 C63 105 FT (same weight)
W205 C63S (with the $$ big carboon ceramic rotors) 101 Ft (100 pounds heavier)
BMW M3 104 FT (300 pounds lighter)
Obviously there rotor and pad area play a huge role in stopping distance, but any way you look at it, the C450 brakes are excellent, despite the dust. It out-brakes ever car you mentioned despite being heavier than the GLA and Genesis Coupe, and comes close to some of the best in the business. Give Tesla some credit for stopping that big heavy thing....
Junior Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 68
Likes: 5
From: Utah
C400
Couldn't find any info on this..
I'm having problem with brake pads dust. It's just horrible! 10 miles on a highway after hand car wash and my wheels look like I didn't wash my car for a month! Has anyone replaced their brake pads with something better?
Btw I can't access the secret(engineering) menu on C450..
I'm having problem with brake pads dust. It's just horrible! 10 miles on a highway after hand car wash and my wheels look like I didn't wash my car for a month! Has anyone replaced their brake pads with something better?
Btw I can't access the secret(engineering) menu on C450..
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,653
Likes: 560
2016 C300
The amount of dust a brake system generates isn't generally considered a barometer of quality. Stopping distance would be.
Mercedes uses a combination of very soft rotors that are essentially sacrificial parts, and pads that by design and composition shed particles and throw off a lot of dust. (Which is why Mercedes rotors need to be replaced rather than turned.) But they're good brakes in that they can take a lot of heat without fading like a conventional pad/rotor combo might.
MB has always been focused on safety and brakes are obviously a big deal. They're building $200,000 Autobahn cruisers using the same soft rotor/pad set up. Apparently they feel like some dust is a small price to pay.
You can make clean up easier by applying Rejex to the wheels. Dust rinses off cleanly without a lot of scrubbing. A quick hit with a pressure washer does it.
Mercedes uses a combination of very soft rotors that are essentially sacrificial parts, and pads that by design and composition shed particles and throw off a lot of dust. (Which is why Mercedes rotors need to be replaced rather than turned.) But they're good brakes in that they can take a lot of heat without fading like a conventional pad/rotor combo might.
MB has always been focused on safety and brakes are obviously a big deal. They're building $200,000 Autobahn cruisers using the same soft rotor/pad set up. Apparently they feel like some dust is a small price to pay.
You can make clean up easier by applying Rejex to the wheels. Dust rinses off cleanly without a lot of scrubbing. A quick hit with a pressure washer does it.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,202
Likes: 199
From: Brooklyn, NY
2018 GT R; G82; M340
The amount of dust a brake system generates isn't generally considered a barometer of quality. Stopping distance would be.
Mercedes uses a combination of very soft rotors that are essentially sacrificial parts, and pads that by design and composition shed particles and throw off a lot of dust. (Which is why Mercedes rotors need to be replaced rather than turned.) But they're good brakes in that they can take a lot of heat without fading like a conventional pad/rotor combo might.
MB has always been focused on safety and brakes are obviously a big deal. They're building $200,000 Autobahn cruisers using the same soft rotor/pad set up. Apparently they feel like some dust is a small price to pay.
You can make clean up easier by applying Rejex to the wheels. Dust rinses off cleanly without a lot of scrubbing. A quick hit with a pressure washer does it.
Mercedes uses a combination of very soft rotors that are essentially sacrificial parts, and pads that by design and composition shed particles and throw off a lot of dust. (Which is why Mercedes rotors need to be replaced rather than turned.) But they're good brakes in that they can take a lot of heat without fading like a conventional pad/rotor combo might.
MB has always been focused on safety and brakes are obviously a big deal. They're building $200,000 Autobahn cruisers using the same soft rotor/pad set up. Apparently they feel like some dust is a small price to pay.
You can make clean up easier by applying Rejex to the wheels. Dust rinses off cleanly without a lot of scrubbing. A quick hit with a pressure washer does it.
I wasn't correct about quality. But my question stays open as i want to replace my brake pads with something not that dusty. You're right, dust can be easily washed, but i don't have time to do this every day...
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 630
Likes: 188
C450, GLS 63 and a few other things
Until something is released by someone, the simple thing to do is to pull a pad off and send it (or a cardboard template of it) to one of the brake vendors. As I said, I strongly suspect we will find it is a standard pad already available on the market (particularly the rears).
Here's a starter -- the SL65 rear brakes used 14.2 inch rotors with 4 piston calipers, just like the C450's fronts. That's no guarantee they take the same pad, but it would be unusual to reinvent the wheel - or brake in this case. Someone can get a set of those pads and see if they match as well.
I use Akebono Proact for many of our daily drivers. Good results with low dust, and fine for ordinary street use, but there are others that will work great as well.
Here's a starter -- the SL65 rear brakes used 14.2 inch rotors with 4 piston calipers, just like the C450's fronts. That's no guarantee they take the same pad, but it would be unusual to reinvent the wheel - or brake in this case. Someone can get a set of those pads and see if they match as well.
I use Akebono Proact for many of our daily drivers. Good results with low dust, and fine for ordinary street use, but there are others that will work great as well.
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 71
Likes: 2
From: California
2015 C300 w205
I had a similar problem with my BMW, and I had the OEM pads replaced with ceramic pads, which limited the brake dust considerably with no change in performance. I am sure they make an OEM spec pad for MB as well.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 316
Likes: 10
From: Orange County
C450
Super Moderator
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 19,942
Likes: 192
From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
The MB OE Pads are made by Pagid. They have always been dusty but are unbeatable for initial bite, progressiveness & lack of fade. They are an engineered component of the car. There are low dust options but don't expect the same feel/performance.
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 630
Likes: 188
C450, GLS 63 and a few other things
According to the Textar site, the pads are the same as the C400/C300 sports package. I have no idea if this is accurate. The rotors are different size and the calipers are clearly a different part, but they could use the same pad. The nice thing is, Textar has measurements on their sites.
According to them, here are the front brakes:
http://textar.brakebook.com/bb/texta...atasheet.xhtml
And the rears:
http://textar.brakebook.com/bb/texta...atasheet.xhtml
So now instead of sending in your pads or a template to someone, if someone wants new pads, take measurements to confirm what textar says, and we have some part numbers to cross reference and look for. If the Textar information is wrong, they'll probably help get the right information since they should know how it is made.
Super Moderator
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 19,942
Likes: 192
From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Yep! The TMD Pagid ~ OE Benz partnership goes back a very long way & includes Commercial vehicles.
BTW ~ to a great degree the dust problem came about at the removal of asbestos from friction materials & trying to match performance cold/wet without it. Hot/dry performance matches are easier but not ideal for passenger vehicles. Consistency in all conditions is required. Giving wheels a good polish with a polymer sealant every couple of years reduces dust adhesion & makes cleaning easy.
BTW ~ to a great degree the dust problem came about at the removal of asbestos from friction materials & trying to match performance cold/wet without it. Hot/dry performance matches are easier but not ideal for passenger vehicles. Consistency in all conditions is required. Giving wheels a good polish with a polymer sealant every couple of years reduces dust adhesion & makes cleaning easy.
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; May 26, 2016 at 01:00 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 288
Likes: 4
From: SoCal
Porsche 981 CS, C450, 3000GT VR4
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 630
Likes: 188
C450, GLS 63 and a few other things
It's a sealant (like a wax) and is applied like one. Great to use on the entire car, including glass and lights instead of a final step wax.
I use it on the wheels always.
That said, the Armor all Wheel Protectant is amazing stuff and works really well, much better than REJEX for brake dust but does not last nearly as long
Super Moderator
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 19,942
Likes: 192
From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Sorry ~ we are all posting over one another while I was editing. My bad. I use Auto Armor in SA. It lasts 5 years on the car's paint & about 2 years on the wheels as long as you keep strong alkali or acidic wheel cleaners away from it. They are bad news anyway & damage centre caps etc. Just fitted a new set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4's to the CLK and about to give the wheels another polish. I don't want to change pads.
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; May 26, 2016 at 12:58 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 288
Likes: 4
From: SoCal
Porsche 981 CS, C450, 3000GT VR4
Amazon.com: REJEX 16oz BOTTLE 61002: Automotive
It's a sealant (like a wax) and is applied like one. Great to use on the entire car, including glass and lights instead of a final step wax.
I use it on the wheels always.
That said, the Armor all Wheel Protectant is amazing stuff and works really well, much better than REJEX for brake dust but does not last nearly as long
Amazon.com: Armor All 78482 Wheel Protectant - 7 oz.: Automotive
It's a sealant (like a wax) and is applied like one. Great to use on the entire car, including glass and lights instead of a final step wax.
I use it on the wheels always.
That said, the Armor all Wheel Protectant is amazing stuff and works really well, much better than REJEX for brake dust but does not last nearly as long
Amazon.com: Armor All 78482 Wheel Protectant - 7 oz.: Automotive
