Hey guys, coming up to 80K brake service.

Need to order some brake pads. I like Axxis Ultimates because they perform like OEM but are virtually dustless. I couldn't find these for the C43, though.

What brake pads do you guys all use? Hopefully not OEM...

Also getting some SS lines installed as well as a flush with some ATE fluid or the new Amsoil stuff. Should help with that damn dead feel at the beginning.

 

Also, how many quarts of fluid do I need to buy? thanks!

* TireRack shows a few pad choices, but only the Akebono are available for front and rear. I might try these. Do not want OEM... They dust so much, and are not perfectly quiet.

 

It will.

 

Wyatt - the Akebono was a consideration for me as well, they look like a quality product. I went with the reds from EBC, I wanted a compound that would not eat my discs/rotors, they're quiet and I can change five sets for of pads for the price of a set of rotors. They dust substantially less than the Mintex I had previous.

 

Where did you get your EBC reds?

Never heard of them.

Bite compared to stock - cold and warmed up? Overall stopping power?
Same or less dust than stock (can't be more!)?

I like the rotor holdup.. These rotors aren't cheap. Pending your review, I might try them out. Otherwise I'll go with Akebonos and give a review.

Glad to hear the SS lines will improve the feel. We had them bled several times and that wasn't the trick, so this is the last idea. Can't wait.

 

I got my EBC's from www.perfectbrakes.com I'm really, really happy with them, like I said I would rather replace pads than rotors. No noise, definitely lower dust, but I have to say I don't autocross my car so and I do pamper it, it is now ten years old. Worthy of mention, is that I also bedded-in the pads as well. A process well worth doing. I wanted to have my rotors last and had them frozen (cryo-treated) too. I had posted a really nice pictorial DIY and I actually found it...LINK

I have put stainless braided brake lines on all my motorcycles and the change is dramatic - the minimal flex is immediately noticed. When I squeeze the brake lever it has less than half of the travel it originally had with the OEM rubber.

My source for my rotors was www.rimier.com - spoke with a really nice guy named Richard. Best price and treated as well by his company, they're AMG rotors not aftermarket. He has instructions on how to properly bed-in brake pads on his website, which I had posted as well...

FROM MY OLD POST...(LINK)

Brakes Good upgrades for you to consider are stainless brakes lines, they will significantly reduce your pedal travel and any sponginess. Once you do the lines you'll need to have it properly bled and I probably would have it done professionally, ABS-equipped cars have a pump that I really don't know if you can adequately bleed as a DIY project. I would invest in a couple quarts of MB, Motul or ATE brake fluid and have your ENTIRE brake system fluids replaced. Also, good brake bads, i.e. Porterfield, EBC greens, Mintex or whatever flavor you decide - just try to get a pad that won't eat your rotors within a cycle, unless you're tracking your automobile. Additionally, don't forget brake bads need to be properly bedded in! Rimier, as mentioned before in another post, is the place I got my frozen rotors, www.frozenrotors.com has them at comparable prices too. I found that Richard at Rimier was very helpful and was happy to give him my business.

BEDDING PROCEDURE BELOW (Courtesy of www.rimier.com and STOPTECH)

What is brake pad “bed-in” anyway?

Simply stated, bed-in is the process of depositing an even layer of brake pad material, or transfer layer, on the rubbing surface of the rotor disc.

The all-important transfer layer

The objective of the bed-in process is to deposit an even layer of brake pad material, or transfer layer, on the rubbing surface of the rotor disc. Note: uneven pad deposits on the rotor face are the number one, and almost exclusive cause of brake judder or vibration.
It only takes a small amount of thickness variation in the transfer layer (we're only talking a few ten thousandths of an inch here) to initiate brake vibration. While the impact of an uneven transfer layer is almost imperceptible at first, as the pad starts riding the high and low spots, more and more variation in the thickness of the transfer layer will be naturally generated until the vibration is much more evident. With prolonged exposure, the high spots can become hot spots and can actually change the metallurgy of the rotor in those areas, creating “hard” spots in the rotor face that are virtually impossible to remove.
Bedding fundamentals

In general, bed-in consists of heating a brake system to its adherent temperature to allow the formation of a transfer layer. The brake system is then allowed to cool without coming to rest, resulting in an even transfer layer deposition around the rotor circumference. This procedure is typically repeated two or three times in order to ensure that the entire rotor face is evenly covered with brake pad material. Sounds easy, right? Well, it can be if you have the proper information.
Because the adherent temperature range for brake pads varies widely (typically 100°F-600°F for street pads and 600°F-1400°F for race pads), each bed-in needs to be application-specific. One could try to generate a one-size-fits-all procedure, but too little heat during bed-in keeps the material from transferring to the rotor face while overheating the system can generate uneven pad deposits due to the material breaking down on the rotor face.
In summary, the key to a successful bed-in is to bring the pads up to their adherent operating temperature in a controlled manner and keep them there long enough to start the pad material transfer process. Different brake system designs, pad types, and driving conditions require different procedures to successfully accomplish the bed-in. The recommended procedures below should provide you with the information you need to select the bed-in procedure appropriate for your application.
When a system has both new rotors and pads, there are two different objectives for bedding-in a performance brake system 1) heating up the brake rotors and pads in a prescribed manner, so as to transfer pad material evenly onto the rotors and 2) maturing the pad material, so that resins which are used to bind and form it are ‘cooked' out of the pad.
The first objective is achieved by performing a series of slowdowns, so that the brake rotor and pad material are heated steadily to a temperature that promotes the transfer of pad material onto the brake rotor friction surface. There is one pitfall in this process, however, which must be avoided. The rotor and therefore the vehicle, should not be brought to a complete stop with the brakes still applied. This risks the non-uniform transfer of pad material onto the friction surface.
The second objective of the bedding-in process is achieved by performing another set of slowdowns, in order to mature the pad itself. This ensures that resins which are used to bind and form the pad material are ‘cooked' out of the pad, at the point where the pad meets the rotor's friction surface.
The bed-in process is not complete until both sets of stops have been performed.
Bedding-in Street Performance Pads

Caution: After installing new pads/rotors or a big brake kit, the first few applications of the brake pedal will result in little or no stopping power. This is normal. Initially, apply the brakes a few times at low speed in order to build up some friction before any high speed driving.

2. Accelerate to a speed of about 60mph and gently apply the brakes to slow the vehicle to about 45mph, then accelerate back up to 60mph and repeat this couple of times to bring the brakes up to operating temperature. This will prevent thermally shocking the rotors and pads in the next steps.
3. Now make a series of eight to ten near-stops from 60 to about 10 mph. Do this by pressing on the brakes firmly without locking the wheels or engaging ABS. At the end of each slowdown, immediately accelerate back to 60mph. DO NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP! If you stop completely you will imprint pad material onto the hot rotors, which can lead to vibration, uneven braking, and could even ruin the rotors as discussed above. (Note: With some street pads, you may need to do fewer than eight near-stops. If your pedal gets soft or you feel the brakes fading, then proceed to the next step.)
4. The brakes may begin to fade slightly after the 7th or 8th near-stop. This fade is normal and will not completely go away until the brakes have fully cooled. A strong smell from the brakes, and even smoke, is possible.
5. After the 8th near-stop the brakes need 5 to 10 minutes to cool down, so drive the vehicle using the brakes as little as possible. Try not to become trapped in traffic or come to a complete stop while the brakes are still hot.
6. Add four near-stops from 80 to 10mph if bedding-in club race pads such as Hawk Blue and if bedding-in full race pads such as Performance Friction 01 or Hawk HT 14, add four near-stops from 100 to 10 mph.
7. After the bedding-in cycle, there should be a slight blue tint and a light gray deposit on the rotor surface. This blue tint indicates that the rotor has reached bedding-in temperature and the gray film indicates pad material is starting to transfer onto the rotor surface. The best braking occurs when there is an even layer of of pad material deposited across the face of the rotors as described above.
8. After the first bedding-in cycle the brakes may still not be fully broken in. A second bed-in cycle maybe necessary. This is usually the case if you have installed new pads on old rotors or have installed big brake kits. Pedal firmness will often improve after the second cycle and we recommend bleeding the brakes when the second cycle is complete.

Summary
In summary, the key to successfully bedding-in performance brakes is to bring the pads up to their operating temperature range, in a controlled manner, and to keep them there long enough to start the pad material transfer process. Different brake system designs, pad types, and driving conditions require different procedures to achieve a successful bed-in. The procedures recommended above should provide a useful starting point for developing bed-in procedures appropriate to individual applications.

 

Thanks so much.
What did you do to seat the pads properly?

Just 60-0 hard a few times at the beginning?

I am going to look into the EBC a bit more vs the Akebono and then order something along with some ATE fluid to install in 2 weeks with the SS lines.

thanks again!

 

How many quarts of fluid should I order?

Ordering the EBC Red pads now. Yellow might be nice, but I don't track at all and I want something that is quieter with less dust. $175 for all 4. I might as well order their fluid as well since shipping is free on order over $150. 16.9 oz per jug - do I need one or two for an entire flush?

*ordering from www.placeforbreaks.com - $160 for the pads, but they only carry Brembo fluid. Never heard of Brembo fluid but I guess it can't be bad. $187 shipped for the pads and 2 bottles of fluid. I'll let ya know how they go when installed with SS lines in 2-3 weeks!

 

I pretty much followed the bedding-in as instructed - I had a road that could be used with zero traffic...

Autohaus might have ATE fluid...my cuttin' and pastin' got wadded up, number 2 is one although you can go to Rimier.com and obtain...