Another Pads and Rotors Topic
I searched through pad and rotor threads and I'm a bit confused on rotor replacement though. Cost is fairly close on OEM vs aftermarket, what I really want to ensure is the quality.
Pads will be Akebono Euro Ceramics, but I get into the rotors (drilled) and have a bit of a hard time figuring out what the latest OEM part number is. I see both 2044211012 and 2204211812 listed as applications, so I'm guessing one is a more recent part number. From what I read on 2010-2011 rotor quality you want the latest part number as it seems MB has been upgrading the original rotors due to lots of complaints.
There is also choice of Zimmerman coated that seems to be decent quality, they may be OEM supplier along with Brembo for all I know.
Does anyone happen to have any info/recommendations on all this?? thank you
FYI on the Ake pads. About 3 years ago I replaced ALL the rotors and pads on my wife's '04 330CiC. I used OEM rotors but the Ake EC pads. About 2 months ago she mentioned the brakes were pulsing so I replaced the front rotors and pads about two weeks ago. What I found was this; after 20...maybe 25K miles the Ake pads really hadn't worn much at all, they BUT they definitely chewed on the rotors. They definitely wouldn't have passed a state inspection.
Dan
Wow, that's interesting on the Ake pads, I wonder something to do with that particular formulation? I've used them on all sorts of vehicles with really good success. But I really don't want to go back and re-do them at an early stage.
IMO the car has original rotors but the pads look a bit cleaner than what the miles would indicate, I'm guessing they may have been replaced at some point. But since it's my "free" labor lol I prefer to replace all together. Sounds like you recommend all OEM as replacements?
thanks for your help.
"I ended up going with MB rotors and pads. As mentioned in a different brake thread the latest iteration of the MB rotors are P/N 000-421-15-12-07, and the pads are 005-420-85-20. Interestingly, the pads I removed had the same P/N and dated about a year ago."
I noticed your car is an E550, I'm sorry I don't know enough about 350/550 differences, I'll try to verify the P/N applies to both models.
Given all the posts/threads on this forum having to do with warped rotors, and finding out that MB has updated/superseded the P/N for the rotors several times, I just wasn't confidant that the aftermarket had kept up or that their R&D pockets were as deep as MB's. Surely someone else supplies the rotors for MB, but to MB's specifications. I think.

Pads - I dunno. The pads on my previous car - an '05 E500, were terrible with dusting so that car got the Ake EC pads, but I never looked at the brakes again before I got rid of that car so I don't know what the rotors looked like after living with the Ake pads.
So I can only go on what I saw on my DW's car. The Ake pads were great; low dust, great feel, and it appears they will last forever. It does look like they may sacrifice the rotors though.
A RWD E350 Sport is basically the same as the RWD E550 Sport - except for the V8. Ditto on the AWD's. I don't know if the RWD front rotors are the same as the AWD fronts.
Dan
I've also given thought to going with Zimmerman coated rotors and the Ake pads - I've seen decent feedback on that combo. Of interest to me was that the Z-rotors are cast with the holes and not drilled afterwards. Actually to be honest I would be fine with solid rotors but I was going with direct replacement (drilled) to ensure there wasn't some change. Would hate to find out with the car up on stands in the garage.
I've done the RockAuto stare-and-compare many times.
Mostly accurate, but not 100% fool proof.
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