g4benz

Wow, is it me or does this car generates a ton of brake dust. I just spent my lunch hour at work cleaning my aftermarket alloy wheels. It seems like every time I drive (20 miles a day), the wheels need a cleaning, especially the fronts. I used Meguiars Aluminum Wheel Cleaner. I know some people apply wheel wax, but I've heard of mixed results with that. I'm in NY. One snowy day will probably strip all that wax.

What a pain in the a$$.

eldivino

Have you considered getting Ceramic brake pads. I just got my E350 last week and I will be getting ceramic brakes installed. When I first changed the brakes on my C320 10yrs ago for the first time I used ceramic brakes and never went back. There's a big difference with the brake dust.

g4benz

I've been reading about it. Some say the price isn't worth the minor reduction in brake dust. Others say it has made a significant difference. I'll look into pricing.

eldivino

Well it made a big difference for on my C320. I remember before I installed ceramic brakes that I would wash my car and after one day of driving the front wheels where disgusting. After, it would be about 6 days until you started noticing the brake dust.

g4benz

Yes, mine is the same way after 1 day of driving. I guess 6 days is doable, and it seems the only way to fully resolve is to hide the entire wheel with a hubcap, I guess lol.

I wonder if anyone here has experience in applying wheel waxes and how long they last.

thefisch

I've got OEM pads and it takes about a week after cleaning for them to get dirty enough for me to be annoyed about it. I couldn't stand it if it only lasted a day.

g4benz

I notice "enough" buildup after each driving cycle, but, yes, I have been cleaning them every week. This time, 2 weeks elapsed and basically my entire outer rim was brown with brake dust. I guess this is normal then?

sutliffe

Akebono pads are the only way to go! Trust me.

thefisch

how long does it take to notice the brake dust with the akebono pads? How is the braking performance?

sutliffe

Akebono invented the ceramic brake pads. They dust very lightly and their stopping ability is great. Check the specs or ask other members on the forum. Search on akebono on the forum. The first thing I did to my Sl500 was change the pads, what an improvement all the way around.

Ausmbtech

I've been using ATE Ceramic pads on all cars I service privately if they're available. They're about as good as it gets for a Euro car, no change in pedal feel, less dust and they are actually kinder the to rotors than the standard pad. Not sure about availability in the states but they are easily available in Australia.

mleskovar

There must be different pads available from MB as mine dust very little. About as much as ceramic pads. My last Benz I installed ceramic pads after 10K miles because the dusting was terrible. But there was a price to pay for the fancy pads as the "bite" wasn't as good and it required a little more foot pressure but not enough to bother and I got use to it quickly. And when cold/first stop it required more pressure. Stopping power was the same for both kinds of pads as near as I could tell. Just before I traded the car in I put the original pads back in because they still had plenty of life remaining and i didn't want to invest in new brakes to trade it in. I immediately noticed the better bite and reduced foot pressure......and dusting

mnje350

I must admit that one of the pleasant supprises on my E when I bought new in 2010. Almost no dust after months of driving. Don't know what the stock brakes are on a P2 sport but I would not think twice about replacing them with same. They stay remarkably clean. In fact, the car needs washed long before the wheels ever get dirty.

Arrie

Well, I got my ceramic pads from Autozone and no brake dust so Akebono is not the only choice.

I also can honestly say I did not suffer any braking performance loss.

Munich77

Also coat your wheels that will make them easier to clean.

g4benz

It seems like ceramic pads are the way to go. I'll check the local tire shops to see if they have em and what the cost is. Thanks!

J.Raymond

As mentioned above - consider coating your rims.

Had the E400 OEM wheels coated with CQuartz Finest - nothing sticks. The brake dust that does adhere washes away easily. Opti Coat Pro is another good coating - and there are other similar products.

Tried many of the wheel treatments and waxes in the past on other cars - mostly worthless. The quartz like coatings seem very promising.

J.

g4benz

Yes, that would be an option. Can get pricey! $$$

Munich77

Coatings are not that expensive - you can do it yourself on the wheels and it costs less than $100.

J.Raymond

Very true ..

There are quite a few DIY options – one detailer here recommends CQuartz UK for wheels (looks popular). Various sources including CarPro have 30ml kits for ~ $60 USD.

Prep is key for these coatings - looks like CarPro recommends their IronX and/or Eraser for this – additional products for the job. Would definitely remove the wheels to get complete coverage (some folks coat the brake calipers while they are in there if needed).

You might find a good detailer that will coat your wheels for a reasonable price - maybe a certified Opti Coat or CQuartz installer. I would definitely check around before taking the DIY route on these coatings – however easy it may look.

J.

PS: Here's a lengthy wheel coating thread on autogeek ..

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...d-coating.html

porksoda

akebono vote here as well.
Good braking power and amazing wear and low to zero dust.

Ed99

How much do they go for? I need these pads really bad. Can't stand washing my wheels every 2days.

porksoda

80-115USD for each set.

Arrie

Go get the ceramic pads anywhere you can. Your brake dust problem will be gone with any of the ceramic pads available.

pdisher

Buy cheap buy twice