Centexhokie

In the less than a month that I have now had my SL550 with AMG package it is obvious that the brake dust with the OEM pads is going to drive me crazy. Are there any alternatives that dust less and provide mostly squeak free stops?

I had Racing brake ET500 pads on my BMW and they fit the bill well on that, but they don't show any pads for the SL.

Thanks.

PilotMike

Great question, and one I would like to know the answer to as well. I have had my SL550 for about a year now, and the brake dust is annoying.

I had my wheels treated with 22PLE, which makes them much easier to clean, but does not help get to the root of the problem......

Centexhokie

The dust is similar to what I had with the BMW 335ic OEM pads. I used Poorboy's world wheel sealant before finding the.ET500's. The solution is a harder pad. Anyone?

Daytona-flyer

For brake dust, I use a small California Duster. It's filthy but still works. Don't get the wheels wet. I do the brake dust about three times between washings. It takes only five minutes.

TIP: If your cleaning tool doesn't have a handle, wear latex gloves while doing the wheels.

Centexhokie

If we can get the right brake pad, the wheels will wait until the car needs to be washed. I know how to seal the wheels and I know how to clean the wheels, but wouldn't it be better to get rid of the dust rather than continually have to remove it?

Daytona-flyer

It's your call. Brake pads are cheap enough. I like Hawk. They makes pads that have low dust.

Centexhokie

I've used Hawk as well. In looking at their site, I don't see a pad for our application. Do you have any part numbers as maybe I'm missing them.

Wolfman

There is a simple way to eliminate all brake dust. Replace the OEM pads with Akebono Ceramic pads. Did this on our old SL and the wheels stayed pristine for weeks at a time.

Call tirerack.com to check if they have the pads for the R231...

Centexhokie

Good idea, but they have no replacement pads for the R231 as of now. These pads must be made of "unobtainium".

RacingBrake

2013 SL550 uses the following brake pads:

Front D1670 Rear D1689
Front D1688 Rear D1689 (Sports)

They are brand new FMSI# so that's why no aftermarket brake pads yet. RB's ET pads are the most popular compounds (in Acura, EVO, & Infiniti alike communities) for aggressive street or spirited driving. We like semi-metallic compound for better bite than ceramic, yet our pads are very low dust.

Centexhokie

Thanks. I am not seeing on your site how to order them. I'll call on Monday. How do these compare to the ET500's I had on my BMW?

RMAZ

I am aLso on the same search for a low dust pad. I had porterfield brakes make me a one off set for my 2013 sl63 and their pad is a semi metallic with a low dust and no squeak claim. My results are terrible dust, basically same as stock and squeak like hell. I complained and got a second set made and installed them with the same results. I have used porterfield on my srt8 and Ferrari with good results but on this aplication (2013sl63) they are a complete failure. I also have called every brake manufacture out there of a low dust option and they just are not making the aplication yet. Let me know if you have any luck with those semi metallics... I'm thinking the ceramic pad may be the best answer based on earlier generation sl63,s using them with decent low dust and noise results.

Randy

RMAZ

Did you have any luck with racing brakes? I called them but they did not seem to have much understanding on the 2013 sl550 / 63 applications. I sent them the factory pad part numbers for the 2013 SL550 with sport option and asked about a low dust replacement pad.

FYI all the 2013 SL 550/ 63 / 65 use the same rear trw pad and this pad is available aftermarket from many vendors. The rear pad is a carry over pad and has been around. The fronts are all different for the sl550 non sport / sport / and the amg models. Most of the production sl550 here in the states have the sport option so the pad needed is a replacement for the factory brembo part number 614-13. No one is making this pad yet and as I mentioned in the earlkier post I had 2 custom made sets from porterfield but they dust as bad if not worse and squeak. Also no one is doing a rotor replacement either,. I have seen a few places offering a drilled rotor but they are just factory rotors and they drill more holes in them.

Randy

Centexhokie

I haven't found any yet. I think about this weekly as I get splattered with brake dust specks washing my wheels with a Daytona speed brush. If I find a replacement I will post here.

happyinboca

Hate the dust - 2~3 times a week gotta clean em....

RacingBrake

Any one with 2013 SL550 live in LA or Orange County so we can take measurement on rotors and brake pads.

RMAZ

I emailed you the images of the front and rear pads along with the factory brembo and trw part numbers. Call me and we can go over all the details.

Randy

California John

I live in LA. San Gabriel. Send me an email if you want to take measurements. jpage@mac.com

RacingBrake

Thanks

Is you SL550 a sports model. Just want to make sure as the rotor and pad are different from non-sports (standard) model.

You can email me at info@racingbrake.com

Warren-RB

RMAZ

I see you replied to the post about being in CA. What model 2013 do you have? SL550 / SL550 WITH SPORT BRAKES / SL63/

Thanks
Randy

RacingBrake

Randy asked me how low dust is our ET pads, and I think you are in a better position to comment from an user stand point, comparing to what you had before in your BMW besides dusting, such as stopping power and modulation (brake control) etc.

Thanks

Centexhokie

The BMW 335i OEM brakes were similar to my SL550 with sport package brakes. They were good at braking, quiet, and produced enough dust to blacken my wheels in just a few days of driving. I originally sought out an option to quit supporting Sonax and have my wheels look gray 3 days after a wash. The ET500's dropped the dust level to require wheel cleaning once a month with less dust than a week with the OEM's. Brake performance and pedal feel were unaffected by the pads. The ET500's did not squeak after bedding per RB's procedure which was easy to do. The first time I did it they squeaked after about a week, so I bedded them again and through 2 years I never heard a squeak again. There was a slight groan with the harder pad, but it was very live able. I would and will trade these OEM pads for ET500's as soon as they produce them.

If you have any questions that I can answer please let me know.

pdjv

If the brake dust hasn't gotten wet Swiffer Dusters work well too. It takes about 10 minutes to clean all four wheels on my SL55.

Centexhokie

Why not eliminate it instead of having dust covered wheels and dust caked wheels when it rains? It's may only take you 10 minutes but in order to keep up with what I am seeing that would be 30 minutes a week. I'd rather do other things besides dust my wheels.

csdifani

Rotor Availability... but No Pads...