Dustless pads, which ones are you using?
12-28-2009, 10:19 PM
#28
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2003 E55 AMG
I'd be surprised if you would see a decrease in any performance going from OEM to Akebonos. I haven't felt any decrease in performance at all. Have I felt an increase?...not sure. But for me, not dealing with brake dust was well worth the price of admission.
12-29-2009, 09:44 PM
#29
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2004 E55 AMG
In reality, if there is no pulsating and you are sure the rotors are straight, measure them for thickness and throw some pads on if they are good. The EBC's actually have a break-in coating that is supposed to remove any glaze and bed the pad to the rotor. I have about 120 miles on the EBC reds I installed a couple of days ago, and aside from a squeak every now and then(that the instructions tell you about up front, takes about 500 miles of driving to bed them in) they seem to be bedding in just fine. They also grab way harder than the MB pads I took out, but only time will tell if they truly work better. Initial bite is ridiculous though.
Though I have an on-car brake lathe, I decided that I didn't want to fight the caliper bolts, so I simply took out the old pads and installed the new ones. It looked like the pads had been replaced once before, so this is the third set of pads on the factory rotors, with 0 issues.
12-30-2009, 12:14 AM
#30
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Its interesting and maybe my observation isnt 100% accurate but it seems that most of the guys posting that there is no decrease in performance with akebonos are in warmed climates it would be interesting to see more responses from people in colder winters
01-01-2010, 09:56 AM
#32
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2004 E55 AMG
Sure, it's actually really easy.
Disconnect the SBC connector at the SBC unit. You may have to cut a zip tie on the wire bundle to get enought movement to slide the connector all the way out.
Raise the vehicle and remove the wheels.
Remove the pad wear sensors by prying them out with a screwdriver. Remove the pad sensor harness bolt on the back of the caliper with the proper inverted Torx bit.
Remove the 2 pins in each caliper with a hammer and punch. Once they're loose you can wiggle them while you push down on the flat metal spring retainers and they'll come out.
I compressed the caliper pistons one pad at a time. You will need to crack the bleeder screws so you don't push fluid back through the system. I believe the rears are 10mm and the fronts are 11 or 12mm.
Use a small prybar or screwdriver against the old pads and squeeze the pistons back in the caliper. Make sure you open the bleeder screw for this. Now start removing the old pads and installing the new ones. They simply slide in and out the top of the caliper.
Once the pads are in, secure the pad wear sensors and installl the flat springs and pins. Clearance can be tight back there with the hammer, so you may have to be creative. The pins do not have to be hit with the hammer of Thor either. They basically clip themselves in place with a few taps.
Check your work, install the wheels, check your brake fluid level, and reconnect the SBC connector.
I tried opening and closing the doors to cycle the SBC unit and home in the pistons, but it took forever. I eventually just started the car and pressed the brake pedal a few times. Worked great and set a whole bunch of SBC/ESP warnings, but they went away when I cycled the key.
Short version:
Disconnect SBC/remove wheels, pins, sensors, compress pistons, R/I pads/put back together/connect and cycle SBC/test drive.
Disconnect the SBC connector at the SBC unit. You may have to cut a zip tie on the wire bundle to get enought movement to slide the connector all the way out.
Raise the vehicle and remove the wheels.
Remove the pad wear sensors by prying them out with a screwdriver. Remove the pad sensor harness bolt on the back of the caliper with the proper inverted Torx bit.
Remove the 2 pins in each caliper with a hammer and punch. Once they're loose you can wiggle them while you push down on the flat metal spring retainers and they'll come out.
I compressed the caliper pistons one pad at a time. You will need to crack the bleeder screws so you don't push fluid back through the system. I believe the rears are 10mm and the fronts are 11 or 12mm.
Use a small prybar or screwdriver against the old pads and squeeze the pistons back in the caliper. Make sure you open the bleeder screw for this. Now start removing the old pads and installing the new ones. They simply slide in and out the top of the caliper.
Once the pads are in, secure the pad wear sensors and installl the flat springs and pins. Clearance can be tight back there with the hammer, so you may have to be creative. The pins do not have to be hit with the hammer of Thor either. They basically clip themselves in place with a few taps.
Check your work, install the wheels, check your brake fluid level, and reconnect the SBC connector.
I tried opening and closing the doors to cycle the SBC unit and home in the pistons, but it took forever. I eventually just started the car and pressed the brake pedal a few times. Worked great and set a whole bunch of SBC/ESP warnings, but they went away when I cycled the key.
Short version:
Disconnect SBC/remove wheels, pins, sensors, compress pistons, R/I pads/put back together/connect and cycle SBC/test drive.
01-02-2010, 10:46 AM
#33
MBWorld Fanatic!
Sure, it's actually really easy.
Disconnect the SBC connector at the SBC unit. You may have to cut a zip tie on the wire bundle to get enought movement to slide the connector all the way out.
Raise the vehicle and remove the wheels.
Remove the pad wear sensors by prying them out with a screwdriver. Remove the pad sensor harness bolt on the back of the caliper with the proper inverted Torx bit.
Remove the 2 pins in each caliper with a hammer and punch. Once they're loose you can wiggle them while you push down on the flat metal spring retainers and they'll come out.
I compressed the caliper pistons one pad at a time. You will need to crack the bleeder screws so you don't push fluid back through the system. I believe the rears are 10mm and the fronts are 11 or 12mm.
Use a small prybar or screwdriver against the old pads and squeeze the pistons back in the caliper. Make sure you open the bleeder screw for this. Now start removing the old pads and installing the new ones. They simply slide in and out the top of the caliper.
Once the pads are in, secure the pad wear sensors and installl the flat springs and pins. Clearance can be tight back there with the hammer, so you may have to be creative. The pins do not have to be hit with the hammer of Thor either. They basically clip themselves in place with a few taps.
Check your work, install the wheels, check your brake fluid level, and reconnect the SBC connector.
I tried opening and closing the doors to cycle the SBC unit and home in the pistons, but it took forever. I eventually just started the car and pressed the brake pedal a few times. Worked great and set a whole bunch of SBC/ESP warnings, but they went away when I cycled the key.
Short version:
Disconnect SBC/remove wheels, pins, sensors, compress pistons, R/I pads/put back together/connect and cycle SBC/test drive.
Disconnect the SBC connector at the SBC unit. You may have to cut a zip tie on the wire bundle to get enought movement to slide the connector all the way out.
Raise the vehicle and remove the wheels.
Remove the pad wear sensors by prying them out with a screwdriver. Remove the pad sensor harness bolt on the back of the caliper with the proper inverted Torx bit.
Remove the 2 pins in each caliper with a hammer and punch. Once they're loose you can wiggle them while you push down on the flat metal spring retainers and they'll come out.
I compressed the caliper pistons one pad at a time. You will need to crack the bleeder screws so you don't push fluid back through the system. I believe the rears are 10mm and the fronts are 11 or 12mm.
Use a small prybar or screwdriver against the old pads and squeeze the pistons back in the caliper. Make sure you open the bleeder screw for this. Now start removing the old pads and installing the new ones. They simply slide in and out the top of the caliper.
Once the pads are in, secure the pad wear sensors and installl the flat springs and pins. Clearance can be tight back there with the hammer, so you may have to be creative. The pins do not have to be hit with the hammer of Thor either. They basically clip themselves in place with a few taps.
Check your work, install the wheels, check your brake fluid level, and reconnect the SBC connector.
I tried opening and closing the doors to cycle the SBC unit and home in the pistons, but it took forever. I eventually just started the car and pressed the brake pedal a few times. Worked great and set a whole bunch of SBC/ESP warnings, but they went away when I cycled the key.
Short version:
Disconnect SBC/remove wheels, pins, sensors, compress pistons, R/I pads/put back together/connect and cycle SBC/test drive.
Thanks!
