BMW E90 Ceramic Brake pads?

[edyvw]

This is surprising to hear. At least for me. Over at the E-Class W212 forum on MBWorld, the Akebono EURO Utra-Premium ceramic pads are, by far, the preferred replacement for the OEM semi-metallic pads. People just rave about them. Every comment I have ever read suggests that the difference in braking is between undetectable to negligible. This is the first time I have read a negative comment regarding these pads.

I can't speak from personal experience. I put a set of Brembo NAO ceramic pads on the front of my E-350. They are more dusty than the OEM pads. Awful! I often wonder if Brembo messed up and put the wrong pads in the box.

Generally MB doesn’t have as aggressive brakes as BMW, so change is less noticeable. But drop in performance is seriously noticeable even on VW. Akebono is respectable manufacturer, they just decided to make pad like that.

 

[BMW Dom]

Akebono are junk. No dust, but performance is Toyota-Honda level.
OE BMW (Jurid): Substantial dust. Aggressive.
Textar: same dust level, similar bite (bit less I would say).
ATE: dust and uber aggressive. My favorite performance pad for street.

Now interesting part, aftermarket Jurid. Much less dust than OE BMW made by them. But bite is similar. I tested them on track this Friday. They hold better than StopTech Sport track pads. Not quite fade resistant as EBC YellowStuff but not wearing out much.

If you want bite but less dust, go Jurid. If you want serious bite, go ATE.

There is ATE and Textar ceramic. I didn’t try them but I would say performance wise, they will be better than Akebono for sure.
Another option is Hawk Ceramic 5.0.

Alright, I’ll probably just go for Jurid, when the brake pad warning light goes solid red on my dash. And probably ate rotors

 

[edyvw]

Alright, I’ll probably just go for Jurid, when the brake pad warning light goes solid red on my dash. And probably ate rotors

Check pads. Once they thin out, change. You can reuse sensor.

 

[BMW Dom]

Check pads. Once they thin out, change. You can reuse sensor.

Ok, I’ll check. But I’m sure I can get a few more hundred miles until the summer. I’ll take a look at the inner pads one of these weekends

 

[Pew]

They hold better than StopTech Sport track pads. Not quite fade resistant as EBC YellowStuff but not wearing out much.

Another option is Hawk Ceramic 5.0.

I didn't like the ST Sport pads or the Hawk 5.0 for the Evo. The ST Sport pads held up better than the Hawk 5.0 but barely; the ST Sport pads started fading very noticeably at the end of a second 80-to-almost-0 stop and by the third stop, I lost confidence in them and changed them out a week later. A friend of mine used an almost new set on the track and demolished the pads by the end of the day. Probably fine for AutoX and the street though for it's low operating temperature. The EBC Yellows were way better than both, near OEM feel (OEM Brembo pads made by Ferodo and is close to DS2000/2500 performance) and surprisingly only squealed once for the 2 sets that I had. They dusted like an abandoned 200 year old house but that was a compromise I was willing to take.

 

[jeepman3071]

This is surprising to hear. At least for me. Over at the E-Class W212 forum on MBWorld, the Akebono EURO Utra-Premium ceramic pads are, by far, the preferred replacement for the OEM semi-metallic pads. People just rave about them. Every comment I have ever read suggests that the difference in braking is between undetectable to negligible. This is the first time I have read a negative comment regarding these pads.

I can't speak from personal experience. I put a set of Brembo NAO ceramic pads on the front of my E-350. They are more dusty than the OEM pads. Awful! I often wonder if Brembo messed up and put the wrong pads in the box.

The clunking problem is an issue specific to the 325/328. I wasn't expecting them to be as aggressive as the OEM pads, but the clunking is ultimately what made me go back to Textar.

For the record I've run Akebono for years on my family's Hondas with no issues, but recently noticed they fell apart (caliper clips separated from the pad) after 30k miles on my dad's Grand Cherokee, which granted does see salt, but still. Between that and the clunking on my car I'm having a hard time going back to Akebono for anything.

 

[jeepman3071]

Thanks for the info. It seems like some people either love or hate the Akebonos. I guess I can live with the dust.

Do you happen to know how accurate the brake pad wear sensor is? It says 1200 on rear and 1600 on front. I check and seems like a lot of pad left. I guess worse scenario, the red BRAKE light would come on, and I would just order parts. I'm trying to get to next summer. The front outer pads have about half an inch of pad left. The rears maybe 3/8 inch left.

On a side note, what do you think about these pads?

BMW Brake Pad Set - TRW Ultra TXC1171

BMW Brake Pad Set - TRW Ultra TXC1171

www.fcpeuro.com

I haven't used TRW, just Jurid and Textar so far.

 

[edyvw]

I didn't like the ST Sport pads or the Hawk 5.0 for the Evo. The ST Sport pads held up better than the Hawk 5.0 but barely; the ST Sport pads started fading very noticeably at the end of a second 80-to-almost-0 stop and by the third stop, I lost confidence in them and changed them out a week later. A friend of mine used an almost new set on the track and demolished the pads by the end of the day. Probably fine for AutoX and the street though for it's low operating temperature. The EBC Yellows were way better than both, near OEM feel (OEM Brembo pads made by Ferodo and is close to DS2000/2500 performance) and surprisingly only squealed once for the 2 sets that I had. They dusted like an abandoned 200 year old house but that was a compromise I was willing to take.

I wasn't suggesting 5.0 as a track pad. I think he doesn't track his car. I would not use those ceramic street pads that are IMO junk in the first place on the track. I am upgrading to Brembo set up in the Spring and have Hawk HP+ ready for the track.
ST Sport might be upgrade on some vehicles, but not on vehicles that are already made with track use in mind.

 

[BMW Dom]

I wasn't suggesting 5.0 as a track pad. I think he doesn't track his car. I would not use those ceramic street pads that are IMO junk in the first place on the track. I am upgrading to Brembo set up in the Spring and have Hawk HP+ ready for the track.
ST Sport might be upgrade on some vehicles, but not on vehicles that are already made with track use in mind.

No tracking. Just driving to school and work.

This is what I’m going to go with when time:

 

[edyvw]

Yep, looks good!

 

[edyvw]

Make sure you DO NOT clean rotors with anything before installation!

 

[BMW Dom]

Make sure you DO NOT clean rotors with anything before installation!

Ok, thanks. What about greasing the caliper pins?

 

[edyvw]

Ok, thanks. What about greasing the caliper pins?

NO! They are dry pins. Make sure you clean them with paper towel, and make sure all boots are good. That is it.
Also, sand hub. The best is to use a drill bit with some steel brush and go at it before installing rotors.

 

[jeepman3071]

NO! They are dry pins. Make sure you clean them with paper towel, and make sure all boots are good. That is it.
Also, sand hub. The best is to use a drill bit with some steel brush and go at it before installing rotors.

+1

BMW spec is no grease on slide pins, just make sure they are clean. My Zimmerman rotors have been fantastic.

 

[BMW Dom]

+1

BMW spec is no grease on slide pins, just make sure they are clean. My Zimmerman rotors have been fantastic.

Yeah, I just recently learned not to grease them. I think my dad greased his and nothing bad happened. But I won’t.

 

[UG_Passat]

Ok, thanks. What about greasing the caliper pins?

If you want to grease your caliper pins, maybe consider getting the ECS tuning caliper stiffening kit. It gets rid of the factory soft plastic bushing for a metal bushing.

I've had the OG Tyrolsport ones on all of my previous VW's

 

[slacktide_bitog]

NO! They are dry pins. Make sure you clean them with paper towel, and make sure all boots are good. That is it.
Also, sand hub. The best is to use a drill bit with some steel brush and go at it before installing rotors.

No grease on the slide pins? 😲

Do they ever seize?

 

[edyvw]

No grease on the slide pins? 😲

Do they ever seize?

Nope, unless boots crack, which I have never seen happening.

 

[adams355]

There are also carbon ceramic pads which are much better than both of the others.

 

[UG_Passat]

Another option is Hawk Ceramic 5.0.

There is no Ceramic 5.0 compound from Hawk.

Hawk doesn't advertise the HPS and HPS 5.0 compounds as ceramic though.

Though I hated the HPS in the winter, as there was no bite in the winter mornings, until the pads heated up. I have heard the HPS 5.0 compound fixes this issue.