EBC Green Stuff brake pads?

[Dylan1303]

Thinking About getting them for my cruze. Unknown pads on it. Unknown rotors on it. Think i should get new rotors with the ebc pads or just do pads if the rotors are ok? Just looking for better stopping power. Current pads fade easy. Never tried nice pads before always got cheapo autozone ones. Looking forward to green stuff. What do you guys think?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

You might as well replace the rotors. EBC does make good rotors.

Green stuff is OK, but probably not worth the extra cost over their Ultimax "black stuff" pads (which are very good).

I have the black stuff pads on my car, and they are awesome. They make great daily driver pads

 

[spasm3]

I had green stuff on my sons saturn , loved them. I don't know how they are on a heavier car.

 

[Oildudeny]

if you're going to spend the money on good pads.. do the rotors.

 

[Donald]

I like to find something that works well and then stick with it. For me thats Akebono ProAct pads.

Wagner coated rotors are a fairly new add to my favorite list.

 

[E150GT]

Are they ceramic? I put ceramics on the truck and I don't like them. I rear ended someone because they didn't work very well.

 

[gathermewool]

I've been keeping an eye on EBC Red Stuff for my Subies. I've used ceramic pads in the past and gotten used to their issues with initial bite and cold-weather performance. I've never used EBC pads before.

Based on reviews here, I'll likely spend half of the money and go with Akebono pads. Pads can't have that many great reviews and not be good to go.

Originally Posted by E150GT
Are they ceramic? I put ceramics on the truck and I don't like them. I rear ended someone because they didn't work very well.


It was the pad's fault, huh? Did they literally not work or did they not work for how closely you were driving to the car in front of you?

Note: I rear-ended someone once (only once). My pads were at end-of-life and I was still using winter tires on a warm spring day, with sand on the roads. I blame my following distance and being distracted by the chaos I had just avoided behind me (i.e., I was looking in the mirrors for longer than just a glance), not anything else. I admitted fault and moved on.

I guarantee that I could have stopped in time, had I had my summer tires and newer, better pads installed. That doesn't change the root cause of the accident, which was my human error.

 

[Gimpy1]

Some rotors don't play nice with EBC pads. I would get a matched set of pads and rotors if you have the coin. Since you're already digging into your brakes go ahead and flush the system completely and add a good quality brake fluid, new rotors and pads are worthless if you boil your fluid. You should also look at CarboTech pads, their Bobcat 1521 pads are awesome (imho) but they are pricey plus they are made in the USA

 

[E150GT]

Originally Posted by gathermewool
I've been keeping an eye on EBC Red Stuff for my Subies. I've used ceramic pads in the past and gotten used to their issues with initial bite and cold-weather performance. I've never used EBC pads before.

Based on reviews here, I'll likely spend half of the money and go with Akebono pads. Pads can't have that many great reviews and not be good to go.

Originally Posted by E150GT
Are they ceramic? I put ceramics on the truck and I don't like them. I rear ended someone because they didn't work very well.


It was the pad's fault, huh? Did they literally not work or did they not work for how closely you were driving to the car in front of you?

Note: I rear-ended someone once (only once). My pads were at end-of-life and I was still using winter tires on a warm spring day, with sand on the roads. I blame my following distance and being distracted by the chaos I had just avoided behind me (i.e., I was looking in the mirrors for longer than just a glance), not anything else. I admitted fault and moved on.

I guarantee that I could have stopped in time, had I had my summer tires and newer, better pads installed. That doesn't change the root cause of the accident, which was my human error.

It was an unfortunate situation. The car in front of me started to take off and so did I and then they stopped and I Hitt he brakes but I didn't stop until I hit them. I've read that the ceramics don't work cold and they definitely do not work very well at all. When they're warmer they work OK but I cannot see the benefit of ceramics when they work so poorly if not warmed up. When I first got them I thought something was wrong and rebled my brakes and it didn't make a difference. Once I read up on them I discovered this "feature" they have that results in less bite when cold. It happened less than a mile from my work where my truck had been sitting all day before I hit someone.

 

[gathermewool]

@E150GT: I know what you mean. A friend of mine got into an accident (along with another van in front of her) when the old lady three cars up decided to brake hard on an on-ramp instead of getting up to highway speed. I don't see it often, but I HAVE seen people stop at yield signs on on-ramps with plenty of space to get up to speed (i.e., I'm not talking about Brooklyn on-ramps with literally single-digit feet of "on-ramp".)

As far as ceramics, I don't have a ton of experience, but I have some. I don't think ceramics bed-in the same as organic or semi-metallic pads, but they do require bedding-in, IMO. I performed some generic bedding-in procedure I found online and cold bite seemed to improved satisfactorily for me.

To be honest, the only time I've had a scary incident with my brakes was after driving for hours during an ice storm (heading to STL) without using my brakes and then needed to brake hard - nothing for the first couple of pump!!! Major pucker factor!!! Anyway, these were OEM pads on the STI, which were likely semi-metallic material, but were very likely covered in ice, literally making my brake surface ice-on-ice for the first hit or two! Any other time, a bit more pressure on the "oh, no!" pedal and I've had similar braking to what I was used to (re: semi --> ceramic)

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by E150GT
Are they ceramic? I put ceramics on the truck and I don't like them. I rear ended someone because they didn't work very well.

I had Akebono ceramics on my VW CC for 3000 miles. Never again. Never had such POS on any car.

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by E150GT
Are they ceramic? I put ceramics on the truck and I don't like them. I rear ended someone because they didn't work very well.

I had Akebono ceramics on my VW CC for 3000 miles. Never again. Never had such POS on any car.


Interesting. I've never had a terrible or unexpected response from ceramics. What exactly was the issue you experienced? Did you perform any sort of bed-in procedure?

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted by Gimpy1
Some rotors don't play nice with EBC pads. I would get a matched set of pads and rotors if you have the coin.

Ironically, for my G37, I could have gotten EBC Red Stuff and slotted rotors from them for about the same price as the high end Raybestos pads and rotors I put on. However, I'm completely satisfied with the performance and don't regret my choice at all.

 

[Oildudeny]

Ceramic is too soft for heavy applications. Use semi metallic or metallic

 

[E150GT]

Ac Delco pads in the advantage and professional line are all ceramic. Only the OE line are not ceramic of at least they look different and don't say ceramic in the catalog. We always put advantage on all cars unless not available. I wonder if anyone ever complains.

 

[Dylan1303]

S1KF1640 Ended up going with this

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted by Dylan1303
S1KF1640 Ended up going with this


You made a good choice with that kit of EBC Ultimax pads and plain rotors

I hope you get many enjoyable miles out of them

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by gathermewool
Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by E150GT
Are they ceramic? I put ceramics on the truck and I don't like them. I rear ended someone because they didn't work very well.

I had Akebono ceramics on my VW CC for 3000 miles. Never again. Never had such POS on any car.


Interesting. I've never had a terrible or unexpected response from ceramics. What exactly was the issue you experienced? Did you perform any sort of bed-in procedure?

They were fine for what they have been made. Problem was abysmal responsiveness and once they respond it just no where close to OE VW pads.
After driving CC I would sit in my wife's Tiguan, and first few braking it would be like I slammed on brakes full force.
Lot of BMW owners buy Akebono to eliminate dust but those are usually people concern what neighbor will say about their wheels not performance.
Now take into consideration that Akebono makes specific pads for Euro cars, so not sure is it same compound like for Asian cars. It is not like they do not know how to make high performance pads, they are supplier in F1 for Mercedes, but what I tried, is really not good IMO.

 

[4wd]

Originally Posted by Dylan1303
Thinking About getting them for my cruze. Unknown pads on it. Unknown rotors on it. Think i should get new rotors with the ebc pads or just do pads if the rotors are ok? Just looking for better stopping power. Current pads fade easy. Never tried nice pads before always got cheapo autozone ones. Looking forward to green stuff. What do you guys think?


I would do pads first … EBC yellow ate my OEM rotors pretty fast …took them off with lots of thickness left … not because rotors are not affordable … huge job to remove and replace mine …

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by 4WD
Originally Posted by Dylan1303
Thinking About getting them for my cruze. Unknown pads on it. Unknown rotors on it. Think i should get new rotors with the ebc pads or just do pads if the rotors are ok? Just looking for better stopping power. Current pads fade easy. Never tried nice pads before always got cheapo autozone ones. Looking forward to green stuff. What do you guys think?


I would do pads first … EBC yellow ate my OEM rotors pretty fast …took them off with lots of thickness left … not because rotors are not affordable … huge job to remove and replace mine …

I had yellow stuff on my CC with EBC sport rotors. Great biting pad when warmed up, but not great one if you live 100 yards from school and your brakes are cold.
I think great compromise here are Red Stuff pads.