Looking for brake pads recommendations...

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Stoppin power is your primary concern? Then forget Motorcraft etc.
Get one of these:
EBC Green stuff or Red Stuff (I have red stuff, they are superb and they are also specified to be track capable).
HAWK HPS (do not get HP+, they are better, but extremely dusty and noisy).
Do not forget, if you get one of these pads, probably your rotors are going to "die" pretty soon.
You also need proper rotors for pads like this.
Try to get Brembo, ATE, EBC.
 
Originally Posted By: Char Baby
I have used Akebono and they're probably the best pad I have ever used even if only by a small margin.


Me too!
 
Akebono Proact on the Sonata x4 with SP slotted/drilled rotors. Stops awesome low dust.

Sequoia has Hawk LTS. Stops excellent but definitely a lot more dust than the Thermoquiet and Akebono.

Had the Thermoquiets on both vehicles. They worked. Not a lot of dust. They didn't like the many stop signs on the way to the firehouse. By the last sign and at station, stopping was interesting.
 
Originally Posted By: artbuc
Originally Posted By: Char Baby
I have used Akebono and they're probably the best pad I have ever used even if only by a small margin.


Me too!


When I used the Akebono ProActs, I also installed Brembo Rotors. I put these on my wife Lexus and I don't remember the Lexus' brakes being this luxuriously smooth BUT, they had this great Bite too! And my Brembo rotors lasted(without pulsation) until I replace the Akebono's 5 years later.

And although I haven't used the Akebono on this car since, I have used lots of ceramic pads(and rotors), and none of the other brand of ceramic are a clean dusting as the Akebono ProAct. Some are cleaner than other but the ProAct take the cake!

I can't answer for...if the Akebono is the reason for the rotors not pulsating over time. That is, if the ProAct are that rotor friendly with such nice brake feel and bite...IDK!

I will use the ProAct again but, they're always the more expensive pads and, all of my vehicles are getting older and I am spending le$$ when possible without being dissatisfied with my braking performance
smile.gif
 
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Here is their patent for Ti-Metallic:
http://www.google.com/patents/US6167992

This patent is mentioned on the box. Their brakes are excellent, got 45K on a 95 Lincoln continental and still had about 20% left( did a spring conversion and changed them while everything was out). Had a locked caliper due to a collapsed hose, and ended up reusing the pad after the wheel was smoking. That side was maybe a tad bit more worn(they were worn just about to the bottom of the slot after 45K). I forgot the pads when I got the hose and caliper at the time and always said I'll change them but there was never an issue. The pad looked like nothing happened. They are very tough pads.

I used the same product(TI-M II) and didn't touch the rotor. Perfect noise free brakes. Advance used to carry them as their super premium line before they moved to thermoquiet.

I do want to try Akebono. They are the OEM for my Grand Marquis (says in the FSM).
 
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From the grand Marquis FSM:

Lining Material—Base AKEBONO NS187H Integrally Moulded
Lining Material—Police ABEX 1001-49 Integrally Moulded
 
Originally Posted By: mcrn
Originally Posted By: 05LGTLtd
Originally Posted By: exranger06
Hawk HPS. After buying my first set, I now don't buy anything else.


Stoptech pads are pretty decent.

I've heard good things about EBC, and I have a set to go on the forester soon.

I had HPS on the legacy, and I liked them, but apparently newer formula dusts more. Stoptechs were a bit less and I'm happy with them.

On euro apps, Textar has been good for me. Not sure if you can find them for your vehicle. They are an OEM supplier for Porsche.



I thought Pagid supplied Porsche?


http://www.tmdfriction.us/
 
Originally Posted By: badtlc
The priority list goes as such:

1) Stopping
2) Low dust
3) Price
4) Life

This is for the wife's car so safety first.

The best advice (I found here) is avoid EE and FE fade rated brakes, and buy FF or better (though GG and HH are usually specialty/performance/crazy expensive). Of course, most retailers don't bother to tell you which brakes are which, but it is written on the pad itself, and/or the packaging. Fortunately the last set of Raybestos I bought from my truck were marked FF.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/sho...-friciton-codes

If long pad life is what you're after, look carefully at the rotor runout when mounted on your hubs. Lube all pad contact points with a quality brake lube like Syl Glide. Depending on the design, typically for floating calipers, inspect the tracks/rails/slots where the pads sit. Look for notches, indentations, rust and/or pitting. You may need to stone or polish the tracks/rails/slot (depends) so the pad will move in and away smoothly without hanging-up or tilting. If you avoid hang-ups and tilting, you'll get even pad wear, and that means long life.

If cleaning up the tracks results in excess clearance, use abutment clips to make up the difference.

Next, if your brakes were ever done in a shop, compare to OEM brakes for missing retention clips/springs. Busy "techs" sometimes leave them off as "unnecessary for aftermarket brake pads". That's how my first set were lost, anyway.

Finally, proper break-in procedure, do some hard slow-downs without coming to a complete stop, to evenly distribute friction material on the rotors and avoid build-up in one stop.

As to specific recommendations, you didn't give us much to go on. Which car? You list two. Which brakes? Front, rear, both? How much is the car driven, where, and what climate?
 
Originally Posted By: badtlc
The priority list goes as such:

1) Stopping
2) Low dust
3) Price
4) Life

This is for the wife's car so safety first.



Stop Tech is good.

My Family owns a Garage in Michigan and they always used to use Wagner Thermoquiets..
My Familys Garage does not use CHEAP parts.. ** Saves on Come backs **

However as of late I have talked to the Mechanics and they told me they are having very good luck with STOP TECH brake pads.
 
Recently installed new Centric Prem. rotors w/Akebono ProACT pads on my daughter's CRV. Wonderful brake feel and inspired confidence w/my choice. Will buy them again in the future. Around $45 w/AA discount code if I remember correctly.
 
Originally Posted By: sparky123
Recently installed new Centric Prem. rotors w/Akebono ProACT pads on my daughter's CRV. Wonderful brake feel and inspired confidence w/my choice. Will buy them again in the future. Around $45 w/AA discount code if I remember correctly.


+1!!!!! Have used this combo several times on my cars plus others I maintain for friends/family. Never thought I would be happy with anything except Toyota/Honda OEM but this is simply a great combo.
 
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I usually just use OEM pads and brembo blanks. Been working great on my civic and pickup for years now! Probably not "the best" but they work fine for me.

My sister's TC has a stoptech BBK and its pretty awesome though. Great pedal feel and you can definitely tell it bites harder than the OEM stuff. Might pick up a kit when I have some money laying around.
 
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