Short review - Akebono Low Dust Ceramic Brake Pads **w Pics**

[GA42.0T]

It was time for brakes and I went with these ceramic pads mainly because I wanted less dam brake dust. I don't track or race my car, so don't need big brake capability. Performance wise, I don't really know what to say other than they stop the car just fine. When seating the pads, I slammed the brakes at 60 mph and threw everything in my car around as I came to an immediate stop. Brakes seems to stop at least as good as stock. No squealing either. So that's it from performance perspective.

As for low-dust claims, I'm pretty happy. Pictures below show TWO weeks of accumulation, including a 600 mile road trip. With stock pads, the wheels would be as black as the rest of the car. Rear pads are still stock, and pics below show how much dirtier they are than the front. And of course normally the fronts are way, way dirtier than the rears. So I'd definitly recommend.

Akebono Low Dust Euro Ceramic Brake Pad Set
http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/EUR1111/ES1843932/

[witwer4444]

What rotors do you have? They look great.

[GA42.0T]

What rotors do you have? They look great.

Thanks! ECS slotted and cross drilled. Got them during their holiday sale for $150 a set. (Sorry Adam. Price was too good to pass up.) Very happy with looks and performance.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B7_A4-...ing/OEM/ES991/

[Mc Suly]

Get black rims, then you wouldn't notice it :)

[Übermensch]

Get black rims, then you wouldn't notice it :)

lulz

[witwer4444]

Thanks! ECS slotted and cross drilled. Got them during their holiday sale for $150 a set. (Sorry Adam. Price was too good to pass up.) Very happy with looks and performance.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B7_A4-...ing/OEM/ES991/

Damn, I shoulda snagged these for the B5 at the time, they look great.

[GarrettReid]

I love the drop on your car. It's purrrfect.

[clemsongt]

Good review. It really is hard to get an objective review of brakes without actually testing their performance in breaking distance and whatnot. I purchased some akebono's on sale a while ago, and will get them on the car soon.

You might also post a link in the brake review thread (one of the many started by Randy). It is always nice to have a single thread with a lot of information.

[XCELR8]

Use the same pads and love the fact they have little if no dust.

[GA42.0T]

Good review. It really is hard to get an objective review of brakes without actually testing their performance in breaking distance and whatnot. I purchased some akebono's on sale a while ago, and will get them on the car soon.

You might also post a link in the brake review thread (one of the many started by Randy). It is always nice to have a single thread with a lot of information.

Good idea, will do.

Yeah, I'm definitly lacking hard imperical data of stopping dist/time. I can say this. When I initallly installed the new rotors and pads, my wheels wouldn't fit over the calipers. I've got B8 wheels with 47 offset, so with the fresh, thick pads, the calipers didn't clear the wheels. Requires wheel spacers. So with the new rotors on there I put the old pads back on. They had a fair amount of life left, so I wasn't worried about scraping the new rotors.

So with the new rotors and old pads on there, I did the same seating of pads to rotors ** slammed the brakes at 60 mph about 4 or 5 times in a row. Each time the car stopped like hell and threw everything around in the car.

Fast forward to when I got wheel spacers and thus had clearance to put the new pads on - - I did the same thing to seat the new pads - - slammed the brakes at 60 mph about 4 or 5 times in a row. Again, I didn't measure anything other than the feel of it, and it pretty much felt the same as with the old stock pads. Stopped like hell and threw everything in the car around.

[B72.0T]

I thought the procedure to seat brake pads in was like, apply brakes lightly at first to warm them up. Then do the 60, come to a complete stop, etc.

[Erocko]

Thanks for posting this and the pics. I ordered these, based on your review.

Got the pads, front and rear, from Amazon, with super saver shipping to Hawaii, for $140. I ordered Zimmerman rotors from ECS and they helped me out on the shipping, which was much appreciated. Shipping to Hawaii is the worst and they saved me quite a bit.

[Grada89]

I thought the procedure to seat brake pads in was like, apply brakes lightly at first to warm them up. Then do the 60, come to a complete stop, etc.

You should definetly warm them up first thought. I always knew you shouldn't come to come to a complete stop.

[Hammer]

Akebono Euro's are a nice pad. When the time comes it will be between these and EBC Red Stuff for me.

[aaron1085]

I installed these about 5 months ago and am in love. Brake dust is nearly zero and once they get just alittle heat in them, they stop quite well; my brain says alittle better than stock, but no measurement test to confirm it...

Wondering if I want to run them at an upcoming track day in June or not...thoughts on this issue?

[Jay-Bee]

my MK4 needed a full brake job, Zimmerman disks and Akebono pads all around, drove it for over a year (including a 4700km trip across Canada) Never needed to clean the wheels anymore than the rest of the car, the usual self serve pressure wash cleaned 'em right up.

Will be running the same on my A4 when the time comes... but I do have some EBCs on my watch list on eBay.

[Operator]

I thought the procedure to seat brake pads in was like, apply brakes lightly at first to warm them up. Then do the 60, come to a complete stop, etc.

Seems like each manufacturer has their own set of instructions.

[aaron1085]

love these pads...just wonder how they will hold up on track day coming up in June. Thoughts?!

[GA42.0T]

Update on these pads. For a few weeks now I've been hearing a heavy click or a light clunk whenever I apply the breaks. I only hear it at low speeds as when coming to a stop at a light or in my driveway. At speed, I can't hear the noise due to other road noise. I can be rolling at 5 or 10 MPH and tap the brakes and hear, "click." If I just tap the brakes, and not fully apply the brakes, then I can tap them again and again and hear the click each time. But if I really apply the brakes, I'll hear the click at first, but then if I press the brakes agian, won't hear the click.

My mechanic checked out the brakes and suspension and everything was tight. He noticed that there is a gap betwen the clips that keep the pads in place and where the clips are supposed to seat in the calipars. He said this could be where the noise is coming from as it appears that the pads can shift a little.

[A4Face]

I have these front and rear, purchased from PUREMS, had hawks in the rear and switched em out for akebonos for less dust

[GA42.0T]

Update on these pads. For a few weeks now I've been hearing a heavy click or a light clunk whenever I apply the breaks. I only hear it at low speeds as when coming to a stop at a light or in my driveway. At speed, I can't hear the noise due to other road noise. I can be rolling at 5 or 10 MPH and tap the brakes and hear, "click." If I just tap the brakes, and not fully apply the brakes, then I can tap them again and again and hear the click each time. But if I really apply the brakes, I'll hear the click at first, but then if I press the brakes agian, won't hear the click.

My mechanic checked out the brakes and suspension and everything was tight. He noticed that there is a gap betwen the clips that keep the pads in place and where the clips are supposed to seat in the calipars. He said this could be where the noise is coming from as it appears that the pads can shift a little.

Have to offer an update on this. The click/clunk noise I've been hearing ended up being the Akebono Low Dust Ceramic Brake Pads. The crazy thing is I took them off and replaced them with.... Akebono Low Dust Ceramic Brake Pads.

Kinda a long story, but I ended up with two sets of front pads from ECS. Ordered them and first set came somewhat damaged. They were shipped in the same box as rotors, free floating in the box with the rotors and one of the pads was chipped. I called ECS to complain and they sent me a new set. Installed the new set and they seemed to work fine for a while, but after a few months, started to hear this clicking when applying the breaks. It kept getting louder and louder till I (well, my buddy who runs his own shop in Athens) took them off and could clearly see where the tabs or arms of the pad had been hammering against the caliper. The pads had been shifting back and forth in the caliper and that was making the noise.

Replaced those with the first set of Akebono pads (the ones that had a chip in them) and so far they should fine. If they start to make noises again, will just go with Hawk or some other better quality.




These pics show some marks at indicate pads are shifting. All four front pads have varying degrees of shiny, hammered spots like these. These obviously are the worst of the bunch.

[bmc333]

I've been running the Hawk ceramic pads w/ adams rotors for 15 months now with no issues - love em.

[Inked]

Get black rims, then you wouldn't notice it :)

Or just let the dust build up and everyone will think you have gunmetal rims LOL










Sent from my iPhone4 using Tapatalk

[GA42.0T]

UPDATE on this issue: clicking/clunking noise when braking. I've still got it. I am on my second set of Akebono pads. Jason at ECS suggests getting rotors turned. I'd gotten the rotors brand new from ECS and he said some of those rotors had come from manufacturer with a lip on the slots. He thought this could be causing the slots to grab the pads.

My mechanic and I are skeptical of this theory because the surface of the rotors is perfectly smooth to the touch. In stead, we think the problem is with the pads themselves. My mechanic noticed the bevel on the leading edge of the Akebono does not cover the entire leading edge of the pad. There's a hard corner on the leading edge that is likely getting grabbed by the slots in the rotor and causing them to shift in the calipers. This is causing the annoying clunking noise.

I checked photos of all other pads ECS sell and it appears that this theory could seriously be true.


All other pads that ECS sells have the entire leading edge beveled.



Now, I'm trying to get ECS to work with me on a replacement set of pads but I've had the Akebonos since January. They're clearly not warrantied because they are a wear item, but I claim they have a design flaw. Hopefully they'll work with me.

[aaron1085]

contact Tommy from Akebono (get on the website and you will find direct email). He was GREAT with me regarding pad questions and has speedy replies.

[Matz03]

Great info, thanks for the updates as I'm planning to go Akebono before winter. I'll probably still go this route as i don't plant to go slotted but might look at hawk ceramics as back up.

[KMc]

Just replaced my stock front pads with these a few weeks ago. It is nothing short of amazing how clean my wheels are 2 weeks later. Obviously I have to do my rears soon now because the difference is obvious. Only issue is now they have started to squeal when lightly braking like when approaching an intersection. I did some bedding in stops when I changed them and they were quiet for the 2 weeks until now. I've emailed Akebono and will see what they say.

[KMc]

The (fast!) response from Akebono below. Looks like I have a little follow-up work to do.

Any prep or replacement on rotors?....hardware cleaned and lube?.....vibration sounds like the culprit.....any lateral run out or disc thickness variation can cause a vibration prior to pad grabbing rotor....unfortunately you may have to remove, inspect rotors and hardware....re-lube....and torque...

I always hit the rotors with 200 grit sanding disc....clean with soap and water....lube slide pins and hardware even a little lube where caliper piston hits plating...eliminate vibration & chatter eliminates noise.....that formulation makes virtually 0% noise we tested for an entire year and Mercedes uses it O.E. on E & S class vehicles in N.A. due to its low noise characteristics....

[shiro1745]

Just replaced my stock front pads with these a few weeks ago. It is nothing short of amazing how clean my wheels are 2 weeks later. Obviously I have to do my rears soon now because the difference is obvious. Only issue is now they have started to squeal when lightly braking like when approaching an intersection. I did some bedding in stops when I changed them and they were quiet for the 2 weeks until now. I've emailed Akebono and will see what they say.

I've had these pads front and rear for a while and I'm about to replace them, they're still great, about 80% meat on them but I've had a few issues with my brakes and I'm just replacing everything. The rear ones squeal very bad in the same situation (light braking to stop), the other problem is the rotors which generates very bad vibrations when braking hard at high speed. I just got to the point where I hate my brakes and want them out. I'm putting drilled zimmermann rotors in front, not sure what to do with the rear rotors yet(keep the old ones or replace) and for pads I've got EBC green stuff front/rear. The rotors I have on the car now are Centric slotted, very disappointed by these.

[diagnosticator]

OP, you could increase the bevel area on the pads using a rasp file, it would be an easy way to confirm your theory. I'm skeptical that is the source of the problem. As you already posted, from my experience, from the conditions that the rattle occurs, the reason the pads are rattling in the calipers, is due to the pad backing plate being a little to small creating an excessive gap between the pad backing plates and the calipers, allowing the pads to accelerate as the pads touch the rotors, then stop instantly when the pads hit the caliper frames. I have used stainless steel shims to fill the excessive gap that sometimes exists with different brake pads, installed on the trailing end of the backing plates/caliper frame, very effective eliminating the rattle noise, and reduces wear on the calipers as well. This requires custom fabrication and fitting of the stainless shims however. Not something everyone can or wants to do.

[shiro1745]

Ok, here is what happened to me. Your problem could be the same, apparently it's important where your car was made (Canada, Germany, etc. - I don't know if there's an AUDI factory in USA).


Quote from here http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...31#post7063931

I ended up calling EBC not because of dust but because the pads don't fit tight in the caliper and I keep getting the clunk noise from the pad moving when the brake is engaged. So I found that they actually sent me the wrong pads cause they said my car is made in Germany and for that I need different part number. I will send them back to the store I purchased them from and get replacements, I hope the right one this time.

[KMc]

The (fast!) response from Akebono below. Looks like I have a little follow-up work to do.

Any prep or replacement on rotors?....hardware cleaned and lube?.....vibration sounds like the culprit.....any lateral run out or disc thickness variation can cause a vibration prior to pad grabbing rotor....unfortunately you may have to remove, inspect rotors and hardware....re-lube....and torque...

I always hit the rotors with 200 grit sanding disc....clean with soap and water....lube slide pins and hardware even a little lube where caliper piston hits plating...eliminate vibration & chatter eliminates noise.....that formulation makes virtually 0% noise we tested for an entire year and Mercedes uses it O.E. on E & S class vehicles in N.A. due to its low noise characteristics....

UPDATE: The squealing persisted, so I finally got a chance the other day to take a crack at this. Pulled the pads back off, hit the rotors with an orbital sander, lubed all hardware touchpoints and slide pins, and re-assembled. So far, after 1 week - squeal free!

[HAARP15]

Thank you so much for this review!! I was looking for a general review on this brand's ceramic pads for my B7 and luckily found this thread! awesome!