Fresh brakes !! Stoptech rotors Akebono pads.

[RoofRails]

Just got back from the shop so I dont have any real driving reviews yet but I love the look. One thing I can say is under normal easy driving they feel exactly like the OEM set up. Maybe a little less of that crazy bite at the top of the pedal that the stockers had. My goal was to lower dust output on my gloss black rims. Have them look better than stock and hopefully not lose any performance with a mild low dust ceramic pad.

Parts list.
Stoptech drilled and slotted.
Akebono euro premium pads.
Stoptech Stainless lines.
Motul DOT 5.1 brake fluid.
Red High temp caliper paint.
Part #s
EUR1663A Akebono Euro Premium ceramic front.
EURO1018A Akebono Euro Premium ceramic rear.
127.33138R Drilled/slotted FR Right.
127.33138L Drilled/slotted FR left.
127.33137R Drilled/slotted Rear Right.
127.33137L Drilled/slotted Rear Left.
950.33016 Stoptech Stainless Brake lines Front.
950.33516 Stoptech Stainless Brake lines Rear.



20200522_175825.jpeg20200522_175754.jpeg20200522_174435.jpeg

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[RoofRails]

I added the part #s to the original post because the pads and brake lines part #s were not easy to nail down and if you search the part #s I provided for them chances are the 3.0T Q5 won't come up.

So I took it out for some mobbing and they performed flawlessly. They feel better than the stock set up. My stock setup would have this initial bite that would want to put you though the front glass, I would then let up and ease back into it trying my best to come to a smooth stop. All that is fixed with these brakes, they are very progressive and easy to make a smooth stop. I tried a few emergency stops from 40mph and they had the ABS doing its thing in the blink of a eye. So I can't say that my Q stops any sooner with this setup but what I can say is I like the feel way better. Now onto dusting, they definitely dust less than the stockers but after a spirited drive there was definitely dust on my wheels. However the dust off of these pads is a grayish black and it is very light. It's not as tacky as the OEMs reddish orange nuclear waste particles that would instantly bond with your rims. When I got back from my run I ran my finger over the light dust and it wiped right off so I wiped them off with a damp microfiber cloth and they cleaned right up. 20200524_182149.jpeg

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[arjun90]

How's the braking power with the Akebono pads for this 5000lb car?

[dubgli]

So stock calipers, upgraded parts all around. Nice

How much did this run you total?

- dubgli

[RoofRails]

How's the braking power with the Akebono pads for this 5000lb car?

They feel very strong. No issues whatsoever hot or cold. The main complaint about a ceramic pad (on the street) is the lack of initial bite. The slotted rotors improve initial bite by adding the leading edge of the slots that the pad grabs on to. The drilled holes are absolutely on there just for their looks ! The OEM pads were also designed for excellent wet braking performance and the Stoptech slotted/drilled rotors help with that as well. So I made up for some of the Ceramic pads shortcomings with a aggressive rotor.

I haven't attempted to measure it with anything but the seat of my pants and that area where the seat belt runs across my chest... LOL! My conclusion about this setup is everything about the brakes just feels better and the dust situation is a lot more manageable.

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[RoofRails]

So stock calipers, upgraded parts all around. Nice

How much did this run you total?

- dubgli

Yes stock calipers, new rotors, new pads, new lines with brake flush and fresh Motul DOT 5.1

So this becomes a time to be thankful for owning a 3.0T Q. The giant rotors on the SQ5 brakes are definitely more expensive to replace.

906.04 in parts and a little over 7 hours in shop labor. I have a excellent local Euro shop (New German Performance) that I have been using for years that did all the work.

Also worth noting is almost 4 hours of that time was spent on my calipers. They don't just throw painters tape up over the rotors and fenders and start spraying. They broke everything down, deep cleaned and wire brushed all the parts before the caliper paint went on.

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[choppstixxx]

Def. dig a nice fresh brake job and proper caliper painting. Love the look of cross drilled/slotted but for me I aways worry about cracking/brake dust build up in the slots on a daily. Speaking of gotta paint my calipers this summer too, my rears are looking rusty!

[RoofRails]

Thanks ! No worries about cracking with just the slots that cracking issue is for the drilled rotors. From what I have read and in talking to my Shop the cracking doesn't become a concern until you track the car and the rotors experience several extreme heat cycles. They won't see anything close to that on the street. Many race cars now run the Slotted rotors without issue.

So far I haven't seen anything collect in the slots. I will keep a eye on it though.

Def. dig a nice fresh brake job and proper caliper painting. Love the look of cross drilled/slotted but for me I aways worry about cracking/brake dust build up in the slots on a daily. Speaking of gotta paint my calipers this summer too, my rears are looking rusty!

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[Der Konig]

Drilled is actually all around bad, slotted helps with initial bite but wears pads out faster. So you will see elevated dust from the slots over a blank rotor. Some people complain that there is a type of judder from the slotted rotors due to multiple leading edges essentially which is also true.

You also get less swept area with drilled and the aforementioned risk of cracking, its rare in quality rotors like you said if it isn't tracked.

Just throwing more information out there for others. Glad you like the set up, akebono makes great pads.

[MSq5]

Drilled is actually all around bad, slotted helps with initial bite but wears pads out faster. So you will see elevated dust from the slots over a blank rotor. Some people complain that there is a type of judder from the slotted rotors due to multiple leading edges essentially which is also true.

You also get less swept area with drilled and the aforementioned risk of cracking, its rare in quality rotors like you said if it isn't tracked.

Just throwing more information out there for others. Glad you like the set up, akebono makes great pads.

Good advice.

For those of us with non-SQ versions of the Q5, like my S-Line 3.0T, we have slightly smaller rotors, but have 4 pot Brembos up front. It’s a good combo and options are broader. I just did the fronts with genuine Brembo solid vented rotors and Brembo ceramic pads. I went with Brembo’s solid vented rotors over slotted or drilled for the very reason you mentioned.

Cost was quite reasonable. They don’t make much dust and work very well. A lot of S4 guys “upgrade” with this Brembo setup. The rotors and calipers are the same as Porsche uses on Macans. Oddly, the same OEM parts, if sourcing from the car dealer are cheaper from Porsche than from Audi. Go figure.

If I had an SQ, I’d probably go for the Akebono pads, too but stick with solid face rotors.

[RoofRails]

Another update on brake dust. I can definitely say this combo puts off much less dust than the OEM set up. Initially I was holding off on making that statement until I got a weeks worth of use under my belt.

Der Konig
I think we are splitting hairs with the actual effects from the loss of suface area due to the drilled holes on a street application. I understand the theory and if you are trying for a sub 8 minute run on the Nurburgring it would most definitely apply. There was a big part of this job for me that was aesthetic as well as performance based.The criteria was it had to perform as well if not better than the OEM, lower the dust levels and look good (in that order) . I have checked all 3 of those boxes. The drilled holes, red calipers and soon to be installed Brembo caliper decals are all just for looks. With my gloss black rims the OEM dust would absolutely ruin them after one decent drive.

MSq5
How do you like the Brembo Ceramic pads ? What is the dust like ? What color/finish are the rims are you running ?


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[MSq5]

Another update on brake dust. I can definitely say this combo puts off much less dust than the OEM set up. Initially I was holding off on making that statement until I got a weeks worth of use under my belt.

Der Konig
I think we are splitting hairs with the actual effects from the loss of suface area due to the drilled holes on a street application. I understand the theory and if you are trying for a sub 8 minute run on the Nurburgring it would most definitely apply. There was a big part of this job for me that was aesthetic as well as performance based.The criteria was it had to perform as well if not better than the OEM, lower the dust levels and look good (in that order) . I have checked all 3 of those boxes. The drilled holes, red calipers and soon to be installed Brembo caliper decals are all just for looks. With my gloss black rims the OEM dust would absolutely ruin them after one decent drive.

MSq5
How do you like the Brembo Ceramic pads ? What is the dust like ? What color/finish are the rims are you running ?


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I’m running the 20” OEM five spoke rims. They are pretty bright for the outside of the spokes but somewhat gray satin around the edges and around the rim. I’ll see if I can post a photo.

Here is what the rims look like. They are just ok. This is my car on the showroom floor before I took delivery. It’s what you get with the OEM 20” summer tire package. Unfortunately, they are very heavy. I need to replace them with something lighter. I like your dark rims on a white or silver car, downright gorgeous, but black body paint needs a bit of brighter contrast, IMO. I may paint the OEM Brembo calipers red. I like the way yours look.

The ceramic Brembo pads are almost dust free, but not totally. They have less initial bite than OEM, but are way better when pushed hard on high speed braking. Can’t say if they are better than the Akebono equivalents, but I like how linear they are - stopping power increases in direct relation to pedal pressure, while the OEM pads tend to have more braking action early and less over time, if that makes sense. I prefer the linear feel. I’m like you, the initial bite of the OEM pads is too aggressive. I want to be able to modulate braking force. Ceramic pads do that better. I still have OEM in the rear.

[RoofRails]

When I was looking around I didn't see much talk about the Brembo Ceramics. They sound like another great alternative to the OEM pads. Linear is a great way to describe the feel of this set up. Your experience pretty much mirrors mine. A set of Newspeed RS 102s in hyper silver would look great on your ride and they dont break the bank like some of the other big baller choices. Here is a picture of my rim with my old pads after a thorough cleaning, towel drying and a 45 minute drive. This was the dust that broke the camel's back....LOL !

I’m running the 20” OEM five spoke rims. They are pretty bright for the outside of the spokes but somewhat gray satin around the edges and around the rim. I’ll see if I can post a photo.

Here is what the rims look like. They are just ok. This is my car on the showroom floor before I took delivery. It’s what you get with the OEM 20” summer tire package. Unfortunately, they are very heavy. I need to replace them with something lighter. I like your dark rims on a white or silver car, downright gorgeous, but black body paint needs a bit of brighter contrast, IMO. I may paint the OEM Brembo calipers red. I like the way yours look.

The ceramic Brembo pads are almost dust free, but not totally. They have less initial bite than OEM, but are way better when pushed hard on high speed braking. Can’t say if they are better than the Akebono equivalents, but I like how linear they are - stopping power increases in direct relation to pedal pressure, while the OEM pads tend to have more braking action early and less over time, if that makes sense. I prefer the linear feel. I’m like you, the initial bite of the OEM pads is too aggressive. I want to be able to modulate braking force. Ceramic pads do that better. I still have OEM in the rear.

20200517_160401.jpeg

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[MSq5]

When I was looking around I didn't see much talk about the Brembo Ceramics. They sound like another great alternative to the OEM pads. Linear is a great way to describe the feel of this set up. Your experience pretty much mirrors mine. A set of Newspeed RS 102s in hyper silver would look great on your ride and they dont break the bank like some of the other big baller choices. Here is a picture of my rim with my old pads after a thorough cleaning, towel drying and a 45 minute drive. This was the dust that broke the camel's back....LOL !



20200517_160401.jpeg

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Thanks for the suggestion about the RE 102s. Looks like I’d need to get them in a 19”, as they don’t seem to make them in a 20” for our stud spacing pattern. Beautiful, though, lighter and very inexpensive.

Yes, I couldn’t figure out why the true Brembo ceramics don’t get much discussion here. They are very good pads, developed specifically for Brembo calipers. I thought I’d give them a shot. Don’t know if they are better than Akebono or other popular pads, but they perform well.

[RoofRails]

Are you saying they dont make that particular color hyper black in a 20 " for our cars ? If so they definitely do silver. That's what Berk runs. 20 X 9.5 (or 9) 5 X 112 with a et 25. Fits like a glove.

https://neuspeedrswheels.com/products/neuspeed-rse102-1

Thanks for the suggestion about the RE 102s. Looks like I’d need to get them in a 19”, as they don’t seem to make them in a 20” for our stud spacing pattern. Beautiful, though, lighter and very inexpensive.

Yes, I couldn’t figure out why the true Brembo ceramics don’t get much discussion here. They are very good pads, developed specifically for Brembo calipers. I thought I’d give them a shot. Don’t know if they are better than Akebono or other popular pads, but they perform well.

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[MSq5]

Are you saying they dont make that particular color hyper black in a 20 " for our cars ? If so they definitely do silver. That's what Berk runs. 20 X 9.5 (or 9) 5 X 112 with a et 25. Fits like a glove.

https://neuspeedrswheels.com/products/neuspeed-rse102-1




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Thanks. Yes, silver. I missed that. Went to a vendor site rather than direct to Neuspeed. If it’s good enough for Berk, who has the quickest SQ/Q5 on the planet, to my knowledge, it’s more than good enough for me!

[RoofRails]

I had no idea these rims were even out there until he mentioned them. I wanted something wider then stock with a et25 and with that criteria it really limits you. My 20 X 9.5 with a Conti DWS 06 265/45 weighs in at just a tick over 50lbs total. The difference in steering feel and suspension compliance was immediately felt after swapping out a 61lb set up with these. I know I dont have to tell you but Mops gave him a slamming deal. I have a friend that owns a European speed shop that sells all this stuff so sadly I dont ever get a chance to use ole Mops.

Thanks. Yes, silver. I missed that. Went to a vendor site rather than direct to Neuspeed. If it’s good enough for Berk, who has the quickest SQ/Q5 on the planet, to my knowledge, it’s more than good enough for me!

20191210_132107.jpeg

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[RoofRails]

Long term update. Absolutely still love this set up. Brake dust is almost non existent. If anyone out there is fighting with their OEM brake dust, dont wait for them to wear out. Just go get them swapped out with Akebono and start living your best life..... that dust free life !

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[johnhol78]

Just got back from the shop so I dont have any real driving reviews yet but I love the look. One thing I can say is under normal easy driving they feel exactly like the OEM set up. Maybe a little less of that crazy bite at the top of the pedal that the stockers had. My goal was to lower dust output on my gloss black rims. Have them look better than stock and hopefully not lose any performance with a mild low dust ceramic pad.

Parts list.
Stoptech drilled and slotted.
Akebono euro premium pads.
Stoptech Stainless lines.
Motul DOT 5.1 brake fluid.
Red High temp caliper paint.
Part #s
EUR1663A Akebono Euro Premium ceramic front.
EURO1018A Akebono Euro Premium ceramic rear.
127.33138R Drilled/slotted FR Right.
127.33138L Drilled/slotted FR left.
127.33137R Drilled/slotted Rear Right.
127.33137L Drilled/slotted Rear Left.
950.33016 Stoptech Stainless Brake lines Front.
950.33516 Stoptech Stainless Brake lines Rear.



20200522_175825.jpeg20200522_175754.jpeg20200522_174435.jpeg

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Are the SS lines necessary or more cosmetic? I know they are "better" than stock, but assume not necessary to put the rotors and pads on....

[RoofRails]

They are definitely not just cosmetic but they are not necessary. The SS lines along with the fluid add an incremental improvement that is part of the "Brake upgrade" . So if you were to skip one of these items that would be the one to skip.

Are the SS lines necessary or more cosmetic? I know they are "better" than stock, but assume not necessary to put the rotors and pads on....

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[johnhol78]

They are definitely not just cosmetic but they are not necessary. The SS lines along with the fluid add an incremental improvement that is part of the "Brake upgrade" . So if you were to skip one of these items that would be the one to skip.

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Just checked and realized yours is a Q5 not the SQ5, think the fronts are different. I can only find 2 options for the front....Audi and OE replacement