Akebono Ceramic Brake Pads

[Vulcan]

My stock break pads are getting a little thin and I am looking at replacing them. Always looking to to a little upgrade rather than just go with a stock replacement pad. Has anybody used the Akebono Ceramic brake pads? What are the performance differences between a ceramic pad and a stock pad. I am assuming that the stock pads are a semi metal pad? I am looking for something that will give me better breaking with the same brake dust level as a stock pad. I know that a lot of high end pads have a lot more dusty and some only work when heated up ie a race pad...not looking for this at all. The rest of my braking system is stock. Any thoughts?

[RONDAL]

Re: Akebono Ceramic Brake Pads

youre likely going to want to look for a semi-metallic especially in the winter. ceramics are great, if you drive your car hard in the summer. But they dont stop well until you get heat in them, and its really hard to do that in -5 and below, they simply cool off too quickly and will a) not stop well, and b) squeal like crazy until they warm up.

[RONDAL]

Re: Akebono Ceramic Brake Pads

if you're looking for pad options, i have always been impressed with Hawk pads

[Vulcan]

Re: Akebono Ceramic Brake Pads

I have seen a few cars that had the Hawk pads and they seem to have a lot of brake dust on the wheels....large negative for me. I was doing some online research on the ceramic pads....seems they have a few different compounds. Some like you say are not good for the cold weather street driving but they have some others they advise for "normal" driving but as a high performance pad compared to stock. There seems to be a lot of hype and not a lot of real data......

[JPO]

Re: Akebono Ceramic Brake Pads

if you're looking for pad options, i have always been impressed with Hawk pads

x2

I recently put Hawk HPS pads on my GTI and haven't noticed a bad dust problem at all. They stop great and are quiet. Just bed them in right and all is good.

[VWSM]

Re: Akebono Ceramic Brake Pads

My stock break pads are getting a little thin and I am looking at replacing them. Always looking to to a little upgrade rather than just go with a stock replacement pad. Has anybody used the Akebono Ceramic brake pads? What are the performance differences between a ceramic pad and a stock pad. I am assuming that the stock pads are a semi metal pad? I am looking for something that will give me better breaking with the same brake dust level as a stock pad. I know that a lot of high end pads have a lot more dusty and some only work when heated up ie a race pad...not looking for this at all. The rest of my braking system is stock. Any thoughts?

Akebono is a great pad so is Textar.(Less dust also)

[BaggedGLI]

Re: Akebono Ceramic Brake Pads

Ive been using Pagid, and I'm not that impressed, yes they stop well, very well, but they squeal constantly until warm and make it embarrassing for rush hour, they also seem to have a lot of brake dust, maybe thats just because i have mesh-ish wheels.

[RONDAL]

Re: Akebono Ceramic Brake Pads

hawk has 3 or 4 compounds. their higher end ones that are more performance based will obviously put out more dust.
i ran their HPS ones without much dust and they were good enough in cold weather

[cam_wmh]

Re: Akebono Ceramic Brake Pads

x2

I recently put Hawk HPS pads on my GTI and haven't noticed a bad dust problem at all. They stop great and are quiet. Just bed them in right and all is good.

x3. Hawk HPS pads here too. Work great.