duworm

Sportfans,

Own a 2005 RX-8, Brillant black about 3800 miles. I want to switch to ceramic pads (I think I do) to reduce the excessive brake dust. The car gets washed once a week, I am an avid Zanios fan and the excessive brake dust is pissing me off.

I have tried wheel magic (dont waste your money) and I have Zanioed my wheels. The Zanoed wheels clean up easier, but I am looking for less dust to begin with.

I have searched the forum for other posts on this subject and have found a few postings. None really reach a conclusion on the topic. Does switching to ceramic really work and which brand is the best for reduced dust.

I dont race and there is no track time in my future.

I love this car and it turns a lot of heads.

So here are my questions.

1. Will 2004 pads work on a 2005?
2. Will the ceramic pads really reduce brake dust?
3. What are the recommended pads?
4. Are they available on line or on the west coast (Seattle area)?

Thanks in advance for your response

Sherman

apotocki

Well....I have an 04 and also contend with the brake dust issue. Not sure what benefit you may realize with 04 pads. I find myself cleaning the wheels with a rag every other night. Just a quick couple mile ride puts a light film mostly on the fronts (isn;t real noticable but I know its there).......very frustrating. I think there is a company that specializes in no-dust pads but I can't remember the name. Maybe someone else has idea's.

KYLiquid

1)the brake pads from an 04 and 05 are compatable. But make sure you get the right ones, as there are pads for the BASE model brakes and the SPORTS, TOURING and GRAND TOURING that have the larger brakes.

2)Ceramic pads should produce less dust in the same application then an OEM pad. They should also provide a bit more braking force as well as less noise.

3) i would recomend the OEM unless there is a reason to change, such as track use or in your case less dust.

4) you should be able to pick them up at any parts store or order online.

I dont use ceramic pads so I dont know who makes the best ones, but I like pads from porterfield and hawk.

I have heard some good things about EBC's low dust pads, but have never used them.

staticlag

EBC greenstuff pads are supposed to be a very low dust pad.

I wouldn't bother with 2004 pads.

KYLiquid

the original EBC brake pads got a bad rep as they were known for EATING rotors. They went back and came up with a new pad material and are now supposed to be very low dust, ROTOR FRENDLY and give better braking performance all in an OEM fit and finish quality.

http://www.ebcbrakes.com/Automotive.html

'green stuff' is the normal street pad, although they say that ANY of them can be used on the street.

The effect of using a 'track' pad on the street is that brake pads have an temperature window from A-B, not just a max temp....so a track pad operates in a HIGHER window, youll never get it hot enough to work to its max on the street, infact at colder temps it would give worse performance than the OEM pad.

Stick to lower temp pads for a daily driver, like the green stuff

Jedi54

iTrader: (7)

I've used Raybestos brakes in other cars and find they work quite nicely.

The STS and the Quite Stop pads seem appealing...
http://www.raybestos.com/usa/brakepads.htm#

Dark8

I ran the Greenstuff pads on my Eclipse. Very low dust after bedding and good stopping power. I think I will replace the OEMs with the new Yellowstuff pads when it's time.

lurch519

i have an 04 gt package, and had horrible brake dust, plus i had the notorious squeel from the front brakes. i took it to nucar mazda in new castle delaware, and had them do the tsb for the brakes, and all i can say is wow, what a difference. currently i travel 100 miles a day for work, and before the tsb, i could wash my car and the wheels would be a dark grey from all the brake dust within one day. now with with new pads, ive put 1000 miles since i got a chance to wash my car last, and the fronts are barely darker than the rears from brake dust

6speed8

Th enew/revised pad from Mazda barely puts out any dust at all - go with that.

mikeschaefer

I can confirm that as well... my front wheels are MUCH cleaner since I had the squeaky brake TSB done.

KYLiquid

when did these revised pads comes out? my car was an April 05 build, i notice what I would call a lot of break dust, but no other problems. I guess this is the new pads? yikes, would hate to have the old pads.

Razz1

http://www.porterfield-brakes.com/

A close working relationship with leading professional motorsport teams has led to the development of the one of the finest racing brake pads ever produced. This uniquely engineered composite brake pad using the latest ceramic composite technology design combines high performance materials to make a better stopping and more rotor-friendly brake pad.

Speedtoys

Good call, I can offer their stuff (and many other brands/compounds) at 12-20% discount.


Dust guys..isnt your enemy..you just need to understand the nature of it.

Many pads dust a lot, and with that dust is ferrous material from your rotors, then it gets damp, and you have hell to pay cleaning it.

A well mannered pad can build dust for a year, get wet and all, and clean off with a tissue, that would be the porterfield R4-S pad..simply because they wear the rotors very very minimally.

swoope

iTrader: (5)

holly back from the dead batman... but if you want to pm me a price on the r4 s pads. i would be interested...

beers

Speedtoys

*heh*


Good one..

But it's all good till the dust sticks and corrodes (depending what you use)..and then its time for a can of acetone (or a mixture of about 10% HCL), a bunch of shop rags, and a trip to the clear coater.

Speedtoys

Depends on the pad you are using...and how you wash yer wheels.

As an '8 owner, you'd be remiss for not properly scrubbin the running stock.

danielk015

iTrader: (1)

I wonder how much Mazda charges for the new pads.. on my g35, i replaced the oem (high brake dust) to the Hawk HPS and there is virtually no brake dust.. great pads for the price... I probably will go with the same on the rx8

Speedtoys

The G35 (brembo option) uses a 1001 shaped pad, its a BIG pad, but unusually thin, low mileage (about 30-35k for most people) and high dust pad.

But its an OK pad really for a stock pad in a heavy sports car.

The HPS was a step up in the cause for "low dust" but a dramatic step down in overall peformance, it carries about 30% less friction coefficient at it's maximum point, than the stock Brembo OEM'd pad does.

It never ceases to amaze me how much dust & noise affect sports car owners..its the tradeoff for having a performance brake pad at a "reasonable" cost WRT what the manufacturer wants to spend and profit from.

The only oddity about the G35 version of the Brembo caliper, is that if you get replacement pads that have the little nipples (two of them) still sticking up out of the backing plate, remove them (theyre very small). The G35/Z caliper version doesnt have a space for them as other Brembo versions of the calipers do, theyre a PITA.

danielk015

iTrader: (1)

^^ i have a g35 sedan and dont have the brembo set up... i wouldnt have switched to Hawks if i had the brembos..

Speedtoys

*nods* Cool. Try out something like the ohh..PFC-Z rated or Porterfield R4-S next time..and dont forget to do -both- ends of the car in a pad upgrade, keep the overal friction bias even*.

---
*: Brakes have front to rear pressure bias in the hydraulic system, but friction bias is also important. All things being equal, if your OEM front and rear pads have the same friction coefficient within the operating temperature range that each is worked at, and you only upgrade the FRONT pads, you just heavilly biased the front of the car for braking. And you'll eat up your 'spensive front pads faster than you -should- because youre just gave up say..15-20% of your rear braking potential because you went on the cheap and only did the front axle. The front is now providing more overall braking than it used to be.

Another tragic mistake I see at HPDE events, is someone putting aggresive race pads front -and- rear without adding an adjustable bias controller valve dumping the OEM one. Then you end up with fronts that get up to proper temp, and rears that NEVER get up to proper temps, and likewise provide nearly no braking to the car at all, which then overworks the fronts, overheats the fronts..and 8 sessions later your $300 front pads are down to the metal. Working with an STi owner who did just that simple error right now.

He is installing a balanced friction set of pads (Raybestos St41 up front, and ST43 in rear) and an adjustable bias controller so that he can dial in more rear line pressure to make them work harder for him. But even though he has a valve and could dial back the rears a lot, ST41 pads in the rear are far too aggressive to use effectively. The ST41 pads come online cold just short of .7mu.

Your HPS wont treat you badly at all, just dont drive on a track with them and expect much.

snipaz2420

i have the Hawk Hps pads on my 8 also. and like danielk said there is virtually no dust at all.