I'm changing out my brake pads, front and rear. I like the bite of the OEM non-ceramic pads, but the dust is a problem and I don't track. Consequently, I'm going with ceramic pads. I ordered Brembo NAO ceramic for the front and Akebono ceramic for the rear. How much of the initial bite with the OEM dust makers will I loose? What is your experience with different brands and switching from OEM to ceramic or a more aggressive track performance pad? Any thoughts on EBC ceramic red stuff or blue ultra performance.

 

I use Porterfield pads. They feel semi-metallic but dust like ceramic. I'm very happy with them.

 

I put on Centric brand, works great and definitely love the dust free life.

 

Which would you recommend for wet conditions? The ones I have now are terrible (and dangerous) in the rain.

 

Interesting. What pads do you have installed? Are they ceramic?

 

Had Akebono's on my Vanden Plas and initial bite was definetely lacking compared to OEM's, but your braking style will adapt in no time. Newer Jags use a different, less dusty pad, but the braking isn't as nice. I read the XF got negative JD Power ranking points due to brake dust and they must have change suppliers or something.

It's worth having the wheels ceramic coated. Saves time on car washing.

 

@mosesbotbol , my experience exactly. After a few missed heart beats while in sloppy cold and wet weather on long drives, with the brakes not engaging immediately, I’ve went back to OEM; immediately, following my arrival to my destination (Boston, in the late autumn)

 

On my X100 I had akebona pads which were brillaint imo and lasted me 50k miles with minimal dust. Yes the initial bite wasn't as good as OEM but as you can see from the longevity I didn't brake much, instead relying on engine braking/coasting up to a roundabout or 'ongoing stationary situation'

If.you guys could post up urls and part numbers for your porterfield and akebono pads for your xk(r)s it would be useful for someone this side of the pond

I have ebc reds fitted which are fine (and look mighty good) with my wortec discs. I would say that they outperform my oems which were admittedly 25% worn. At my last UK MOT in Nov, the tester asked me if Id just had the discs/pads fitted as they had no wear whatsoever...I had done in excess of 10k miles

As has been said you get use to the braking performance over time, as has also been said when your wheels are off clean and ceramic coat them and the dust just washes off

 

I can't quantify the difference in initial bite but I currently have Jurid White ceramic fronts and EBC Red Stuff ceramic rears on my 5.0 XKR. Next time round I'm going back to standard pads, put it that way.

Regards dust, I think they're about the same but the colour of the dust is different; traditional pads make dark, sticky dust that makes silver wheels look dirty really quickly. Ceramic pads make a fine, dry, light-coloured dust that makes black/dark wheels look dirty really quickly. If keeping your wheels looking good is the primary factor in choosing brake pads then get ceramics for light wheels and standard pads for dark ones. I had silver wheels when I fitted the above pads and was initially very happy with the perceived cleanliness, since having the wheels refurbished in black I'm less happy on that score.

 

My BMW 650 had the Akebono pads for 6 years, put them on myself, stock Euro pads always seem to be that carbon pad that leaves a lot of dust. Or in my limited experience!

Performance was different, not worse in my opinion, I drive cars very hard, heavy on the accelerator and heavy on the braking. If it was really noticeablY worse I would not make the switch. I did the front on the Jag myself but had the dealer do the rears for me ($200 labor, I supplied the parts). First advisor I spoke to about putting on my ceramics was a complete tool, tried to talk down to me how they would perform. This after I have long experience with these types of pads on other cars. Quickly I told him to beat it and got with my normal advisor who was good to go. By the way, I tip my advisors so for what it is worth that guy didn't get any beer money that night, my normal guy did!

 

I replaced my OEM pads to Centric fronts and Akebono rears a month after purchasing my car due to the excessive dust. The bite is still very good and there is almost no dust or noise.

 

I have used Jaguar pads, EBC red and Porterfield. Stock work well but horrific amounts of dust, EBC red are by far the worst of the three fade badly after a few hardish stops but dust is slightly better than stock, Porterfields will the the ones I use in this car and what ever comes next. Still a little dusty but light years ahead of EBC

 

EBC Red great, yellow is amazing, better than stock IMO

 

Same here bocatrip. Centric posi-quiet ceramic on front and Akebono ceramic on rear. Quiet and very clean unlike OEM. Can’t comment on wet performance but great in dry conditions.

 

I got the Bosch QuietCast Semi-Metallic pads for Alcon brakes.

Good in dry conditions, dust is not too bad but I wash the car regularly so its hard to tell. As mentioned before, not great in wet conditions.

 

I’ve been using the ebc red stuff pads for many years and I’ve put them on many customers cars, probably more than 100 cars in the last 15 years,

In the vintage shop where I last worked before retirement we tested the ebc redstuff vs the Porterfield R4s pads on a vintage Conra and a ‘69 e type. Both cars showed a 8-12 ft improvement in stopping distance 60 to zero mph with the ebc redstuff pads . They work very well cold and get better as the drive goes on.

if I was racing I’d use the ebc yellowstuff, but for spirited street use or an occasional track day the ebc product beats the OEM pads by a mile and edges out the Porterfield’s.

Z

 

EBC redstuff ceramic have better general performance than OEM? Interesting. I don't track or go hard on the brakes, but I like the security of the quick bitting OEM pads and don't want to deal with brake dust from OEM or performance pads. Are you saying the EBC redstuff bite more aggressively than the OEM pads?

 

absolutely better stopping power from the improved friction material in the ebc redstuff pads. But they are not that hard on the rotors. Now the ebc yellowstuff pads are more aggressive and will wear out the rotors sooner.
But I have no problems using or recommending the ebc redstuff pads for anyone that would like to stop better on wet or dry pavement.

Z

 

From the factory, the 5.0 S/C cars have the 380mm discs at the front and Jurid pads. Most Jaguars just have ATE pads; ATE being the preferred supplier apparently. For the 5.0 XKR, XFR and XJR, then the F-Type R, all with the same brakes, Jaguar went out of their way to spec the Jurid pad at the front, which according to the edge codes (GG compound 310) is a very high friction pad. I can't find a higher rated one in Europe. This probably why most people say that it performs well. It is not selected on price but performance.

It is possible that in the US there are other pad suppliers with similarly good pads. Some track pads may also be better under very hard use but I don't suppose we are looking for that here.

I have used Redstuff on my S-Type and was not impressed. Low cold bite and nothing special when warm. That car is a bit lightly servoed and has small discs. Weak pads show up badly. Switching to the Jaguar original GG-rated pads, again from Jurid (compound 233) there was a significant improvement both in feel and on the brake test machine.

Ceramic pads seem to need heat and even then are not usually as good as their conventional counterparts. There seems to be a performance compromise for the lighter dust and with the 5.0 S/C cars, you are starting from very good pads. In the big scheme of things pads are cheap and you can experiment. Ferodo's latest pad for the rears is rated as GG. The ATE originals are a normal FF. I will drop these Ferodos in in the spring and see if there is any difference even though it might change the brake balance a little.

 

Don't those pesky pedestrians get in the way!!??