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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    Ceramic or semi-metallic pads on a heavy car ?

    I have a 97 Mercedes E320 my kid drives that I tried a pair of ceramic front pads with less than great results. Put the old ones on and returned the ceramics. I have used ceramics in the past with good results but maybe I just chose wrong for this heavy ass car. Should I try a better quality ceramic like a Akebono or go back to semi-metallic ? I did give it about 20 slow braking stops to try and break in the pads but they just felt horrible.

  2. #2
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    I put Autozone ceramic pads on the front of my 3/4-ton pickup that weighs about 6000# with nothing in the bed... and has a 2000# + camper in the bed for most of summer. Works fine. I replaced the front rotors at the time I replaced the pads, also with Autozone whatever-was-available (Duralast?), since the old pads had ground down into the backside of the rotors.

    YMMV, I guess.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by fatnslow View Post
    Should I try a better quality ceramic like a Akebono...
    Yes. Those are excellent pads. Probably best bang for the buck really.

  4. #4
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    I have Akebonos on a 4300-pound car and they’re good. No issues.

  5. #5
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    Mar 2009
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    Just ordered some akebono's.

  6. #6
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    I think you'll be happy with them.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by fatnslow View Post
    I have a 97 Mercedes E320 my kid drives........................
    Could be the problem.
    A few people feel the rain. Most people just get wet.

  8. #8
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    What could be the problem with what?

  9. #9
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    Mar 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by wooley12 View Post
    Could be the problem.
    In plain English it translated to my kid drives a $1800 tank.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    you see a tie dye disc in there?
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    Quote Originally Posted by fatnslow View Post
    In plain English it translated to my kid drives a $1800 tank.
    Yep, your kid will hit something, in my case, my gene spawns loved buildings.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    19,814
    Stock W210 brakes are excellent. I’d stick with OEM and replace rotors every other set. You risk squealing, vibration, and rotor damage with others.


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    Ceramic or semi-metallic pads on a heavy car ?

    I need oem brake kit. Shit is like 500
    Comes with akebono pads

    Pm me for my PayPal
    Zone Controller

    "He wants to be a pro, bro, not some schmuck." - Hugh Conway

    "DigitalDeath would kick my ass. He has the reach of a polar bear." - Crass3000

  13. #13
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    Sep 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by 4matic View Post
    Stock W210 brakes are excellent. I’d stick with OEM and replace rotors every other set. You risk squealing, vibration, and rotor damage with others.
    Good new for OP, then. The E320 had factory installed Akebonos! (Not sure which years, though) I just learned that the brand is used by a LOT of manufacturers as their choice for factory installed OEM equipment. Interesting.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
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    17,749
    Akebono almost just went bankrupt.

    Most all of their stuff is not made in China, so make sure you get genuine Akebono and not the counterfeit Sonnybono pads.
    Last edited by Timberridge; 08-21-2019 at 08:20 AM. Reason: To correct a false accusation I made
    "timberridge is terminally vapid" -- a fortune cookie in Yueyang

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Timberridge View Post
    Akebono almost just went bankrupt.

    Most all of their stuff is made in China, so make sure you get genuine Akebono and not the counterfeit Sonnybono pads.
    While you're right about trying to avoid counterfeit junk on fleaBay or Amazon, I don't know about their stuff being made in China. According to their website:
    "Akebono is proud to manufacture 100 percent of its aftermarket brakes in the USA."
    https://akebonobrakes.com/profile

    Also interesting: "Approximately half of all vehicles rolling off the assembly line are manufactured with Akebono brakes. Akebono has approximately 40% of the Original Equipment market and is factory installed on 350+ models. It is our innate understanding of vehicle dynamics and braking requirements that enable us to provide the best brake solution for any vehicle, and it is what has made Akebono the largest OE brake provider in North America."
    https://akebonobrakes.com/OEM

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Timberridge View Post
    Akebono almost just went bankrupt.

    Most all of their stuff is made in China, so make sure you get genuine Akebono and not the counterfeit Sonnybono pads.
    https://sparkpeo.hs.llnwd.net/e2/gui...f81d29371.jpeg
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
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    Quote Originally Posted by El Chupacabra View Post
    I haven't thought of George of The Jungle in a long time. Well, I just thought of him. But before that.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    3,269
    Put in the Akebonos and flushed fluid with my ghetto pressure bleeder made using an unused pressure weed sprayer. What a difference from the shitty waggner ceramic pads I returned.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Suckramento
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    21,433
    Brake pads are overrated:

    https://youtu.be/skeg3Y6sptg
    Quando paramucho mi amore de felice carathon.
    Mundo paparazzi mi amore cicce verdi parasol.
    Questo abrigado tantamucho que canite carousel.


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