im about to step up from the OEM pads and rotors because two of them are warped. i think im leaning toward Brembo Blanks for rotors, which are on www.tirerack.com at 36 and 38 bux a piece. if some of you think i should go slotted or have any other ideas, let me know. keep in mind i dont want to put more than 300-400 dollars into the whole brake setup (pads and rotors)

about the pads, im not really sure which way to go. i understand that ceramic is the material of choice for most of you, so ive limited myself to that.
i wanted some feedback about specific brands of ceramic pads that some of you may have had experience with.

the best pad i can find (based on a combination of "consumer ratings" and the low dust/high stopping power indicators on www.tirerack.com) are the Hawk HPS street brake pads. they are 64 dollars per axle set, so $128 all together - im assuming an axle set is 4 pads, two for each side.

i have a 97 GLE and i drive it pretty hard, but i do not race, nor do i plan to in the near future. i just want a reasonably good and practical setup for a low price. obviously stopping pwer is the most important thing, but low dust is a close second. noise i can deal with (do ceramic pads tend to be more squeaky than metallic or composite??)

if any of you have experience with HAWK HPS pads, or have suggestions about other pads in the same price range please reply

 

Brembo blanks and Hawk HPS will be right up your alley for your requirements.

You may also want to look at Axxis MetalMaster pads. had great luck with them in the past as well on stock rotors.

 

do ceramic pads squeak more / dust more than metallic or composite padS?

 

ceramic pads have poor cold-clamping ability, they are preferred for auto-crossers and race cars alike because ceramic pads have excellent heat resistance and hot-clamping. A lot of people don't push their cars enough to need ceramics, but you can have them if you want, just be carefull when you wake up and get in your car to go somewhere, you have to warm the pads up

 

so what then? metallic? composite?

what is composite? is that a ceramic metallic mix?

 

if you could suggest brand names or pads specifically i would appreciate it. keep in mind LOW DUST and LOW COST. thanks

 

If you want great stopping pads, you going to have to live with the dust. Performance pads = dust.

Good stopping power and low dust = OEM
OK stopping power and really low dust = Akebono
Great stopping power, lots of dust = Porterfield RS4

Those are some of my suggestions.

 

how about the akebono ceramic pads?
they would only cost me about 20 bux more
but then again they are ceramic, i dont want to have to worry about warming them up in the morning (though i am in florida)

so between hawk hps COMPOSITE and akebono CERAMIC with BREMBO BLANKS, which would you all suggest. like i said, i wont be racing, just driving hard.

 

i think im going akebono ceramics with brembo blanks

 

Ive had Axxis Ultimate pads before... tho good braking power (or it seemed) they dust so bad its not worth it. Within a week ur rims are black. Also used EBC Green stuff pads, didnt like those either.... made noise, dusted, and didnt feel any different from stock pads. Currently running cheap ol pep-boys brake pads (i forget the brand)... they didnt cost much and they work well. No dust, low cost. You can't expect better braking power without more dust and faster wear. Next brake change im using hawk pads. I have them at home, but not on the car yet, so can't say if they will be good or not. As for rotors i have brembo blanks, and they work well. Have cross drilled and slotted rotors at home, but once again I didnt install them yet so idk how well those work.
Anyway I say go with the brembo blanks and Hawk pads. Check the group deal section for cheap brembo rotors... http://forums.maxima.org/forumdisplay.php?f=17
Expect to pay about 250 if your going with that set-up though. Also check ur local auto parts store, some sell hawk pads for our car, and it may or may not be cheaper then the price you posted.

 

This is not an advanced topic, moved to 4th gen forum.