I could use some advive from the folks who know.

Still running the stock brake setup... yeah I'd like bigger brakes like everyone else but they are doing what I need them to do.

I've been running the EBC Greenstuff pads front and rear... I like them for their good initial bite and their feel... but they dust like crazy. If that's what I have to live with for the way the brakes feel now, then so be it.

Can anyone recommend a pad that is available for front and rear that has the qualities of the EBC Greenstuffs that will noticably dust less and not tear up the new rotors that I need any more than the EBCs?

I'm sure Matt or Jeff can chime in.

 

Are you sticking with Stock rotors? If you are, it might be time to upgrade to the BBK... or even a set of Brembo blanks. The metal that Nissan uses for the stock rotors is soft as you have found out, and most brake pads out today will destroy them.

 

Wagner Thermoquiet
Raybestos Quiet Stop
Bendix IQ.

those are all pretty low-dust pads and are easy on rotors. for street driving, they are just fine (it's what I use on all my street-only cars and on customer cars that come in for regular service).

If you want something a bit more aggressive, then look at the Axxis MetalMaster.
stay away from the ultimates unless you like buying new rotors every few months.. they're not a street pad. they're a track pad.

 

Matt: do the Axxis MMs only grip when hot, i.e. after quite some agressive braking?

 

no, they grip in normal driving too.
at least mine did for 20 miles or so that I had them on.

 

why only 20 miles...?

 

because the city booted it and took it.
I don't drive much to begin with.
I only put about 6k on my car in 2 years. yes it was my daily driver

 

lol... I remember that. Everyone around came over to strip it clean.

 

yup yup
the car had new brakes allthe way round, the rears were the upgraded Z31 that I did in april

 

I like PBR or Axis metal master. I also like Beck/Arnley. Stay away from "discounted" store brands with a lifetime warranty.

 

are those ceramic pads matt? im going to do new pads in the spring....perhaps bbk if i can source some 300zx calipers. i was just under the impression ceramic was the way to go for low dust and go stoppin power.

 

Learned that lesson long ago in my Celica. I'd go get the pads from Nissan first (which really aren't that bad).

 

Was looking at the Brembo rotors today online. The rears had their last turn last time... the fronts were new (AutoZone or Advance sourced)... haven't mic'd them yet to see how the EBCs treated them. Got 60K on the front pads so far.

 

The MM's on my car are pretty nice. They are the preferred street pad on the Porsche forums too...

 

I have a set of Brembo slots... definitely not for your average daily driver. I got them because I brain farted and got cheapy Napa pads, and they destroyed my stock rotors. The Brembo slots ate those up, and are now in fact eating the metal shoe on the pad. Luckily I caught it before any damage was done to the rotor.

 

I was wondering about slotted rotors on the street. I'm imagine they function well, but was wondering how quickly they eat pads. I was using Google and saw someone say that it was only about a 10% difference in pad life.

 

Yup, I had the same problem w/ EBC greenstuff pads...too much dust, short life, didn't like too much heat - the max is too heavy for those pads.
As far as Axxis pads go metal masters are pretty good. I have them on my CRX (street beater/auto-x *****), and they do pretty well, they just don't stop worth a d@mn untill they get some heat in them, worse in winter. Maybe crx is too light...max is heavier, maybe better street pads for a max.
The MM's on the crx were hating life when i had them on the track though. Only 3 hot laps on a pretty short course and they were SMOKING when i pulled back onto grid! It's odd about the Ultimate's though Matt, I've heard alot of racers and well-respected perf. guys/shops say that they were pretty good on the street, and were also a better track pad, basicly all around better. I think any 'more aggressive than stock' pad will be hard(er) on rotors, my MM's are.

 

Hawk street compound? app. for a max?

 

It depends how many slots, and what type of pad you have. Mine is a little more aggressive than what you would get from internetautomar... but mine did come from Brembo directly. I noticed mine has like 2 or 4 more slots than the ones internetautomar sells.

Pad life is... ok I guess. Though it did eat through Napa cheapies in less than a year of driving time.

 

I Disagreed on that
I have been using ultimate for the last 4 years and my current one I installed last year of Novermber, my rotor is still going strong.
And I drive 200-400 miles per day

 

Well, like I said. I like the way they feel... good bite when cold, and hang in there for how I drive. I'm not beatin' on them. They've got 60K on no-name rotors. If I have to give up the bite and feel to save on dust... I'll live with the dust.

Again, if there's something that bites as well cold, hangs at least as well as the Greens, doesn't eat rotors, AND doesn't dust as bad please tell me.

 

What about those ceramic pads that are on the market? Don't they claim to be "heavy-duty" and have low dust? I think napa and all the rest have their own offering.

Have you thought about EBC red's? Or just different colored wheels to hide the dust?

 

EBC reds are not for street driving. They are made for the track and need to be "warmed" up before they will grip....Has anyone tried Akebono Pro-Act ceramics??? I just ordered a set for my Acura..

 

yup, we installed them on a sentra.
no complaints so far

 

So EBC reds are kinda like the metal masters on my honda...

 

Dudes! I was just fooling around on the Hawk brakes website, and was stoked to see that they make the HPS (high perf. street) pads for the the front and rear for almost all of the 3rd gen maximas! And get this, Pep Boys is a distributor for their street pads!

And if this is old news to you guys, then fooey. I haven't been messing with the max for like 4 years now, so i just now started looking for goodies for it again.

 

When i do the [MattBlehm 300z front big brake kit] and the [Jeff rear bracket/300z rear rotor kit] for my car, i think i'm going to use the Hawk HPS pads all the way around; since they have an application for both model car's calipers i will have on there, and it will be the same compund both front and rear.

 

Hawk HPS are basically equivalent to the Axxis MM for performance, but dust MUCH MUCH worse.

Axxis MM are fine on the street, but they need at least 1-2 stops on them- even during warm days- in order to stop worth a damn. long life and easy on rotors, but they have quite a bit of dust and often squeal like a school bus. They simply aren't necessary for a street-only car when a cheaper, quieter, less dusty longer wearing pad is available right down the street at your FLAPS.

the Axxis Ultimate are TRACK ONLY pads. I've seen them eat up many sets of rotors in just a few months when driven only on the street at low temps. for you college kids hauling *** between school, job, and home, with little 10 min commutes between each one, these aren't the pads for you..

Automax, I suggest you do a bit more looking and consider your driving styles before you recommend them for street pads. I've replaced lots of rotors for customers that were duped into buying these pads for street only.
They SAY they are acceptable on the street, but have "increased rotor wear." That increase shortens the life of rotors from years to months.
they're simply too aggressive in abrasive friction at low temps for the street.

 

I have the Ultimates, and have been using them for 4-5 months now. The only problems I have with em are some squealing when applying the brakes softly and a crapload of dust. My rotors are fine so far (from looking at them), and the stopping power at low temps is still acceptable. Then again, I dont have stock rotors so maybe that has something to do with it?

 

...and the EBCs as well.

 

I'm quoting my self above, hopefully to refocus.

My experience with the EBC Greens is:

*60K on the front pads on new "FLAPS" rotors. Some visable wear, but not sure how much yet- have to measure (the rear pads have worn more quickly, but I think I may have contaminated them when I replaced calipers- never felt right, blamed calipers- I cleaned rotors and pads when I replaced struts recently and things miraculously improved to better than ever)
*Nice bite cold, nice feel always. I'm usually not heavy on the brakes, but I want a margin of error, and I want them to be there when I need them unexpectedly.
*Dusty. Can't get through a tank of gas without losing the sparkle of the wheels. I know all pads dust somewhat- all I have to compare to is whatever was on the car when I bought it (which lasted 70-75K)

I like the bite, and feel; dislike the dust. Maybe the EBCs have been reformulated since I put the fronts on 3+ years ago and dust less. I'd prefer not to have to heat the pads up from cold, unless they are still pretty (or really) good cold. And, no reason to wear out prematurely the Brembo rotors (or whatever) I'll be popping for.

There have been a few suggestions here for and againt a few, and I'll be researching them and emailing manufacturers where appropriate. EBC's website is somewhat less clear than it used to be ("Although a race formulation, Yellowstuff can be used on street and has good brake effect from cold") although the Greens still seem the way to go.

So, if you know what has similar (or better) braking as mentioned above and less dust (or I suppose better braking and same dust) than the EBC Greens, let me know. If you know what NOT to get in my case... that will help me (and others) too. I'm up to-like- 9 other brands at this point.

 

Fawkin' L, maybe i'll just use stock....i swear being a car enthusiast give you too d@mn much to think about.

Matt...what pads are on the car in your sig.?

 

Either Wilwood Q series (rebadged Raybestos Quiet Stop), or Ferodo DS2500.

neither of which you can buy to fit the stock calipers.
(remember, I'm not running stockers. )
http://blehmco.com/pics/car/brakes/s...s/100_0689.JPG

For all of my street cars and auto X stuff, I use one of the ones I listed at the top of this thread..
I don't even touch Axxis MM or Ultimate anymore. EBC is teh suck and I stay away from them at all costs.. I've had a bad experience with Hawk pads so I stay away from them, but they're fine as long as you don't run the HP+ or Black/Blue compounds on the street.

for anything but flat out track use, any of the $35 pads I listed in my first post will do everyone just fine for street driving and usually even agressive mountain drives.

 

I sell all those brands

 

Hmm, I guess those sound good. What about teh stock pads? opinions? (i haven't driven on any stockers in o-so-long.)

 

OEM pads are also decent quality, but the prices are insane to buy from the dealer. cheaper to buy the aftermarket stuff and you also benefit from a lifetime warranty.

 

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