Brake Pads Available for the 300C

[shanemcse]

I see all these threads but none of them have a list of current brake pads for our cars. So lets do this. Let's get a list then lets find out which ones are the best.

So far I have found these.

1. Akebono ProACT Ceramic Pads

2. Hawk performance street pads

Front Part # HB509F.678 (availavle in 3 weeks)
Back Part # HB508F.675 (Available now)

3. Axxis XBG (Metal Master) Brake Pads

Front 45-10580M
Back 45-10570M

[DZeckhausen]

Don't forget to list the OEM factory pads, available at your local Mopar parts counter. For the non-SRT8 300C, these pads are quite nice.

As others have pointed out, NAPA has pads available for the 300C. I have no feedback yet on how they perform.

Hawk Performance Ceramic pads have just become available. I plan to have these in stock in a couple of weeks. I've had great results with these pads on my 300C, however I had the StopTech 4-wheel big brake kit. I haven't tried the Hawk pads in the stock calipers.

[E55 KEV]

Dave, how good are the Akebono pads? Are Ceramic better? What is your recommendation for stock 300C pads? Thanks.

[DZeckhausen]

Originally Posted by E55 KEV

Dave, how good are the Akebono pads? Are Ceramic better? What is your recommendation for stock 300C pads? Thanks.

The Akebono pads for the 300C are ceramic. Or more accuratly, they have enough ceramic content to legally put the word on the box. Akebono is a respected name in street friction, but I have no first-hand experience with their ProACT Ceramic pads. So I can't give you a comparison (yet) of friction levels, cold bite, fade resistance, or dust levels to stock.

I have personal experience with Hawk Performance Ceramic (HPC). If you've used the Hawk HPS pads, the HPC have about 6% lower Cf (info from tech guys at Hawk, not from my butt dyno!) than HPS and slightly less dust. Not quite as low dust as Axxis Deluxe Plus (same compound as the current generation PBR Deluxe), but better cold bite.

Until I get some feedback from 300C owners who switch, I can't really tell you how different the various aftermarket pads are from stock. Only how they are relative to each other. I'm afraid some of you are going to have to become guinea pigs. Not to worry, these are all good quality pads.

[shanemcse]

Hawk performance street pads

Front Part # HB509F.678 (availavle in 3 weeks)
Back Part # HB508F.675 (Available now)

Axxis XBG (Metal Master) Brake Pads

Front 45-10580M
Back 45-10570M

[ralfsmith]

Oh its very interesting. Could you provide me more information ?
johntvery@operamail.com
johntvery@hotmail.com

[dynodon]

I have some experience with the Akebono pads. I put them on the front of a 540i 6-speed sport BMW a couple years ago at the recommendation of a friend of mine that runs a real good Import car repair shop in Peoria, IL. He recommends them for Porsche and BMW owners that do track days or are just tired of all that brake dust.

The pads on the 540i went through a two-day track day at Gateway International (2/3 of the NASCAR Oval and the infield road course) going from about 130 to 40 at turn 1-2 complex lap after lap. After the weekend, I could hardly tell there was any dust/dirt on the wheels.

Then I put them on my '96 SHO daily driver and they are working great, but they are dusting about like the stock Ford pads (they aren't as bad as OEM BMW pads for sure!).

My son put the same pads on his '95 SHO and loves them and they aren't dusting as bad as mine. I wonder if I just got a single bad pad, since one wheel dusts more than another?

Anyway, the Akebono seem to have very good resistance to fade. I also track my '96 SHO at Gingerman, Putnam and Blackhawk, all courses that need good brakes, and on the stock brakes, these pads work very well. Not hard on the disks either.

I have no doubt that dedicated race pads would stop better, but for a compromise street/track pad, the Akebono are very good, last a long time, are easy on the disks and not all that expensive. I got mine through Tire Rack.

[E55 KEV]

dynodon, thanks for the writeup and recommendation. I am thinking of getting them for my E55 AMG. I wonder what is the real difference in the Euro Ceramic and the ProAct Ceramic. The Euro is supposed to be the premium pad: