W204 : Alternative brake pads

[6cyl]

Hi,
Any one use non-MB brake pads ?
The MB ones are too dusty !

 

[edstrom76]

Be wary of discs wearing down if you swap for harder pads. I've certainly noticed the wear on mine, at only 22k miles (still on original pads). Will probably need replacing in another 10k miles.

 

[Auto-mobile]

Be wary of discs wearing down if you swap for harder pads. I've certainly noticed the wear on mine, at only 22k miles (still on original pads). Will probably need replacing in another 10k miles.

It's the disks that are the problem their to soft, changed them from 17k upwards. Common complaint,

Re: pads I think textar or pagid do a low brake dust pad.

 

[Mbstarz]

How much would it cost to replace the rear pads with genuine pads?

Mine a squeaking when braking, is this the wear indicators?

 

[lordlee]

EBC Greenstuff are great for low dust.

 

[MancMike]

Mine also squeal when braking, but only when gentle braking. Any pressure at all and the squeak stops. So it can't be the wear indicators in my case anyway. Also the squeal doesn't happen all the time, only about half the time.

 

[6cyl]

MBStarz, i-Conica, what pads do you have on yours ?

The standard MB pads are fine, apart from the dust. No squeal. I have no problem with the disks either. The front discs on mine were changed about 34k.

I'm looking for recommendations from people who have swapped to non-MB pads to see which ones to avoid and which ones to try.

Found this post :
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/wheels-tyres-brakes-suspension/121310-textar-low-dust-e-pads.html

Thanks.

 

[6cyl]

Looked on ECP. The Textar low dust E-PADS are astronomically priced compared with Bosch, Pagid etc

 

[lordlee]

Similar price to the EBC's EBC Greenstuff Front Brake Pads for MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class (W204) C350 TD 4-Matic | eBay
Can't believe the prices are so high to be honest.

 

[6cyl]

Similar price to the EBC's EBC Greenstuff Front Brake Pads for MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class (W204) C350 TD 4-Matic | eBay
Can't believe the prices are so high to be honest.

They're closer to MB dealer prices

I've done a little more digging. HOT30 will give you 30% off the ECP prices.
Also carparts4less.co.uk sells the same for £93.60, where a £10 voucher is applicable so £83.60. I believe they're owned and run by the same people.

 

[lordlee]

You'll need copper ease and vaseline

 

[MancMike]

Mine are genuine mercedes pads.

I'll just be replacing them with pagid pads from ECP when the time comes.

 

[IanMSpencer]

Mine also squeal when braking, but only when gentle braking. Any pressure at all and the squeak stops. So it can't be the wear indicators in my case anyway. Also the squeal doesn't happen all the time, only about half the time.

Do you just brake gently or do you occasionally do a hard stop? Disk brakes do benefit from a hard stop to clean them up (my old 1999 C240 had instructions explicitly stating that I should do a hard stop on a regular basis). I have a very low mileage Vito and the brakes get quite squeally but will clean up with a firm stop or two.

 

[MancMike]

Do you just brake gently or do you occasionally do a hard stop?

Yeah I'm aware of this. Had it on previous cars (the mrs, who when brakes start squeaking, she takes it even easier on the brakes, so I have to take her car out for half an hour and "clean them up", and give her engine an Italian tune up at the same time).

I do gentle driving on my commute, but do go out in the late evening at times, when it's quiet, then I plant my right foot, so the brakes end up screaming hot. There doesn't seem to be any correlation between the squeaking and having gotten the brakes hot recently, or not...

The front brakes have no issues, it's the rears that squeal. Maybe they just didn't use any copper grease when fitting them, although it's odd that it's intermittent...

 

[Alps]

EBC green are good

problem with EBC pads is always fitment, you will need a bench grinder to slightly thin out the metal backing so they slide freely in the caliper. I have had to do this with a number of cars with red and greenstuff pads.

Another problem I had previously was the squeeling for about 1000 miles until properly worn in, so far haven't had that problem on the latest reds I have put in but only done 20 odd miles on them.

use brake paste for the rear and slider side of the pads and also follow the pad break in procedure (basically a number of hard brakes)

 

[6cyl]

Any decent dust-less alternatives ?

 

[Terry_]

Textar are a good product. Textar Epad are low dust, although he range is quite limited.

 

[C36fan]

Textar are a good product. Textar Epad are low dust, although he range is quite limited.

they are noisy don't buy them!

 

[Terry_]

they are noisy don't buy them!

interesting thanks for the feedback! I havent used them as yet, although i find regular textar very good.
Pagid, however, i find a bit hit and miss with noise

 

[C36fan]

interesting thanks for the feedback! I havent used them as yet, although i find regular textar very good. Pagid, however, i find a bit hit and miss with noise

i fitted the on my 63 at rear and when hot you get the occasional sqweek .
Sometimes cheap don't pay off.