Ebc Pads Explained

[Cue]

I've noticed a lot of people asking for advice on EBC stuffs, so I carried out my own research with the pads on the Lexus IS220d SE-L.

Firtsly, I'd like to point out that I jumped in to RedStuff after getting hold of my IS. When people ponder whether pads and disc combination is crucial, it really does come down to driving style.

Let's start off with RedStuff ceramics. They are bloody brilliant. To an extent that once warmed they perform well, and the biggest perk to these pads is simply the fact that they stand strong by their word which is that they produce little to no break dust. They are true to their word trust me. Break fade is not an issue with dot3. It's a big issue with dot5. I don't fully understand why I was sold in to dot5 by Lexus but it doesn't help as explained further on. A

Combo with MTec grooved and drilled discs, they did well. If your a city driver, they take forever to bed. Took mine 1800 miles. For motorway, be careful with aftermarket discs as they are so solid and heat tolerant they can easily warp your discs with prolonged braking.

I downgraded to GreenStuff. These looked odd on red callipers so I sprayed them black. They performed well, in comparison to RedStuff their initial bite was immediately noticeable. They are not as dust free as they claim, in 2-3 weeks they start to coat your rims. Break fade is less evident than RedStuff but marginal. In reality, they are a better but dustier version of RedStuff but cannot sustain the powerful temperature of RedStuff.

Ultimax. Initial bite equivalent to that of OEMs. Break fade equivalent to that of OEMs too. Break dust, by far worse than OEMs. One trip after a car wash and your wallet would be better off in soap. They are renowned for their superb part in OEM replacement, but if you can't stand break dust, these are just not the right pads for you.

With standard discs these pads don't have any difference on aftermarket discs. It truly comes down to how they are used and abused. Respect the pad and disc bedding instructions and you have no problem. A lot of people tend to suffer because they unify the average time they believe or are used to for bedding. It's simply wrong, unless you know your car too well.

I have used all three EBC pads and my final thoughts are that RedStuff are perfect provided you bed them patiently and put up with the occasional squeal for the first 1500 miles or so. They really are beautiful with it's acclaimed dust-free abundance. GreenStuff I would recommend, no doubt they do take around 500 miles or so to bed with, again, the odd squeal but once bedding they do the job perfectly. Ultimax, well I don't know where they went wrong.

Mintex pads in comparison, produce GreenStuff equivalent break dust. But I found their break fade to be less tolerant and really struggled with them.

Break fluid is also important. Dot3 and GreenStuff sit well. Dot3 and RedStuff you just can't go wrong. Dot5 and any of the above, you'll be burying your pedal before you feel the pinch.

I hope this gives you an insight to the pads. These are all from my experience only, the weight of the car also impacts the pads and discs so take consideration but it's not so difficult to make the right choice. How you drive, and what suits you is truly down to individual preference. Anyone can say this pad and that pad is recommended, but that is down to their car setup, their driving style and their preference. You have a choice, and follow what your mind agrees too. Experience makes the difference.

I carried out these tests for so long now, keeping a watchful eye on threads here. I did these tests for the forum solely for my own experience and to share that with you. It doesn't bother me the money I dished on discs and pads, that's another story ;)

But I hope you picked up something from this and gives you a little confidence.

PS. I have Black Diamonds and GreenStuff all round. My alloys are black, therefore GreenStuff performance is my preferred choice, but the dust is irrelevant because it's hardly visible on black rims. Of corse.

[Denis Ivanov]

That review was helpful. Thanks.

[TigerFish]

Very good info. I have just fitted drilled an grooved discs all round, with redstuff pads all round as well. They have not bedded fully yet but they already feel much better than the OEM discs and mintex pads I had.

[Cue]

Very good info. I have just fitted drilled an grooved discs all round, with redstuff pads all round as well. They have not bedded fully yet but they already feel much better than the OEM discs and mintex pads I had.

Nice! They truly are pads you will be saddened to replace if you ever had to. They warped my discs but only because I abused them for evidential reasons regarding this post. They do take a while to bed so if you have the patience, you'll be extremely pleased. They aren't as effective with dot5 brake fluid. I wouldn't recommend it neither because it impacts breaking with any aftermarket pads, even OEMs.