How can I fix my German brakes dust syndrome?
What is European brake dust syndrome ?
A typical wheel after few hundred miles drive.
European automobiles use OEM brakes which release a lot of brake dust. This is due to the pad materials used, which give superior braking performance, however the trade-off is the brake dust.
TECH STUFF
The contact between the brake pads and rotors is analogous to rubbing sandpaper against wood: As a result, there?s dust. The dusty, black residue gathers on wheels, much to the annoyance of fastidious car owners. Brake dust has become a hot topic among carmakers since J.D. Power and Associates, the company that surveys car owners and publishes the influential Initial Quality Study (IQS), began asking whether cars produce excessive brake dust. A ?yes? answer adds to the tally of problems audited in the IQS rating.
The amount of dust produced?and the likelihood that it will end up dirtying the wheels?depends on many variables, including the chemical composition of the brake pads, the particular alloy of the rotors, the airflow around the brakes, and even the wheel design itself.
The attributes that make a braking system resistant to fade are also typically the same characteristics that produce more dust on the wheels. For example, solid disklike wheels would keep dust from accumulating on the outside of the wheel, but those wheels would restrict airflow. Pads that retain their frictional characteristics when temperatures rise to more than 1000 degrees produce more dust during normal driving than pads that fade severely when hot.
Some companies?Porsche for one?feel the IQS survey unfairly penalizes manufacturers of high-performance brakes. Donatus Neudeck, Porsche?s development manager for brake systems, says: ?Our cars can go from the street to the racetrack without hesitation. We could change the pad material to help the dust problem, but we would never do that. We may have more dust on the wheel, but we provide our customers with better braking performance.?
Until someone invents a magic pad that survives high temperatures but produces less dust, enthusiasts may have to rely on a simple solution: a garden hose and a brush?once the brakes have cooled down, of course.
Solution: Ceramic Brake Pads
Ceramic brake pads although lose some braking performance at cold temperatures (typically first 4-5 kms in my environment), but they have materials which do not give out so much brake dust. They also run cooler at higher temperatures due to ceramic usage in construction. The brake rotors also last longer when used with ceramic brakes.
I moved to Akebono Ceramics about a year back and have driven about 30,000 km on these pads. I feel no difference in braking performance, since I do not take my car to a track. Although I do enjoy spirited driving.
Brake dust comparison between Akebono and other brake pads suppliers.
I took following pictures this week to show brake dust on the wheels. The car was washed a week back and had done about 600 km driving. You can see the difference yourself.
Wheels immediately after washing.
Wheels after 600 km.
There are many ceramic brake pads suppliers, but I heard very good things about Akebono. The price to performance ratio is very good, thus offering great value for money.
I wont talk too much about Akebono brakes, as you can find it yourself on the 'net. If you need to find out which brakes pads are available for your car, here is the link.
Check out my BMW E60 ride thread.
