EBC Ceramic AKA Chocolate brakes
 

Had my EBC Ceramics fitted for about 6-8mths now.

They squeel like mad and I thought this was down to the stick on anti-squeel shims being rubbish. Read the back of the box last night and the penny dropped. It says they are fitted a metal clip, which makes the brakes squeel as a low pad indicator.

Not a bad idea. Only thing is they only lasted 2 months of road use before starting to squeel like mad. I remember taking it to a garage to have the brakes looked at and they told me the pads were low....I laughed at them saying I changed them only 2 months ago, and then went on my way assuming they were punting for business.

A friend of mine had some fitted to his Fiat Coupe at the same time and his only lasted a couple of months before garage told them they were low...again a laughed at the suggestion.

Will inspect the brakes over the weekend and hopefully hasnt damaged the disc.

Wont be fitting EBC again thats for sure. Pagid, Ferrodo etc work out cheaper (and better) in the long run.

Bob

Mine haven't worn that quickly. Are they the new RedStuff Ceramic compound?

Where did you get them from?

Yes they were Ceramics (so I was told). Brought them from Amber Performance.

How many miles you done on yours?

Any squeeling?

Mine squealed from day one, but that was because I bent a clip fitting them - doh!.

Only took me a week to find out...

no squeeling on mine. mileage? not sure exactly, but I've had them on the car since the New Year. At a guess at least 1000 miles by now.

No-one's said how well they work? Are they an improvement over the original? On my 03 STi (Brembos) I've certainly felt fade and quite frankly for the size of them I am unimpressed, so I've been looking to replace the pads. Would like some comments on performance?
JohnD

A bit woody when cold. No fade though.

Exactly as described by Bob and moreover similar performance with DS2500 with slightly worse feeling at half the price - if you understand what I mean!
I have them for 5000kms and they never squeel, NEVER, but I bedded them carefully and used some copper paste on the back of each pad.
Coincidence?
JIM

Jim: There is a difference between squeeking and squeeling. The pads are designed to give a high pitched squeel when they are low. I used mucho copperslip and bedded them in also.

Bob

A copy of a PM is recently received:


This is an open public forum so if I wish to share my experiences on here, I will continue to do so.

Something has obviously happened here:

1) The EBC Ceramics are as described and like chocolate
2) The company who sold me the pads (Amber Performance of Luton) has sent me a the old compound which I made clear I did not want.

a)Either way there is a problem in that distibutors may have been re-packaging old compound stock in order to shift it.
b)There is no way the customer can identify which of the compounds he has purchased.

I would be happy to send the pads back to manufacturer for analysis and replacement.

Unless proven otherwise I will have to assume that the pads are what they say they are (EBC Ceramics).

Bob

Bob, were they saying you shouldn't talk openly or they wouldn't?

John Felstead did the original impartial test for the new EBC compounds. He gave a very favourable report on the RedStuff's and that's where their popularity took off. At the time he pointed out how cr@p the old ones were and would need a lot of convincing that the new ones were good.

I've found the initial bite when cold isn't great, so general town driving can be a pain and the stopping distance isn't as good as I'd like with that type of driving. When pushing hard, I've no complaints. No squeal (I didn't use copper slip), no fade once up to temps and a lot less brake dust than the DS2500's I had on previously.

It does sound like you've been given the old compound and I'd take it up with the supplier. It's also worth contacting EBC and pointing out that they need to try and make sure it's not possible to mix up compounds. We need something on the pad itself that can distinguish the compound.

Stefan

Stefan:

I believe he was telling me not to talk too openly on the forums :confused: :rolleyes:

I wonder if the manufacturer would be willing to test the pad compound?

Will email the Supplier (Amber-Performance) and see what they say. I cant imagine them accepting they had changed the packaging or sending me the wrong ones.

Will also direct BuckRogers to this thread (he works for EBC I believe)

Bob

The latest pads have a bedding-in compound on the initial surface ("BRAKE-IN/ surface coating) Did yours?
JohnD

yep.

Bob these are definatly the NEW ceramics then so there is a problem with your set so i got on to a mate at EBC for you....(by the way Buckrogers does NOT work for EBC he works for himself as EBC Direct which with the wording people do get mixed up)anyhow here is what they have said....
"
EBC have recently made two improvements to Reds, one to add the chamfers left and right which reduces noise and also the new brake in coating which scrubs the disc lightly and helps pads bed in.

They also deleted the useless wimpy screech clips that are fitted to Impreza pads because they start to contact when the pads are half worn and in transit these clips have also been reported to have gotten bent forwards so they contact far too early,the way to check is to measure the remaining friction material and when 2mm remains start to look to change the pads.

EBC have also launched the new YEWLLOWSTUFF R compound which is also street legal for the Impreza and lasts three times as long as the Ceramic for a tenner more and if anyone thinks they have got too short a life the EBC warranty people are very nice people to deal with and quite fair.

If you want i can arrange for you to get these pads exchanged please PM if interested and i will give you details

Hi Bob.

Sorry for delay in responding to you, been away on holiday for the past week.
As Spike points out, I work for EBC Brakes Direct, which is completely independant from EBC Brakes themselves. Hopefully Spike is sorting your set of pads out for you, if I can help in any way, please let me know.

Regards

Buck

You mentioned squealing.

Does this happen all the time or when only the brakes are applied.

I am using greenstuff on the rears, and the drivers rear is always squealing.

My Ceramic Reds with 304mm AP 4 pots have been really good, I used them hard at Knockhill (running 400 BHP in the dry, and I don't corner particularly fast yet was lapping with the Nobles), and they work better than DS2500 on the road. They do clonk a bit which is because one of the pads is a bit loose as we over-ground the edges a bit to stop them seizing.

If using EBC pads on non-grooved discs or spotted they boil up too quickly and fade away.

Used with EBC discs or as John uses the AP discs etc which have MUCH improved cooling they are excellent. Fitted many of these combinations to customers cars and extremely pleased with the results.

Cheers
Jon.

You have PM re: exchange offer.

Bob

Going back to the issue of establishing what compound they REALLY are....

does the 'brake in' surface coating have anything written on it like on the pics shown on the EBC website? http://www.ebcbrakes.com/Automotive.html

Bob

yes

hi all,

me and a friend got ebc turbo disks front and rear and red ceramic pads all round in febuary this year from Brakes4u (over £920 for everything) ..

delivered direct from manufacturer and didn't have break-in-coating on front pads ???( but had ceramic printed on them)?

anyway been on for over 1000 miles and still get a very annoying constant chattery/clicking noise on or off braking from all wheels ?

ran them in for well over 400 / 500 miles without harse braking.. fitted as instruction , copper grease, shims, discs cleaned to remove protective coating and with grooves facing the correct way........ such a wind up :mad:

anyone alse found this?

they stop real well tho

terry

mine didnt have anything on them....

maybe they weren't 'ceramics' after all. Were packaged up like them though.

Wont be spending any more £££s @ Amber Performace in a hurry.

I hope EBC will resolve this.


Bob

My redstuff ceramics for the rear specifically had "ceramic" written on the pad

you will find that the 'brake in surface ' was not on the first ceramic pads , they started putting that on later , on the back of your pads it will say if they are ceramics

I fitted a set of the ceramics all round toward the end of last summer. I also fitted a full set of grooved discs at the same time.

I don't drive like a thug but at the same time I hardly potter around the place and mine have also been pretty impressive. I came from Ds2500s and am impressed with how clean the pads are and their performance when up to temp. I have never had any noise issues and have not noticed them wearing very quickly.

I will have a check on wear when the rain stops.

No response from spike. YHPM re exchange.


Bob

I bought mine from Camsport and never had any issues with them. I fitted the Ceramics to front & rear and not noticed any wear issues or noises. I do get the occasional clunk, but that's just the pads moving slightly in the caliper.

The only thing I've noticed is the initial bite when cold isn't that great. Have to remember this when at junctions as it can take a bit more pressure than I expected to stop even at very low speeds.

Stefan

Me too...:)