I was quoted $158 for the front from a dealer. Good price? Should I look at aftermarket?

 

Is that installed?

I say look elsewhere. That is of course if your installing yourself.

What are you looking for? ie low dust, no squeal, good braking?

 

I need to replace them, not much pad life left. This is for the ACTUAL pads shipped. NOT installed. Acura OEM.

 

You can find other brands, cheaper than that for sure.
I am not impressed with the OEM pads on my RL.

Currently you can get Akebono ProACT Ceramic Pads for the RL from tirerack.com for $63 +S/H.

You can also find other brands (EBC Red Stuff, Bendix, etc) from other web sites for less than $150.

My 2 cents...

 

Thought $158 was for BOTH parts/labor! Wow, why are the RL pads so expensive? Is it due to the brembo type brakes we have? OEM pads = organic, semi metallic, ceramic???

 

Does any one have experience with aftermarket pads? Years ago I had a mechanic who only used OEM pads saying that he couldn't gurarantee afthermarket pads would be quiet. I've been afraid of aftermarket ever since.

LL

 

I have used aftermarket pads in the past with different cars, no issues. I'm interested to find out who is using aftermarket pads with the RL, and are you pleased with the results? thanks!

 

im using akebono on mine and its great! really low brake dust unlike the factory stuff resulting in no squeeking unless i dont drive it for weeks

 

Well

I looked around for some of the more prominent brands and it seems pads for the 05+RL are not listed (not available)

Hawk has no listing
KVR has no listing
PBR has no listing
Nissin (couldnt find any info)

Axxis was the only one and it was only their better than OE stock replacement ceramic pads. (found em for under 100 though)


You could also go with autozone etc ceramics (whatever brand they carry)



I personally used to like the AEM pads which were just reboxed Nissin pads. The produced very light dust and held up better to heat than OE Honda pads. (less rotor warpage)

 

I have no problem with the OEM pads with the exception of price. Try hondaacuraworld....

Chris

 

+1
Been using these pads for 2 months now and work well.

 

From my past experience and this on 2002 RL the after market work good for a year and then starting to make noise, not squealing but other noise.

They do not fit as good as the OEM.
I do not have experience yet on my new car but I will waiting to read your opinions.

 

EBC red stuff pads is another. They say very low dust, no squeal , and 30% increase in stopping power.

Found for around 95 dollars shipped online.

I might be going with these.

 

I've used Green Stuff pads on my last car (TL) and they definitely had more stopping power than stock OEM pads, but they dusted like mad. Not sure how'd Red would compare, although I believe the Red Stuff are very aggressive pads, even more so than the Green. Red might squeal and would be very aggressive (ie wear) on the rotors.

 

I'm about the replace my OEM pads at about 46k. Terrible slow speed driving every morning on my hour commute to work has worn out my current pads. I'm tossing back and forth between Akebono and stock Acura pads. The stock are almost $100 more but honestly I've had zero issue with them. No squeal, low dust and in the few panic stops I've been forced to make during the past 2 years (drivers on i95 and the Merit Pkway in CT suck) the car seemed to stop admirably on the stock pads.

I've heard rumors in the past that Akebono suposedly makes the stock pad but I've never heard it confirmed. I used a set of Akebono ceramics on my last car (TL) and was not at all happy with the stopping power. However, in all fairness, I had been using EBC Green Stuff just prior to putting on the Akebono and the Green Stuff pads stopped the car so much better than stock that I can't really say I remembered how the stock pads were in comparison to the Akebono. I just remember a panic stop or two with the Akebono pads that seemed a little frightening because I remembered thinking that my car was previously stopping in much shorter distances under similar circumstances with the Green Stuff.

SO for me I might just tough up the extra $100 (vs. Akebono) and put on another OEM set of pads, since I have been happy with them up to now. My life is worth the extra hundred bucks (and as I said before, drivers around me here in CT suck so it pays to be prepared) .

 

Aftermarkets that use ceramic material will be quiet, assuming you apply a little antisqueal to the back of the pads. Its the more aggressive semi metallics that will bite harder (ie better stopping power) and be prone to squealing.

 

Its expensive because they are stock parts, with little discounting options available. acuraautomotiveparts.net has 'em for $152.63, but thats about as low as they can be found around the 'net.

 

I also had horrible dust with green ebc pads in the past. However they claim the red for the RL and in general is completely opposite with little dust and squeal while still providing and increas in stopping power over stock.


Here is what it says about the red pads for the RL

and here is a link to their page about properties of the reds http://www.ebcbrakes.com/automotive/...ds/index.shtml

 

Interesting.... may check out the red.

 

if you do please post.

I think i will also try the reds in a month or so.

 

Interesting. That dispells what I beleived about the RedStuff. But I do note on that weblink the following: Redstuff however as a harder compound does take longer to fully bed in to achieve its highest levels of performance (can be up to 1500 miles/2500 Kms urban use) during which time the odd "Chirp" of brake noise may be heard when starting from cold in damp and cold conditions at walking pace speed.

Interesting, when I had the GreenStuff, they were just the opposite as far as noise. Quiet as can be for the first 10k miles, and thereafter I had the chirp at light pedel pressure and walking pace speeds.

Well this throws a monkeywrench into things (never understood the literal meaning of that expression btw) because I was about to order up OEM pads but the RedStuff sounds interesting. I drive enough that it will only take a few weeks to get 1500 miles on them and bedded properly. Its getting colder here in the NE and I want to get my brakes on now before I have to sit on a cold concrete floor slab while its 20 degrees outside and the wind is howling at the other side of the garage door.

Decisions decisions...what to do, what to do.....

 

That is the same position I am in.


I will try the reds though as they seem to offer what I am looking for over the oem pad.

 

Does harder compound (red) equal faster rotor wear? My guess is yes.

 

I dont think so since this pad's composition is non-metalic. Aramid is a synthetic woven fiber.

I may order up the Red Stuff too. Just hoping that if I do get squeal that it doesnt persist too long.

 

i am currently using the EBC green stuff and they put out wayyyyy more brake dust than the oem pads, and i think they fade more also.

 

I am getting ready to drop in some Akebono ProAct pads. Is it necessary to resurface rotors? Mine are fine with no hint of pulse or warpage....

 

any chance 06 tl pads would fit on the 06 rl?

 

No. RL has a unique 4 piston brake set, and is over 400 pounds heavier than the TL.

As an example, using the EBC Red Stuff part numbers

EBC Redstuff 2006 RL part number DP31735C
EBC Redstuff 2006 TL part number DP31610C

 

Synth19

What did you end up getting. Would love to hear a report. Especially, how do the brakes do when they are cold, and if they are noisy.

I had Hawk HPS on my old Legend, and they were champions once bedded in, but noisy and dusty the whole time. Since Hawk does not make an RL application, I know won't be getting those!

 

I recommend stock pads and do not resurface the rotors. Every time I've tried to use something other than OEM pads I've had some kind of issue, i.e. noise, stopping power and most of all pedal feel. For about 15 years now I've used nothing but OEM with splendid results - definitely worth the money to me. Turning the rotors have brought problems I didn't have before - especially warping. The pads only take a few miles to conform to the grooves on the rotor and feel like new again.

 

thanks- that is the way I have done it all all my previous acura/honda vehicles, and just wanted to confirm. I already have the akebonos, so I will give them a shot before I bite the bullet and go oem.

 

the stock braking system from our cars are made by Advic-- US based company.

I have compared the OEM pads to the Ceramic Prostop that I have and I honestly thin the ceramic prostop has better stopping power with a lot less brake pads. I first started the ceramic Prostops in my maxima with great results...

By the way. do you guys notice that the front tires wear out faster even though it is AWD in our cars?

 

The front tires wear faster because the front of the car is much heavier than the rear.
The front tires are responsible for steering ==> a lot more stress on them.

The car is AWD but most of the power usually goes to the front wheels. It is not 50-50 all the time.

Tire rotation is still mandatory on the AWD RL.

 

Not yet. How does one know if rotor resurfacing is needed?

 

i just went through the same dilemma....

just end up buying OEM front and rear pads

 

I'll check my receipt when I get home, but I ordered them from here:

http://www.oemacuraparts.com/partlocator/index.cfm?siteid=214055

They are easy to drop in if your rotors are in good shape.

 

Just put Akebono in the rear, couldn't be happier.

 

My front pads have about 30% left at 53,000 miles. My dealer quoted me $510 to do the front Brembos at the next service. Do I smell a RIPOFF??

 

Especially since they are not Brembos!

 

They 100% are not Brembos... esp not the pads.