Acura TSX: Brake Pad Reviews
Are you in need of new brake pads? This article will showcase some of the more popular brands of brake pads for the TSX.
This article applies to the Acura TSX (2004-2014).
The most important thing about a car is your ability to stop it. When the time comes and you need to stop quickly, will your brakes be able to cut it? If you're in the market for new brake pads, then this article is for you. This review will cover four different aftermarket brake pad brands and go over their various strengths and weaknesses.
There are some things to remember when buying new brake pads. What you get out of your brake pads largely depends on your driving style. If you're a cautious driver and tend to brake earlier, then you may not benefit as much from high performance brakes. But if tend to brake late, then you'll need as much stopping power as possible. Also, remember that no matter which brake pads you get, you're going to need to break them in and during that break-in period, your new brake pads are going to cause more dust and noise than they normally would.
Brake Pads
Hawk HPS/Ceramic |
EBC Greenstuff/Redstuff |
RacingBrake RB ET 500 |
Akebono ProAct Ultra-Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Price |
$80-$100 | $50-$80 | $95 | $40-$50 |
Performance |
High-Very High |
High-Moderate |
High-Very High |
Moderate-High |
Rotor Wear |
Low-Moderate | Low | Moderate | Low |
Noise |
Moderate | Moderate-Low | High | Low |
Dust |
Moderate | Moderate | Low - Moderate | Low |
Best Value: Akebono Ultra-Premium
Hawk HPS/Ceramic
Price – $80-$100
Performance – High-Very High
Rotor Wear – Low-Moderate
Noise – Moderate
Dust – Moderate
Hawk has a well earned reputation for delivering top notch braking power with very few trade offs. Hawk HPS and Hawk Ceramic brake pads are similar in price with minor differences. Hawk HPS offers better stopping power while Hawk Ceramic offers less dust. They both generate slightly less dust and noise than stock brake pads. Hawk HPS are gentle on rotors, so you don't have to worry about putting them on your stock rotors. Recommended if you're looking to maximize your stopping power while keeping stock rotors.
EBC Greenstuff/Redstuff
Price – $50+ (Greenstuff); $80+ (Redstuff)
Performance – High-Moderate
Rotor Wear – Low
Noise – Moderate-Low
Dust – Moderate
EBC is another brand known for delivering high performance brake pads. These are some of the most affordable high performance brake pads you can find on the market. Both Greenstuff and Redstuff pads are fairly popular on the TSX. The difference between them is that Greenstuff pads are intended more for street use and cause less dust, while Redstuff pads can be used on the track and it has better stopping power. Overall, they are both excellent products, but they are not so great for factory rotors and can generate quite a bit of noise at times if they are not bedded in as per the manufacturer's instructions. Recommended if you're looking for affordable performance brakes to use with performance rotors.
RacingBrake RB ET 500
Price – $95
Performance – High-Very High
Rotor Wear – Moderate
Noise – High
Dust – Low-Moderate
If you're looking for the best stopping power for your vehicle, why not look for brake pads born out of the race track. That's what RacingBrake offers with its ET 500 line of brake pads. These brake pads offer excellent performance for both the street and the track. The ET 500 is the most versatile set of brake pads offered by RacingBrake and are fairly rotor friendly, but it's still recommended that they be used with performance rotors. They generate less dust than other performance brake pads, but can get pretty noisy when under heavy use. Recommended if you're looking for a low maintenance performance brake pad.
Akebono ProAct Ultra-Premium
Price – $40-$50
Performance – Moderate-High
Rotor Wear – Low
Noise – Low
Dust – Low
If you're a stickler for keeping your cars as "factory" looking as possible, then you might want to consider Akebono brake pads. Akebono is the original equipment manufacturer for Acura, so these will be similar to the factory brake pads on your TSX. But they are considerably better performing and create less dust as well as noise than the factory brake pads. They are also much cheaper than factory brake pads. These brake pads are not intended for track use, so they don't have as much of a bite to them when they brake. But they do allow for much smoother braking than other brake pads. Recommended if you need a solid daily driver with low noise and dust.
Related Discussions
- What Are Best TSX Brake Pads for Money? - AcuraZine.com
- DIY Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement - AcuraZine.com
- Rear Brake Pads - How Long Do They Last? - AcuraZine.com
- 2008 TSX Brake Upgrade - AcuraZine.com
