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What is the friction grade for the most recommended E39 brake pads (e.g., EE, FF, EF)

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#1 · (Edited)
What is the friction grade for the most recommended E39 brake pads (e.g., EE, FF, GG)

EDIT: I called some BMW dealers to find out that the Jurid pads are FF.
EDIT: Updated Textar (rears) friction grade as per Fudman to FF.
EDIT: Updated Axxis/PBR ULT friction grade as per CalvinH to FF.
EDIT: Updated Axxis XBG friction grade to EE & added "DOT Edge Code" reference PDF as per dvsgene.
EDIT: Added Akebono Euro Ultra Premium Ceramic friction grades (front & rear) as per Rami2001 to GG.

Q: What is the cold/hot friction grade for the OEM BMW E39 brake pads?

  • Jurid 187 (front) = FF
  • Textar T4071 (rear) = FF
And, given the most often recommended aftermarket brake pads (1):

Q: What is the cold/hot friction grade of the most-often recommended brake pads replacements?

  • Akebono Euro Ultra Premium Ceramic = GG
  • Axxis/PBR Deluxe Advanced = FF
  • Axxis/PBR/MM ULT Ultimate = FF
  • Axxis/MM XBG = EE


REFERENCES:
- Cracking the Code, Understand Friction Material Edge Codes
- Best Brake Pads (friction grade)

 

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#2 · (Edited)
My Axxis XBG (formerly known as Metal Masters) for the rear are EE rated.

I am not sure if they are the same as Ultimates as they have changed formulations through the various name changes i.e. Repco, Axxis, PBR etc.

It might be time for another call to Luis:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6089631&postcount=85

However, since the rating has to do with the Coefficient of Friction in hot/cold applications, I suspect ceramics will consistently have a different rating than a semi-metallic. So it may make sense to compare "apples to apples"

For those interested in the science of testing:

http://www.brakeandfrontend.com/art..._understand_friction_material_edge_codes.aspx
 

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#4 ·
My Axxis XBG (formerly known as Metal Masters) for the rear are EE rated.
Great! I'll add that to the (now simplified) original post!

It might be time for another call to Luis
Here's what he said last time:
Q6: What is the fundamental difference between the Axxis/PBR Deluxe, XBG, & ULT branding strategies?
A: The Deluxe Advanced employs consumer consumer friendly materials which are easy on the rotors, have a long life, with low noise & almost no visible dusting, and a good grip.
The XBG is in between on consumer friendliness, noise, dusting, and performance.
The ULTs are closest to the original friction material on your performance BMW but the trade off is lower pad & rotor life, more noise, and noticeable dusting.
But I had never asked him about friction grades. I'm sure he has a lot to offer!

the Textar (rears) are rated at FF.
Thanks. I've added that to the original post.

Let's ask the next few people who put on new brake pads moving forward to tell us the friction grades so that we can compile a decent listing, over time.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Axxis/PBR ULT ceramic brake pads are rated "FF"
Thanks. I duly updated the first post with the info so people new to this topic will get the correct information in the first pass without having to perform mental edits.

BTW, the apparent lack of appreciable difference in tested cold/hot friction characteristics between the Axxis/PBR Deluxe Advanced & ULT is surprising.

EE pads have only marginally more torque than no pads at all!
This is astounding information!

FF pads are usually considered the minimum
This jives with the previous references; but it's still rather surprising. It seems the cold/hot friction grades have a very wide range, but we still haven't determined what BMW OEM pads are yet ...

Q: Do we yet have a recommended minimum friction grade from BMW?


 

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#6 · (Edited)
More info on edge coding:

DOT Pad Codes
This two letter edge code mandated by the DOT, and painted on all street legal brake pads, will give you some indication of their ability to resist fade. But only if you know how to read them. However, because of the wide range involved in each letter, it is only a rough indication.

Explanation of D.O.T. Edge Codes Located on all Brake Pads Official D.O.T. Edge Code Coefficient of Friction (C.F.)
@ 250 F and @ 600 F Comments
EE 0.25 to 0.35 both temps 0-25% fade at 600 F possible
FE 0.25 to 0.35 @ 250 F
0.35 to 0.45 @ 600 F 2% to 44% fade at 600 F possible
FF 0.35 to 0.45 both temps 0-22% fade at 600 F possible
GG 0.45 to 0.55 Very Rare
HH 0.55 to 0.65 Carbon/Carbon only.
O.K. up to 3000 F where it glows
Notes: These edge codes are located on the edge of the friction material of every brake pad by government regulation, along with some other codes. The first letter is a grading of the C.F. at 250 F and the second letter is a grading of the material at 600 F. Each letter grade can actually have quite a range of C.F. But a difference in the letter grade from medium to hot temperature could be an indicator of fade. The letters can be in any order. Therefore FE pads fade when hot, and EF pads would not grab when cold.. Also, you should know that Steel on Steel has a C.F. of 0.25!! So EE pads have only marginally more torque than no pads at all! Therefore FF pads are usually considered the minimum for a high-performance pad.
http://student.ccbcmd.edu/~smacadof/DOTPadCodes.htm
 
#9 ·

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#10 · (Edited)
After some thought on this thread, I am not sure what to make of this info. While I reported early on the Axxis XBG aka Metal Masters are rated EE, they certainly do not perform like marginal low performance brake pads. Additionally, I have heard reports of Akebonos performing poorly in cold climiates (i.e. Doru's harrowing experience after his initial install)

That said, I find it hard to believe given the decent reviews of Metal Masters, assuming the formulation has not changed thru XBG- (who knows with all the confusing marketing around Axxis/PBR/Repco reboxing) that Metal Masters are EE rated. I can only assume that since they have a history of being used on track and autocrossing that the co-efficient of friction should be on the higher end of the EE scale.

In the end, I'll stick to the EE rated XBGs since they are only the rear pad. Moreover, I paid only $11 for the rear XBG set of pads when Amazon had them on sale last year. ($50 less than Akebono)

When the fronts come due for replacement, I'll scrutinize the ratings more and hopefully we'll have more datapoints.
 
#11 ·
I reported early on the Axxis XBG aka Metal Masters are rated EE
I'm actually shocked that they are EE rated, if for no other reason than both the OEM Jurid and Textars are better, at FF each.

It is also disconcerting to note the quote above of:
Steel on Steel has a coefficient of friction of 0.25. So EE pads have only marginally more torque than no pads at all! Therefore FF pads are usually considered the minimum for a high-performance pad.
 
#13 ·
Im not surprised theyre EE. I just installed them because I read they had good cold bite. They dont, I hate them. no bite, no feel. there is significantly less dust than OEM but more than ceramic. I'm shopping for a new pad now. I like the idea of ceramic ( which are actually copper) because of the fade resistance and low dust, but every ceramic pad I've used had awful cold bite. I had a VW passat with EBC redstuffs and in the winter i'd have to accelerate and brake unnecessarily just to warm them up. They went to the floor in the real cold.

Basically, dont buy the metalmasters and I want to ask if the cold bite of the akebonos is any good.
 
#16 ·
... I want to ask if the cold bite of the akebonos is any good.
Yes, IMO the Akebono pads are good cold.

...So, if anyone knows the cold/hot friction grade for these sometimes-recommended pads, let us know so we can improve the table in the original post.
Not an actual confirmation, but there is a short list brake edge codes in a thread on another forum that includes the Hawk HPS as rated at FF.
 
#15 ·
Today I tried to get the cold/hot friction grade for the Hawk HPS pads, but failed:
- E34 (1989 - 1995) > Brake/Rotor Replacement

Hawk HPS pads have great stopping power when braking hard from high speed, like under emergency conditions.
So, if anyone knows the cold/hot friction grade for these sometimes-recommended pads, let us know so we can improve the table in the original post.
 
#20 ·
Drat.

The original post just locked up today (this thread must have been opened exactly two months ago, because that's how long we have to edit).

Oh well. Even though I would love for readers to find all the relevant updates in the first post, at least they can find this new Hawk HPS friction-grade information further down.

For the record, here is a summary reading of the nice link provided above to another forum:

  • Title: Brake Pads - what you need to know - friciton codes
  • The scale is E to H, with E representing less friction or bite in comparison to H, which has more bite or, in other words, a higher coefficient of friction.
  • because of the wide range involved in each letter, it is only a rough indication.
  • 11-04-2010 Friction Grades
    • HAWK HPS = FF
    • HAWK HP+ = GG
    • Axxis ULTIMATE = FF
    • Ferodo DS2500 = FF
    • EBC 6000 Series Organic = GG
 
#23 · (Edited)
BP396 Bosch QuietCast Premium rear pads

$35 for 4 pads, 1 tube of lube/glue and 1 sensor. Looks like they are rated FF.

Found very little technical info online, even at the Bosch website so thought I'd post a pic for the forum's benefit. I bought these primarily because of the price including sensor and the hope they are quiet and clean.

Parking brake shoes came. They don't seem to have any friction codes printed on them. Just a part number and year. 2007 !?!?!





Edit:
Emergency, parking brake shoes arrived... Centric at $28.



And
 

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#24 ·
Looks like they are rated FF
Thanks for that update since others are looking at the Bosch as we speak.

I'm surprised I did not find your Bosch edge code markings (BP396 BNAQ1213FF 20619) in this PDF:
- AMEC_Brake_Edge_Code_Marking.pdf (762.7 KB)

Parking brake shoes came. They don't seem to have any friction codes printed on them.
Hmmm... that's strange. I thought it was a US Federal law that they had to have the edge codes printed on them.

Are you 'sure' they're not there?
 
#27 ·
Jurid shoes

Well, here is a picture of the Jurid pads I replaced with Centic's. In general appearance the Jurids seem to be of higher quality and they have friction code markings that seem to correlate with pad regulations. HG in this case. Again, the Centric's had only a part code and date.

 

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#30 ·
HG in this case
Good! The document above indicated that both pads and shoes should have the edge code.

BTW, "H" is by far the highest friction grade we've seen yet!

Sorry about not finding a later PDF that might have Bosch covered.
 
#29 ·
Yeah, not sure what to make of that other than that particular PDF doesn't appear to be the latest version.

My rudimentary attempt to decipher the code yeilds: (B)osch(N)orth(A)merica(Q)uietcast(1213)some proprietary formula(FF)OE equivalent friction rating.
 
#32 · (Edited)
I just installed HAWK Performance Ceramic Pads.

Grade = FF

Reading suggests normal street driving doesn't rise to the occasion for FF. I think FF is the lowest track grade for racing cars. They should last a long time on street cars. I imagine track cars' brakes get much hotter than street driving. Hence the need for pads that retain their friction at higher temps.
 
#34 ·
Does the friction rating tell us anything about fading?

This was posted today:
Akebono's FADE like crazy for me under hard driving.
Looking up the friction ratings, the recommended Akebonos have the highest shown (GG).

But does that tell us anything about fade?
 
#35 · (Edited)
Check the notes at the bottom of this document.

I've put about 70,000 miles on a set of Akebonos, and I have never noticed brake fade. My 530i has the same brakes as the 540i That said, the 530i is somewhat lighter than the 540i and I don't drive that hard.
 
#36 · (Edited)
Check the notes at the bottom of this document.
OK. So, the friction code 'is' also a fade code, of sorts:

The top clearly says:
This two letter edge code mandated by the DOT, and painted on all street legal brake pads, will give you some indication of their ability to resist fade. But only if you know how to read them. However, because of the wide range involved in each letter, it is only a rough indication.
The bottom says:
The second letter of the code represents the hot friction coefficient based on a fade and recovery test. We all should know what brake fade is. If you've ever had to use the front brake extensively and found that its effectiveness quickly diminished, that's fade. Recovery is basically the period where the brakes are gradually cooling off.
Lastly, it says a GG fades very rarely in the charts.

So, like many people, I suspect the poster is mistaken about the GG pads fading on him.
 

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#37 ·
While the friction grades are not (by any means) perfect, my thoughts on reviews of brake pad braking characteristics is summarized by this post today, which requested that anyone who installs brake pads on their E39, please post a picture of the friction ratings for this thread, so that we all benefit.

- Yet Another Brake Thread - Performance Edition

I do realize everyone's personality is quite different, and that mine is probably way off the charts for this forum audience ..... so, please take this only from me, a well-educated but Aspergers individual, who only believes in reproducible scientific truth, as much as it may exist.

I sometimes skim Tire Rack and other user reviews, but, almost always, I either laugh or cry at the sheer and utter garbage that is spewed out by the "boy racers" who write them.

Bearing in mind that almost everyone thinks they're better drivers than average (which is statistically impossible), the reviews seem to be written mostly by little boys who feel that they can, somehow, without any instruments or measurements whatsoever, write anything useful about the "bite" of a pad that they currently have on their vehicle.

Notwithstanding the clear fact that most of those boy racers don't even have the basic vocabulary to properly describe the brake bite, they still can't possibly tell me anything that the friction ratings don't already tell me, with respect to cold and hot friction (which is what a brake pad is all about).

Me?

I would simply go by the well-tested and reproducible friction ratings of the pads when it comes to braking forces. (I would also simply buy plain solid rotors since the friction coefficients are essentially the same for all carbon steel rotors.)

- What's the real difference between drilled, slotted, and solid rotors (1) & what's the difference between various brands of solid rotors (1)

What I would ask YOU to do though, since you've already ordered your pads, is to post a picture of the FRICTION RATINGS of the pads you do finally get, before you install them.

Then post that picture to this thread, so the rest of us benefit from your efforts.
- What friction grade (e.g., EE, FF, EF, etc.) is recommended for BMW E39 brake pads (1)
 
#39 · (Edited)

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#40 · (Edited)

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#41 ·
Someone who just replaced E39 brake pads posted the first ever on Bimmerfest picture of FE pads over in this thread today:
> E39 (1997 - 2003) > Rebate on Bosch Brake Pads
FYI - Purchased new pads from Autohaus - Bosch QuietCast™ and rec'd a $15 rebate per pair - so after rebates it's front & rear pads for ~$38 total

BTW - very easy replacement - easier than most cars I've done - thanks for the forum's help. (I already had a 7MM)
Maybe someone, who knows more than i do, can
explain what the implications of the FE friction rating will be as compared to the FF of the OEM pads.
 
#42 ·
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