My EBC Brakes Initial Review

[Degen-Astra]

Okay. Some have you have been wanting to know how these brakes go/handle and so on.

Well after having them fitted just over a week ago I have been driving around putting heat into them and bedding them in before our Reefton Spur run in Victoria.

After having them fitted the most prominant thing I did notice was a pulsating brake pedal, this was as soon as i drove out of the brake joint who fitted them. For those who dont know this is apparently common with slotted discs. This pulsating brake pedal has since smoothed and i do not notice this now.
Noise - The new discs and pads are slightly noisier than standard. Again, common with slotteds. This also has gotten less noticable since bedding in.

The initial grab on slight braking is pretty much similar to standard, I didnt expect these to make a difference on slight, light, daily driver braking. But of course they still work.
Push a little harder on the pedal and the front of your car is going to point downwards quickly!! :twisted:

The slight push further on the brake pedal is indeed alot more noticable than standard. The stopping distance and effectiveness of the brakes with that slight extra push is hugely noticable.

Brake Dust - Seeing as it has been on and off rain all week since i had my car fitted with the pads i havent been able to wash it. (Yes, Blasphemy!) But after a week of driving and then stopping after our run up to the dam in the Yarra Ranges there is little dust WHAT SO EVER.

The bedding in process is stated as about 300km by EBC, but the guys at the place where i got them done recommended a bit longer for bedding in.

So all in all i am damn happy with them!! Mind you I am happy for having brakes i dont have to nurse now either!! :wink:

Products are as follows -
EBC Turbo Groove Discs with EBC Greenstuf Pads (Front)
EBC Solid Rotors with EBC Street Kevlar Pads (Rear)

So there you go...any questions pls feel free to fire away.

EDIT - Hopefully Frankie will pop up a picture he took of it during one of our rest breaks in the Reefton Spur Run. Which shows my unwashed wheel, and new brakes.

Warning: This is an Old Thread This discussion is older than 120 days. information contained in it may no longer be current . Please think of the children before resurrecting this ancient thread!

[Vinnie320]

Personally, I hate EBC green stuff pads. I have used them twice (thought that the first time I got a bad set and decided to give them a second chance).

They didn't feel much better to OEM - a little better bite, but nothing to write home abaout. The good thing was that they didn't fade as quickly as OEM pads did, and they seemed to have a much higher heat rating. I have had OEM pads on fire in the past, and these things barely smoked during harder driving.

The dust was just as bad as OEM. And anyone who knows what BMW pads are like knows that they give away heaps of dust, as do most other Euros. I know Astra OEM pads are very dusty. Well, the EBC pads for me were no different - and to make things worse, EBC dust is harder to clean off than OEM dust.

And finally, after about 3 and a bit months, time has come to replace my EBC pads. In the past few months I have only really driven hard on them once, and other than that my driving style has actually tamed quite a bit. But having to replace brake pads after only 3 months and about 5 or 6 thousand km's is totally gay.

I think I may try Hawk or Anker pad next. I have heard good things about them.

My ratings: OEM 4/10, EBC 5/10.

I would like to add that I am the only person I know of that has said they don't like EBC pads. Everyone else thinks they are great and doesn't know what I am on about :?

[Degen-Astra]

I will keep my eye out on my side of things as to what you have raised as to why you dont like them.

[Anonymous]

For a Non-ABS Astra, Nick ya Olympic Sprinter Stops Good.
I'd have to drive it to give a Expert Opinion :roll:
But I was Impressed compared to Other Astras(Non ABS) that I've been in. It would feel better with Traction Control and ABS.
But Good Stuff Tall Fella

[astra_city]

ABS is nice...but not a necessity if you know what you're doing. It is safer, but you can actually stop quicker without ABS. And if you train yourself you can still steer around objects. In my City my car takes a real pedal mashing to lock them up (its stopping really well before locking up) and when it did start chirping on me only once I straight away kept it just on the limit and no problems at all Go kart racing helps for me in braking....when you have a 215mm cross drilled disc with twin piston calipers on a 75kg kart and on the rear wheel you learn to modulate braking !

But yeah, I would have taken ABS if it was an option on the City. Is much easier, don't have to worry about modulating and can obviously do it much quicker than a Human. But ultimately non-ABS can stop quicker still.

[Turblue]

I'll stick with the stock 308mm disks and ABS.

[Degen-Astra]

Well you got 52 mills on me!

We are talking rotors yeah? :P

[Turblue]

Sure am.....

Quote Opel-Performance..

A 16 inch brake system with large discs all round (ventilated at front, diameter: 308 mm / rear: 264 mm) ensures powerful deceleration.

Can someone tell me what they mean by a 16inch brake system..???
:shock:

[astra_city]

I'll stick with the stock 308mm disks and ABS.

yeah of course wasn't implying that I would take the non-ABS over ABS of course not! Just happy with what I've got. I will prob change the brake pads down the track to more performance orientated ones though.

the 308mm discs would be awesome - the Turbo must stop really well.
And they look cool behind the wheels :P

[ultim8DTM5]

Personally, I hate EBC green stuff pads. I have used them twice (thought that the first time I got a bad set and decided to give them a second chance).

They didn't feel much better to OEM - a little better bite, but nothing to write home abaout. The good thing was that they didn't fade as quickly as OEM pads did, and they seemed to have a much higher heat rating. I have had OEM pads on fire in the past, and these things barely smoked during harder driving.

The dust was just as bad as OEM. And anyone who knows what BMW pads are like knows that they give away heaps of dust, as do most other Euros. I know Astra OEM pads are very dusty. Well, the EBC pads for me were no different - and to make things worse, EBC dust is harder to clean off than OEM dust.

And finally, after about 3 and a bit months, time has come to replace my EBC pads. In the past few months I have only really driven hard on them once, and other than that my driving style has actually tamed quite a bit. But having to replace brake pads after only 3 months and about 5 or 6 thousand km's is totally gay.

I think I may try Hawk or Anker pad next. I have heard good things about them.

My ratings: OEM 4/10, EBC 5/10.

I would like to add that I am the only person I know of that has said they don't like EBC pads. Everyone else thinks they are great and doesn't know what I am on about :?

I agree with Vincenzo I hate them with a passion