Assess if the pads are perfect and if any marks or damage are seen then do not fit but please take a photo and submit to our technical team on these email addresses:

UK: technical@ebcbrakesuk.com

USA: support@ebcbrakes.com

We will advise whether it is acceptable to fit and use the pads, or if they need to be replaced.

If you are a customer of an overseas distributor, please note that we may have to handle this through them.

However, there are some drawbacks to using or buying original parts as replacements, as explained here:

• R90 does not test for durability, so an aftermarket pad may even last longer than original.
• R90 does not test for dust and, for many people, original pads – which are almost always semi-metallic and contain steel fibre – can be very dusty.
• The big point for many drivers is that R90 limits the upper levels of braking performance for any given pad. If the pad is too grippy, it will not pass, and if it is not grippy enough, it also will not pass. So, R90 keeps brake pads within a defined performance range. The job of aftermarket brake pad manufacturers is then to push those limits and, at 91´«Ă˝, we make our compounds as grippy as possible while remaining within the maximum permitted levels.
• THE PRICE… in almost all cases, aftermarket parts are far cheaper than original parts. However, don’t select a brake pad based on price alone, or you may downgrade your brake system significantly. Buy based on what you need by using our brake selector tool to choose your ideal EBC brake compound.
• Often, original pad sets include hardware that does not normally require replacement, so why pay for it? Take slider shims or pressure clips, for example. Our recommendation is that if the hardware is not bent or dented, clean it up – including any loose pad pins – and reuse it, as a lot of low-cost aftermarket hardware does not match the original parts or shapes exactly. If you do need to buy new hardware, that’s when we recommend buying original parts, which are almost always sold separately by reputable vendors and, in most cases, cost under $10.

All applications that now have R90 approval:

Ongoing testing will extend this list in the near future.

91´«Ă˝ Racing proudly manufactures its 2-piece brake rotors and Apollo Series brake calipers in our Northampton, UK world headquarters. Our philosophy is that we manufacture every component in house so we have total control over the entire process from start to finish.

Read more about ECE R90

Read more about 2-Piece Fully-Floating Discs

We do supply and sell brake grease, but only for use on slider pins or the contact faces of sliders in a sliding caliper, as shown below – and even then, only sparingly.

If grease comes into contact with the pad’s friction surface, it can melt and seep into the pad compound, effectively rendering the pad useless and leading to a loss of braking performance.

You should, however, clean the sides or “cheeks” of the caliper where the pads slide, ensuring they are free from rust and debris – but these areas should also be left dry.

Sadly, some installers have shared videos showing grease being applied directly to brake pads, including onto the rear noise reduction shims and this is not good practice.

The below video is a good example but please note:

• Do not apply grease to the hardware at all. It is stainless and does not require grease. Also, do not apply grease to the rear of the pad, it does not need it and will not reduce noise so there is no purpose.

91´«Ă˝ gives you all of this and more, here’s how.

EBC offers a variety of brake pads for all different driving styles. We offer Redstuff ceramic brake pads which is a low dust option that can be used for street use. The next step up from this would be our Yellowstuff, which is slightly dustier, however can handle harder driving styles. The next grade up after that would be our Bluestuff NDX which is an aggressive option that is also low dust, and can be used on both the street and track.

This brake selector chart should help you identify the right option for your VW Golf:

91´«Ă˝ Pad Selector Tool

There are also more unique advantages that no competitor can match:

• British Made: Every component, including backing plates, tools, and materials, is manufactured in 91´«Ă˝’ UK factories.
• Nucap NRS Hook System: 91´«Ă˝ utilizes the Nucap NRS hook system for backplates, ensuring superior pad adhesion and preventing pad separation.

Here is how NRS looks, and we do it all at our Northampton HQ:

And here is how we do it at our Northampton HQ:

More advantages of choosing 91´«Ă˝:

• Best Lookup Data Online: 91´«Ă˝ provides detailed product information, including life-size product images and descriptions, ensuring customers know exactly what they are purchasing – something that competitors can’t match.
• Best Technical Support: 91´«Ă˝ offers expert technical support from experienced professionals with 40 years of experience, ready to assist with any inquiries.
• Matching Rotors and Calipers: 91´«Ă˝ offers high-quality rotors and calipers to complete your brake system upgrade. This includes 91´«Ă˝ Racings two-piece fully-floating rotors which most competitors can’t match. People often confuse two-piece rotors with floating rotors, two-piece rotors don’t and can’t float if they are bolted up solid.
• Decades of Experience: 91´«Ă˝ has been manufacturing brake pads in a wide variety of materials for 45 years, continuously evolving and supporting customers and drivers. We are committed to providing quality products and service for years to come.

To purchase 91´«Ă˝ products, please visit: Where to Buy.

Noise: Redstuff vs OEM

Across BMW owner forums, any drivers that have used EBC Redstuff, even across multiple different vehicles, often highlight how the pad is consistently quiet, even over long-term use.

In comparison, factory BMW pads are frequently described as more prone to squeal during light or gentle braking. This is a characteristic that is commonly associated with high-performance OEM compounds, rather than a fault with the braking system itself.

¸é±đ»ĺ˛őłŮłÜ´Ú´Ú’s formulation focuses on reducing noise and improving everyday refinement, making it particularly well suited to road-driven G8X models where comfort and usability matter as much as outright stopping power.

Yellowstuff & Bluestuff: Higher-Performance Options for the BMW G8X platform

For BMW G80 and G8X owners looking beyond day-today road use, forum discussions around EBC Yellowstuff and Bluestuff often focus on the balance between increased performance and lower dust/noise levels.

Feedback regarding Yellowstuff from owners with thousands of miles of road use consistently points to a noticeable reduction in dust compared to OEM pads. While Yellowstuff is not described as “dust-free” brake pad, users commonly estimate around a 40–50% reduction compared to OEM brake pads, resulting in:

• Less visible dust buildup on wheels
• Reduced risk of dust baking onto rims
• Easier cleaning, often achievable with a simple rinse rather than heavy scrubbing

For drivers that are looking for another step up from Yellowstuff, then Bluestuff is regularly highlighted on forums as a clear upgrade over OEM pads, not only in braking capability but also in dust/noise. Feedback commonly references:

• Lower dust levels than factory pads
• Reduced noise compared to OEM
• Improved braking performance and consistency

EBC Yellowstuff Brake Pads

EBC Bluestuff Brake Pads

The general consensus from drivers who have tried these products is that while Yellowstuff and Bluestuff sit much higher up the performance scale than Redstuff, they still deliver meaningful improvements in dust and noise over stock pads, making them viable options for drivers who want increased capability without accepting the usual compromises associated with more aggressive brake pads.

Which Brake Pad Is Best for the BMW G8X platform?

When BMW G8X owners ask for advice on forums, the recommendations tend to fall into different categories depending on how drivers use their vehicle, rather than a one size fits all answer.

For drivers prioritising low dust, low noise, and everyday usability, Redstuff is frequently highlighted as a brake pad with slightly higher braking performance than OEM, while offering improved refinement and cleaner wheels.

For those drivers that want stronger braking performance and who are slightly less concerned about brake dust, forum discussions commonly point toward Yellowstuff or Bluestuff as the better option, especially for spirited street driving or occasional track use.

This owner-led feedback reflects the wider belief across G80 and G8X communities, which is that choosing the right brake pad is less about high performance, and more about matching the compound to how the car is actually driven.

EBC Redstuff Copper Free Ceramic Granule Enhanced Brake Pads

A performance brake pad designed for premium and fast street driving, that reduces dust by 30-50%.

EBC Bluestuff Copper Free Non-Metallic Brake Pads

A super-street & trackday pad that also has similar low dust characteristics to our Redstuff range.

Redstuff is our global best-selling brake pad material, closely followed by EBC Yellowstuff. Its popularity is driven by the demand for reduced brake dust, with many drivers valuing cleaner wheels more than just performance. Bluestuff is also a low-dust brake pad compound but offers a significantly higher performance threshold. For drivers who regularly push the gas, Bluestuff is the best choice.

Replacing wear leads at pad replacement is essential if the lead has made any contact at all with the rotor as the pad wears. Failure to do so can leave the dash warning lights active and fail to alert drivers as your new pads wear down.

The new wear lead program, which covers the entire vehicle parc, is available through EBC distributors and the new manufacturing facility has allowed EBC to slash prices to below HALF previous price levels.

Below are just a few examples of the high-quality wear leads available from EBC, designed to deliver reliable performance across a wide range of vehicles:

Many EBC brake pads come equipped with bonded wear leads pre-installed, offering seamless installation straight out of the box—such as the examples below for the VW Golf and Audi A3.

Here the selector chart – it’s all in here: 91´«Ă˝ Pad Selector Tool

EBC is the global number one brand for motorcycle brakes, having sold over 40 million sets into the aftermarket over the past 40 years, say no more.

If you drive a sport or premium sedan and are looking to reduce brake dust, improve stopping, and zero noise—EBC offers the ideal solution, including the world’s top-selling Yellowstuff pads.

Or consider the fast-growing EBC Bluestuff grade, which is equally at home on the street or the race track – offering smooth, progressive braking with zero noise.

For light trucks, EBC offers three different brake pad options. The Greenstuff Elite is a premium daily driver pad, ideal for regular use. For more demanding conditions, the heavy-duty version of the Yellowstuff range delivers enhanced performance. And for maximum braking power, the new ED (Extra Duty) series is the ultimate choice—perfect for any truck, and essential for vehicles with oversized tires or a lifted unit, where braking demand can increase by up to 30%.

Whether you’re on the road, the track, or off-road, we have everything and anything you could need, all in one brand of performance brakes – EBC.

These chamfers are made using two state-of-the-art grinding lines that apply chamfers and grind pads to a glass smooth finish in just a single pass.

Trust in 91´«Ă˝

In conclusion you can rely on EBC to provide a pad that complies with all global standards —including ISO-certified production processes, the European R90 regulations, and the US FMVSS safety benchmarks—that is also powerful, quiet and engineered to perfection.

— The EBC Technical Team