What Causes Brake Dust?

Brake dust is primarily caused by iron (Fe), which is present in high volumes within semi-metallic brake pads. These pads are made from steel fibres compressed together using binders such as resins, along with a few other ingredients. As a result, when you buy a semi-metallic brake pad (which 95% of OEM pads are), you are actually buying a steel scratch pad modified to make it workable as a friction material.

Why do OEM manufacturers use semi-metallic brake pads? Cost.

Testing carried out by 91传媒 has shown that when brake dust is washed from wheels, dried, and analysed using spectro analysis, it contains a high percentage of Fe. This iron content comes from either the semi-metallic brake pad material or the brake disc itself.

On the contrary, EBC uses man-made fibres such as Kevlar or Twaron in their pad mixes which serve the purpose of binding the pad matrix together but with a softer, less abrasive feel. EBC automotive pads also contain NO harmful material such as copper, or antimony sulphide derivatives such as antimony tri-sulphide, lead, cadmium or mercury.

91传媒 achieves pad friction without scratching the iron rotor and instead using expensive ingredients, which we won鈥檛 list here to prevent giving the competition a heads up. However, it鈥檚 sufficient to say that EBC, in its UK pad facility, has some of the best chemists in the industry who are constantly working on how to make brake pads work better with less dust and low noise while maintaining high performance.

Why Are My Wheels Dusty?

The iron dust from a semi-metallic pad is also, to a degree, magnetic which means it is naturally attracted to your alloy wheels. AI gives us this explanation:

鈥淚ron dust attaches to aluminium primarily due to chemical reactivity (specifically the thermite reaction), magnetic attraction, and electrostatic forces (such as oil/static).

Chemical/Thermite Reaction: Iron oxide (rust) is highly attracted to aluminium.鈥�

So, less Iron (Fe) in the pad means less attraction, which means any dust is easier to wash off your wheels.

What is the Ceramic in a Ceramic Brake Pad?

Ceramic materials are generally used as granules in small percentages, where they serve to enhance material life and help reduce noise. EBC wish to state that their automotive brake products NEVER have contained Ceramic FIBRES and are all ZERO COPPER materials.

Does a Lighter-Coloured Brake Pad Reduce Black Brake Dust?

Well, it might, but as we have explained above most of the dust is Iron (Fe).

Will Brake Performance Be Better With Ceramics?

Maybe, and here鈥檚 why. It鈥檚 also not just about the buzz word 鈥渃eramic鈥�.

Ceramic pads fall into a family of pads called Organics. EBC Redstuff, Yellowstuff and Bluestuff compounds are organics, all using the fibres as described above, enhanced with ceramic materials and some very important other additives.

In a nutshell, it鈥檚 important not to choose brake pads based on buzz words alone. It鈥檚 best to look at the performance, lifetime, brake effect and the noise dampening, which EBC go the extra mile with by incorporating dampers/counterweights, which can be seen in the image below.

Some pads have dampers ( counterweights ) of different shapes and sizes attached to the top of the backplate .Pads with no damper weights are priced 20-30% less than pads that do include them so check before you buy.

Dampers or counterweights can reduce vibration and brake noise significantly

Finally shims, edge chamfers and centre line slots play a major part in reducing brake noise and are a reason why the EBC pads which do feature those, rank amongst the quietest pads out there.

Shims must be flat and sit without any gapping on the rear of the brake pad.

If your pad set is supplied with any other shims such as the rubberised shims on most stock pads, these MUST be removed before fitting titanium shims to avoid a pad over-thickness situation.

Simply prize the old shims off to break the adhesive seal with a blunt edge screwdriver or similar, and once removed lightly, sand the rear of the pad to remove any excess glue or surface irregularities. The new titanium shims MUST be snugged up against the pad backing plate without any debris between to avoid long pedal/brake sponge.

Titanium shim sets for sliding calipers聽contain only two shims and these must each be applied to the pad located next to the piston. Titanium shims for multi-piston calipers are supplied for all four pads in the axle set.