Will ceramic pad damage OEM rotors on a ML320?? The Parts guy strongly suggested that I not use ceramics... He said that the steal in the rotors was "different"

Thoughts??

Hal

The parts guy is dumb. Ceramic pads are the way to go. They work as well if not better, less dust (and the dust is white), no noise, they last for a LONG time, and they are way easier on rotors.

The material in the rotors is always the same - cast iron. Ceramic pads are not high perofrmance in that they work for fast cars (lots of folks mistakenly think that), they are high performance in the ways stated above. I have used ceramics in my ML 430 for years, and I love them. I just changed my rears, and when I checked the fronts (with 35k miles on them) they have more than half of the pads left, and the rotors are at the same thickness as they were when they were new!. I do not do all highway miles either, lots of stop and go to boot.

Ceramic pads cost more, but they make up for it in longer life of pads and WAY longer life of rotors.

DCF,

are you using Akebono ceramic pads? i've heard good things about Akebono products and from what i've read they're sort of the front runners as far as ceramic technology is concerned.

i'm just curious...

__________________
W108
W116
FJ60

About 6 mos ago I went to EBC Green Stuff pads w/ EBC Ultimax rotors on the front, both work great and there's significantly less dust.

I use Akebono ceramics, their OE compatible pads on one of the 124 chassis, but they do not have the quick stopping power when cold as do soft OE pads.
Its quite noticeable when I go from one car with ceramics to one with PBR pads.
In a panic stop the soft pads will activate ABS quickly while the ceramics do not, I take that to be because they do not have as much coefficient of friction esp when cold.
I've heard other ignorant comments about ceramic pads eating discs and its simply not true! Now if you were using semi-metallic pads then pad wear increases for sure.
Actually a person's driving habits is the major factor in pad and disc wear, its amazing how some people charge up to a stop light and cram on the brakes or then there are those drivers that tap the brakes for no reason while driving along on the highway (usually while yaking on a cell fone!)

__________________
'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!