Can I use Akebono pads on an old 81 300SD?
 

81 300SD. I just repainted my bundt wheels and they look great; would like to keep them clean longer. Since I read that the Akebono pads leave very little brake dust, I wonder if I could use them on my SD? The rotors were replaced, not recently, and I do not feel much of a lip. Since these are ceramic pads, would they be hard on my rotors? Should I deglaze them first? Or should I stick with the stock MB pads and put up with the dust? I am not an aggressive driver (or stopper), just want to keep the bundts cleaner. Have always worried about ceramic pads eating up the rotors prematurely. Or is there another better pad to use?

I've been wondering the same thing (and for the same reason) for my 83 300D. Why don't you give it a try and let us know?

I dont know for mercedes rotors but i have ceramics on my f150 and my cadillac for some time now..second set on the f150 now and there is negligable to no wear to the rotor, no lip at all i can feel with my finger...Semi metallics wore my rotors quickly in the past....There is basicly no dusting at all.. when i first made the change on the truck i only did the fronts...After two weeks the backs would have noticable red/orange dust i had not ever noticed due to how bad the fronts were before.. front had Now none...Now ceramics all the way around i could not be more pleased with them, and i am hard on brakes in city driving...So i say go for it, that being said i have not had to change the brakes on the 300d yet but they will be getting ceramics if they are available for my car...only negative i have heard about the ceramics is they get your rotors hotter on hard stops..but this has caused me no problems

Again just to be clear i have these on all my other vehicles and damage to the rotors is not an issue at all but i dont know if oem on mercedes is semi metallic or organics if organics maybe the mercedes rotors are softer??

Hopefully some of this long post helps.

Arlo

Funny - I just talked to Parts at RBM, the dealer in Atlanta. They say Mercedes does not carry and does not recommend ceramics. They have semi-metallic pads which eat the rotors. Say Mercedes designed the car with soft brake pads because they stop better.

Since I am concerned about brake dust I asked about dust shields. They say Mercedes will not honor any guaranty on brakes if the car has had dust shields installed; say the shields make the dust collect and drop inside the wheel and eventually cause damage to the entire works. Never heard this before and wonder if I got more a personal opinion than a formal one.

My bundts look so good I am tempted to try the ceramics.

I am on my third set of ceramic pads on my 300CE. I have never had a problem and did not notice any problem after switching, other than no more weekly de-crusting of wheels. My 300D came with ceramic pads when I bought it and it stops on a dime.