Good brake pads

[nick325xit 5spd]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

I think that's the issue right there.

Compared to most cars on public roads, the X5 has excellent brakes with virtually any pad. But compared to any car on a track... they'll feel downright dangerous I'm sure.

Compromises are made with a pad selection. Dust vs. bite vs. feel, etc. It sounds like you expect a certain level of braking that most of us have probably never even experienced.

It's NOT brake torque that is the issue. Brake torque is limited by tires more than anything else, even on the X5.

What I expect is to not feel a squishy brake pedal. Akebonos always produce a squishy brake pedal. If you push through the squish, Akebonos will stop an X5 just fine. Almost no one is running enough tire on an E53 to be brake torque limited.

The thing that people rarely seem to understand about BBKs is that they do NOT stop cars meaningfully faster. In a street car, the benefit is almost entirely pedal feel (OK, and looks). There are lots of benefits for race cars that don't apply.

Anyway, I think we're pretty far off in the weeds here.

My point remains pretty simple: In my opinion, the Textar pads are tolerable. You can also get them on all four corners under $100. In my opinion, the Akebonos are horrible, and I've wasted hundreds of dollars over the years buying them and then throwing them out.