Textar ePad Brake Pad Review & Applications

[socale39]

Introduction
I think it’s no surprise that like most BMW enthusiast, we all dread the infamous BMW brake dust issue. When it gets to the point that a night out in the city means the next morning you’ll have to scrub down your wheels just so it doesn’t look like you plastidipped your wheels overnight is just frustrating. So the question then becomes what pads can I use to replace what I have? Like going down a rabbit hole, there are a lot of aftermarket options out there and it can all become so convoluted as to what is the best option. Not that I want to make it any more difficult by adding yet another option, but hopefully this wall of text can help some of you understand if this pad is for you or not.



ePad Technology Benefits
With less abrasion, which minimizes both noise and brake dust, Textar epad brake pads ensure a maximum degree of braking comfort, meaning more fun at the wheel and less time cleaning wheels. And when you fit epad, thanks to a clever chamfered design that fast-tracks the bedding-in process, you experience all of these benefits virtually from the moment you drive away.


- Abrasion-resistant
- Low Noise
- High Performance
- Long Service Life



Review
Let me first start by stating I am in no way a professional driver or associated with Textar so this is a completely bias-free review. I will also disclose that I have not tested these pads on the track and have no comment on their performance in that application. Now that I've got the disclosures out of the way let me preface by saying that my quest to find a replacement brake pad had to meet a specific criteria:

1) under $100/set
2) lower dust level
3) low noise levels
4) OEM like initial bite

When looking at the criteria it would seem that I would have endless options however #4 really narrowed down my search and really pointed in one direction, Textar ePad. The funny thing is that I stumbled across this new technology on their website and after researching applications through their Brakebook, I was pleasantly surprised to find an offering for my 35d. I got the Textar part number and let google do the rest in my search to see if the pads met my pricing criteria and sure enough it did. At this point all the criteria was met based on initial research so I placed an order.

Fast forward a few months later and I finally had the opportunity to try them out after doing a complete brake overhaul including new rotors. A clean slate if you will. Over the past two weeks I have done two trips up to the local mountains with 4 people in the vehicle with lots of elevation change and twisty corners. Additionally, I have driven on the street and freeway putting on a total of about 150-200 miles since installing them.
Here's what I've experienced:


Initial bite
Very close to Original pads. Although slightly less, these pads have so much more initial bite than any other aftermarket pad I've had (Axxiss, Metal Masters, Centric, and a few others I cant remember). Some say initial bite isn't that important but I honestly feel its one of the most important in an emergency situation. Lets face it some pads require a good deal of heat to get that kind of bite and around town its next to impossible.


Noise
Initially I had some noise in the front for the first 10-20 miles however a lot of that had to do with the bedding process of the new surfaces of the rotor and pad. After properly bedded, these have been very quiet. In comparison, these beat the Axxis pads on my E46 and the Original pads that were replaced on my X5.


Performance

Overall these pads are very comparable with the Original pads in terms of performance. The first 50 miles I could actually notice the performance getting better as they began to mate the new rotor. Coming down the mountains I never felt any fade and the continuous grabbing feel as the vehicle slowed brings confidence when loaded with 4 adults and hiking gear. Emergency type stopping is just as good....again, very similar to Original pads.


Brake Dust

If I were to look back at the last 200 miles I've driven and compared the dust levels to that of the Original pads, its night and day. By now I'd usually have a wheel that no longer appeared silver and the inner wheel barrels would be completely black. That being said there is still some dust. Since I haven't had anything else other than the Original pads on my X5 its really hard to say how exactly they would compare to the other aftermarket brands but overall a huge improvement in reduced brake dust.


Overview
Overall I couldn't be happier with these pads. I feel like I get the best of both worlds, Original performance and reduced brake dust. I know there are other brands out there that can probably outperform these pads on the track but its not the purpose of the vehicle and nor will it ever be. If you don't like the Original pad feel, these probably aren't the pads for you. If you are looking for a near identical feel but with less dust, these are the perfect match!

I intended to find a great all-around pad that would meet my criteria and I really think I did. In fact, I'm not in the process of looking to see if they have ePad applications for my E46 to replace my highly regarded Metal Masters pads.



E70 X5 Applications
I have discovered that there are currently two epad part#s that fit the E70 X5 platform. Below is a link to their product sheets for each part#. If you view the product sheet you'll see and application guide for E70. Expand that option and you will see if it fits your model. Additionally, you can cross reference the BMW part# at the bottom of the Textar datasheet to ensure they fit.


Textar #2417081 (Front Pads)
http://textar.brakebook.com/bb/texta...atasheet.xhtml


Textar #2373081 (Rear Pads)
http://textar.brakebook.com/bb/texta...atasheet.xhtml



And of course a few pics of the pads installed on my 2011 35d:

[jonniex5]

Very nice write up, thank you for taking the time to provide some good information.
I am at my wits end with trying to keep the wheels clean.
Looks like I will be getting a set of these soon.
Thanks again,

[mitch808]

Cool, another break option for folks! Never heard of them before, but looking at their website.. Did you see their composite rotors? 2-piece aluminum hat rotors. Whoa! With an X5 fitment.

[socale39]

Just wanted to drop an update, pads are awesome and dust is actually really low compared to stock. I've been doing a lot of mountain driving and I can't recommend these pads enough....only wished they had them for the rears.

[nomad415]

thanks for breaking it down for a novice like me. I clicked on the links and could not find a place to purchase these. How much do these pads cost and where is the best place to buy them. I want to replace front and rear pads and rotors on my 2011 X5 35i. It has 40K miles on it. I will not do it myself, take it to indy shop and have them install it.