What is the difference between ceramic brake pads and "regular" brake pads?
Ceramic Brake pads May 23rd, 2009I've been doing a little research about Brake Pads since I have to have mines changed and found that I could purchase them myself at possibly discounted prices. I called a few mechanics and it seems that even if I brought my own pads in, it would still cost almost the same to have them installed then if I just leave everything up to them. But one mechanic said his price was $139 for ceramic brake pads, installation, and rotor resurfacing. Another mechanic said that Ceramic Brake pads are better but some have come back complaining that it still makes a noise. He's charging around $150-160 for "premium brake pads" – close to the ones that the car comes standard with. Obviously it seems I should go for the other guy but the I've gone to the second guy before so I'm familiar with him.
Here's the scoop about brake pads. OEM pads on American cars are usually semi-metallic. They tend to be dirty and do a great job of grinding stock off the brake rotors.
Fero-Carbon based pads such as Performance Friction and Hawk makes the same pad in one particular type as well as ceramic pads do not grind stock off the rotors. They are also cleaner. The pad that'll never wear out a rotor are oragnic pads, however they tend to wear out faster than any other type.
The secret of quiet pads are the anti-vibration shims that come with most premium brake pads. AC-Delco, Bendix CQ.3 and EBC Red pads are all great ceramic brands. There are other brands of premium ceramic pads that are as good.
If you happen to pick up a set of pads with no shims don't dispair. CRC makes a high temperature flexable silicone silastic compound that can be spread on the clean steel side of each pad side. A .090 thickness sufficiently dampens the vibratation harmonics better known as brake squeal. NAPA and Carquest makes this product.
A word about brake rotors. If you have an old trap of a car you probably don't want to spend the money on good brake rotors, everybody and their brother gets cought up in the dollar game so they elect to go with junk off-shore low dollar rotors that are shipped from China and Taiwan. The cast iron in these rotors is very porous and open grained. They rust easily and warp.
If you care about your car premium OEM, Wagner, AC-Delco and Britich cast EBC rotors can't be beat. tirerack.com has a bunch of fancy high dollar rotors and brake pads also. You as a costumer should know exactly which brand and type of brake pad is going on your car. Slider pin inspection, lubrication with synthetic brake grease must be done also. Don't get cought up in box parts store slider pins either. The bright silver color of these pins is a dead giveaway that they're not as hard as the heat treated dark colored OEM slider pins.
If you decide to select your own parts any new car dealer will install them for you.
what are AXXIS CERAMIC brake pads, are there better ? what's the differences with ceramic pads?
May 24th, 2009 at 2:13 am
The material should wear better and last longer. It should dissipate heat better. Most brakes make noise from improper compatibility with the rotor metal, or due to sticking brake pins. Read your owner's manual. Brake fluid MUST be changed every 2-3 years. If it is NOT, the fluid becomes acidic and eats away at rubber parts in the brake system. This will cause the pistons to stick, and nor release the pads. Noise results. Good Luck!!
References :
May 24th, 2009 at 2:56 am
ceramic pads last longer. Ceramic means like, brick type material, so it doesn't distribute the head throughout the braking system as much.
They wear down slower, but they are more expensive. The more a tire grips the road, the faster is wears down, it's just the way it is, same with breaks maybe, the more grip they have, the more they wear down, but ceramics may wear down the rotor faster, not sure, but sounds logical. Either is probably fine, regular or ceramic. the Ceramic ones last twice as long and cost twice as much, but if it saves you the hassle of changing your brakes, it's probably worth is.
Also, you don't want your pads to wear out and damage the rotor, so ceramics would be more insurance against that.
References :
May 24th, 2009 at 3:12 am
most new cars use ceramic pads, they wear longer because they are very hard and ceramic is more heat resistant, takes less time for them to cool down, but the negative aspect is they are so hard that the eat the rotors what i mean is they are harder than the rotors so the rotors wear out
References :
May 24th, 2009 at 3:47 am
Here's the scoop about brake pads. OEM pads on American cars are usually semi-metallic. They tend to be dirty and do a great job of grinding stock off the brake rotors.
Fero-Carbon based pads such as Performance Friction and Hawk makes the same pad in one particular type as well as ceramic pads do not grind stock off the rotors. They are also cleaner. The pad that'll never wear out a rotor are oragnic pads, however they tend to wear out faster than any other type.
The secret of quiet pads are the anti-vibration shims that come with most premium brake pads. AC-Delco, Bendix CQ.3 and EBC Red pads are all great ceramic brands. There are other brands of premium ceramic pads that are as good.
If you happen to pick up a set of pads with no shims don't dispair. CRC makes a high temperature flexable silicone silastic compound that can be spread on the clean steel side of each pad side. A .090 thickness sufficiently dampens the vibratation harmonics better known as brake squeal. NAPA and Carquest makes this product.
A word about brake rotors. If you have an old trap of a car you probably don't want to spend the money on good brake rotors, everybody and their brother gets cought up in the dollar game so they elect to go with junk off-shore low dollar rotors that are shipped from China and Taiwan. The cast iron in these rotors is very porous and open grained. They rust easily and warp.
If you care about your car premium OEM, Wagner, AC-Delco and Britich cast EBC rotors can't be beat. tirerack.com has a bunch of fancy high dollar rotors and brake pads also. You as a costumer should know exactly which brand and type of brake pad is going on your car. Slider pin inspection, lubrication with synthetic brake grease must be done also. Don't get cought up in box parts store slider pins either. The bright silver color of these pins is a dead giveaway that they're not as hard as the heat treated dark colored OEM slider pins.
If you decide to select your own parts any new car dealer will install them for you.
References :
Alignment, suspension and brake shop.