Choosing the Right Brake Pads for Your Car
The next time you take your car in to an auto shop for brake repairs, talk with the mechanic about the different types of brake pads available for your car. You have a choice of materials and one type may work better than the others for your particular car and driving habits. Here are the two most common brake pads you'll find for your car.
Ceramic Brake Pads
These pads are made of a combination of ceramic fibers, non-metallic filler materials and a binder to keep the materials together. They are the most expensive brake pads but they are also the most quiet and clean.
Some of the advantages of these pads are
- They are quieter than any of the brake pads that contain metal.
- The produce less dust which may be important to people who have custom wheels they want to keep clean.
- They have a longer lifespan than other types of pads.
Some of the disadvantages include
- They are not good for towing heavy loads.
- They cause slightly more wear on the rotors than metallic brake pads.
- They are more expensive than other pads.
These are good pads for normal automobile driving habits. The extra costs of the ceramic pads may be worth it to you because of their longer life and their cleaner and quieter operation.
Semi-Metallic Brake Pads
These pads are made of metal fibers in a binding material. The metals used include steel wool or wire, copper, iron powder, and graphite. The difference in price for these pads is due to due to the size of the metal fibers. Cheaper pads have larger, coarser pieces of metal in them while the expensive pads contain much finer metal fibers. The basic semi-metallic pad is less expensive than ceramic, but the upgraded, heavy-duty pads for towing can be similar in price to ceramic pads.
The advantages of semi-metallic pads are
- They work well in cold weather and when the brake pads don't have a chance to warm up before use.
- A variety of pads are available to accommodate normal car driving to heavy-duty trailer towing.
- They are easier on rotors than ceramic pads.
Some of the disadvantages include
- These pads are louder than ceramic pads.
- They create a fine black dust that sticks to your wheels and car.
- They have a shorter life than ceramic.
The basic semi-metallic brake pad is what gets put onto your car if you don't request another type. If you're not bothered by the noise and dust, this is a good all-purpose pad. But if you drive a large truck and often pull boats or trailers, you'll want the heavy-duty version of these semi-metallic brake pads. For more information on brake repairs, talk to a professional.
