Ultimate Brake Pads Buying Guide

 

In our opinion, brake pads are in the top 3 most essential components for your vehicle's braking system, along with the brake calipers and brake rotors. Together, those three brake parts work to give you the reactive, reliable, and safe stopping power you need when you're driving.

But, by design, brake pads have the shortest lifespan of all braking components. They feature sacrificial friction materials designed to be softer than the brake rotors to absorb the energy and stress during braking. Brake rotors typically need replacing after several sets of pads, which is why you'll sometimes notice that, after a service, you're advised to change your brake pads and rotors at the same time.

To help you gain a better understanding of brake pads and the types of brake pads you'll find on Parts Avenue, we've created a comprehensive guide covering the following:

• What are brake pads?
• Why do they matter?
• Why brake pads wear down fast
• The types of brake pads available online
• The best brake pad brands and options
• How to choose the right brake pad parts
• Frequently asked questions about brake pads

What Are Brake Pads?

Brake pads are housed inside the calipers. If you can see behind your trims or alloys, you can usually see the brake pads. They look like a clamping mechanism within the brake caliper.

Without brake pads, bringing your vehicle to a stop is impossible. They work by making contact with the brake rotor and applying pressure, converting your vehicle's kinetic energy (the spinning of the rotor) into heat using friction. This happens any time you press the brake pedal. The degree of force applied to the brake pedal translates to the level of pressure applied to the brake caliper by the pad.

The reason we mentioned the brake caliper and rotor is that the squeezing of the brake pad against the spinning rotor is impossible without the force applied from the caliper.

As you push your foot down on the brake pedal, hydraulic fluid (brake fluid) travels from the master cylinder, creating enough pressure to move pistons within the brake caliper outwards and squeeze the pads against the rotor. As the rotors stop, so do the wheels in motion.

Why Do They Matter?

The sole function of brake pads is to safely and effectively stop your vehicle. That's why they matter.

Without the cushion of the brake pads, the caliper and rotor would come into direct contact. That metal-on-metal contact would quickly cause severe damage to the rotor and the caliper. Quickly after that, you'll likely experience complete brake failure and loss of control over your vehicle.

If your brake pads are worn out, the signs are pretty evident. Some of the most common indicators of worn-out brake pads include:

• A high-pitched screeching noise
• Loud grinding noise
• Vibrations on the brake pedal
• Spongy or sinking brake pedal
• A brake warning light on your dashboard (not all vehicles have this)

Your braking system simply can't function without brake pads. And if you let your brake pads wear down so much that there's metal-on-metal contact between your brake calipers and brake rotors, you'll likely need to replace all three to restore safe functioning.

Why Brake Pads Wear Down Fast

Brake pads wear down faster than all the braking components housed on the wheel behind your alloys or trims. They're constantly in contact with the spinning rotor, and the friction and heat generated between the two naturally wear down the brake pads little by little with each braking motion. Or, if you're constantly braking with more force, they wear down faster.

On average, brake pads last between 30,000 and 70,000 km. If you're a good driver or don't use your motor regularly, they can last up to 80,000 km. Contrary to popular belief, it's actually the front brake pads that wear down faster than the rear pads. On average, front brake pads take on 70-80% of the braking force.

To increase the lifespan of brake pads, it’s recommended to bed them in. It’s the brake pad equivalent of breaking in new shoes. It simply means being in a safe area, and getting the car to speed before gradually slowing it down.

How to tell if your brake pads are worn down

As we said, you will likely see the brake pads slightly hiding within your brake caliper, which is attached to the rotor. If you look between the holes in your alloy or trim, you'll see exactly what we're talking about.

The easiest way to tell if your brake pads are worn down to the point of needing a new part is by checking the pad thickness. We recommend taking a flashlight to see if the pads look less than 1/4" thick.

Some brake pads actually have a wear indicator slot running down the middle of the pad. If the indicator slot is gone or you can hardly see it, your brake pads need changing. Not all models have this feature, so if you're unsure or are experiencing any of the signs of excessive brake pad wear that we mentioned above, contact a mechanic for advice before purchasing your brake pads online with Parts Avenue.

The Types of Brake Pads Available Online

There are three variations of brake pads online that you're likely to see:

Non-Asbestos Organic Brake Pads

Non-asbestos organic (NAO) brake pads, or sometimes just called organic brake pads, are the most popular type of brake pad for car manufacturers. It's estimated that around 67% of new vehicles sold contain brake pads made from NAO.

They have the name "non-asbestos" because, until 1993, asbestos was one of the materials manufacturers used to produce organic brake pads. As research quickly highlighted that asbestos was a highly potent carcinogen, the material was removed from production, and NAOs were born.

The new-style organic brake pad is made from safe materials and fibers such as:

• Rubber
• Carbon compounds
• Glass or fiberglass

A combination of those materials is bound tightly together using resin to produce a strong, reliable brake pad.

Why they're good:

• They're cheaper to produce and cheaper to purchase for drivers.
• They produce less dust than metallic brake pads.
• They generate enough friction for safe stopping and little heat.
• They don't put too much stress on the brake rotors.

Best for: Everyday drivers who don't put their braking system under much pressure.

Semi-Metallic Brake Pads

Semi-metallic brake pads are made up of between 30% and 70% metal. The common materials used to make semi-metallic brake pads are typically:

• Copper
• Iron
• Steel
• Other types of composite alloys

The rest of the pad is manufactured using graphite lubricant and other highly durable filler materials to create a reliable and safe brake pad. If you look at the specs of different brake pads online, you'll notice that the metallic brake pad compounds available vary between models and manufacturers.

Why they're good:

• Metal is an excellent conductor of heat. Semi-metallic brake pads can withstand higher braking temperatures and cool the brakes back down more effectively.
• Reduced compression and fewer pressure requirements on the brake pedal to stop your vehicle.

Best for: Performance cars or drivers with daily commutes that require excessive braking (high-traffic routes).

Ceramic Brake Pads

Of all the types of brake pads, ceramics are the most durable. With that, they're also the most expensive.

Ceramic brake pads are actually made from a material that's similar to the ceramic used to make pottery, such as your household mugs and plates. Unlike plates and mugs that smash when you drop them, the material used for ceramic brake pads is so much denser and more durable. Think layers and layers of compressed ceramic material.

Within ceramic brake pads are copper fibers that improve friction and heat conduction.

Why they're good:

• They create barely, if any, sound when you apply pressure to the brakes.
• One issue with brake pads, such as organic pads, is that they produce residue and dust that can damage the rest of the braking components. Ceramic pads barely produce any.
• Ceramic brake pads are far more reliable than organic brake pads and can handle higher temperatures.

Best for: Performance cars or drivers with daily commutes that require excessive braking (high-traffic routes).

The Best Brake Pad Brands and Options

At Parts Avenue, we stock the best original equipment-level brands on the market. What that means is these aren't the original parts from the vehicle manufacturers, such as Audi or Jeep, but they are high-quality parts from reputable car part manufacturers.

Our best brake pad brands on Parts Avenue include:

SIM

SIM is an exceptional parts supplier. And if you're a performance-driven driver, their newly updated semi-metallic brake pads are the option for you. Their brake pads are composed of 30% to 70% metals, the percentage of which depends on the type you buy, and are bound together with a graphite lubricant for limited heat transfer to the rest of your vehicle's braking system.

SIM's semi-metallic brake pads also feature chamfered (an angled cut) and shimmed (a layer added to the back of the brake pad) designs to reduce high vibration and noise from the center of the disc brake pad.

Positive Plus

Positive Plus is another excellent manufacturer of original equipment-level semi-metallic brake pads. They're specially engineered by PPF USA and use a unique low-resin, semi-metallic formula, predominantly made from cashew resin. The result is reduced brake fade and optimal brake performance.

And a more unique feature of the Positive Plus brake pads is their premium rubber multi-layer core. Within the core are multi-layer rubber shims specifically designed to reduce noise vibrations for a smooth driving experience.

They produce an incredible low-temperature performance and perform well for heavy-duty drivers.

CMX

CMX is one of our leading parts providers.

Unlike the other manufacturers, CMX brake pads feature an optimized ceramic blend. The result is consistent performance for everyday drivers. They produce low amounts of dust, have a positive molded design for improved braking endurance and performance, and have the same shimmed and chamfered design as SIM brake pads.

CMX models are more affordable than some of the other options, but the lower price doesn't affect the quality. They're a solid option for daily driving needs.

How to Choose the Right Brake Pad Parts

With multiple options for brake pads online at the Parts Avenue website, here's how you can decide which is the right brake pad part for you.

Pick the brake pad material.

With the information we've provided, you can decide what brake pad material you'd like. If you're looking for performance, we'd recommend a semi-metallic brake pad.

If you want to spend more money for the added reliability, the ceramic brake pads are the perfect option.

Decide if you want standalone brake pads or a brake parts kit.

At Parts Avenue, we provide our customers with the option to buy standalone brake pads or to purchase them as part of a brake kit bundle. Brake kit bundles will also include either a brake caliper and brake rotor or all three.

Use the Parts Avenue Fitment Check tool.

You can use the search tool on our website to find the brake pad you're looking for. To ensure the brake pad you're interested in fits your car, you can also use our Fitment Check tool.

If you have any concerns or questions about whether the brake pads you're interested in will fit the make and model of your vehicle, you can send us an email at info@partsavenue.ca for a faster response.

Frequently Asked Questions About Brake Pads

1. How do I know which brake pads fit my car?

At Parts Avenue, we've created a Fitment Check tool to help our customers know if brake pads will fit the make and model of their vehicle. Enter your vehicle's make, model, and year, and it'll tell you if the part is compatible. If you need help, message our team at info@partsavenue.ca.

2. Do I need to replace my brake rotors when I change brake pads?

It's recommended, but not necessarily essential. Brake pads and rotors wear together, with brake pads wearing slightly quicker than brake rotors. Putting new pads on old rotors can cause uneven wear or squealing.

3. Which brake pad material is best for my driving style?

• City drivers: Ceramic or organic brake pads
• Highway commuters or heavy vehicles: Semi-metallic pads
• Performance or towing: Ceramic or semi-metallic pads

We have a massive selection of brake pads online at our Parts Avenue website. If you need any help or advice, send us an email at support@partsavenue.ca

Start your search today with Parts Avenue, the most-trusted car parts provider in Canada.