The excitement of summer road trips is finally here, but getting in the driver’s seat and hitting the blacktop isn’t the only thing to think about. In fact, before you even start accelerating, you will probably need the brakes. Make sure you do it correctly if it’s time for brake repair.

A great pair of brake pads will last a year or so. The most popular pad manufacturers use ceramic, metallic or organic material to make the replacement pads. This brake lining squeezes against the rotor, causing enough pressure to stop your car.

Once you have made it through the brake pad that came with the original vehicle (often referred to as OEM pads), you must find a new set. There’s also the idea of performance level to take into account. In this blog, we’ll go over your brake pad repair options so you can stop in time, every time. You can think about stopping power, fade resistance, noise, dust and wear.

Brake Pad Materials

First, consider materials. Usually, the priciest replacement pads are made of metallics. You don’t need to stress about brake fade because of their high heat tolerance. Look for a fair amount of noise and dust. At Christian Brothers, our mechanics don’t say these are best for average cars.

Organic Brake Pads

Next, let’s go over organic replacement pads. These are quiet and clean, but what you gain in comfort means you give up stopping power.

Ceramic Brake Pads

Now for ceramics. They are the best asbestos alternative. Choose these pads for stopping power and heat tolerance. They also have a long life, so you won’t have to repair too often. Plus, their dust isn’t obvious. They aren’t heat-resistant enough for the most aggressive driving though.

How are Brake Pads Manufactured?

Next, we can discuss how they’re built. The main differentiator between auto manufacturer pads and aftermarket models is molding and pressure. For the manufacturer-installed pads, the maker molds the friction material to the shim directly with high pressure, making for more consistency.

With aftermarket replacements, the friction piece is glued with the backing plate, and shims are usually not included. You can get fissures, weakness, early wear and inconsistency.

The friendly technicians at Christian Brothers can help you understand all your options. Come to the shop or set a repair visit today!