Brake pads are a crucial component in your braking system. Since the pads are what push against the rotor to slow down your vehicle, it is important to choose the best pad for your application. There are a variety of pad materials to choose from when it comes time to replace your pads. You can choose from ceramic, semi-metallic, metallic, or organic brake pads. Over time, all brake pads wear out due to the fact that these components are friction parts. This means that they work by creating friction (generating heat) which not only slows down the vehicle, but wears down the surface of the brake pad. When it's time to replace your pads, it's crucial to know how to choose brake pad material.
Determine the application for your vehicle. Are you going to be racing this vehicle on a race track? Will it be a daily driver? The application makes a huge difference in what type of pad material you'll need. Metallic brake pads offer superior stopping power, but need to be warmed up before they provide any real grip. This makes them ideal for racing applications. Ceramic or organic pads may have a tendency to fade at high temperatures, but they provide immediate stopping power without the need to warm up the pad material, making them ideal for vehicles that are driven daily.
Shop at several brick-and-mortar stores to check prices and options and get a feel for the type of pads you'll be buying. Different auto parts stores offer different brands of brake pads. They also offer different guarantees. Some stores will offer lifetime replacement pads, while others offer only a 90-day warranty against defects. Ask to see the actual brake pads so that you can examine the material and get a feel for what each type and brand offers. Even if you don't know much about brake pads, you can get a relative idea of quality by comparing several kinds of brake pads side by side.
Comparison shop online. Unfortunately for a lot of brick and mortar stores, an online store can offer you new brake pads much cheaper than many physical stores. An online store doesn't have the same overhead and staffing requirements that a physical or traditional store does.
Check the wear characteristics of the brake pad material. Different pads offer different wear characteristics. "Wear" describes the rate and consistency of how the pads break down over time. Generally speaking, longer wear pads will contain some type of ceramic material in them and will be quite dense. Short wear pads will be less dense. The trade-off is usually, but not always, pad life vs. stopping power. The longer the pad life, the worse the stopping power. This is a general rule of thumb that, while not always true, is typical.
