Tips for Buying Brake Pads

Brake pads replacement is one of the most common vehicle maintenance practices that you will do.

It entails getting rid of the old brake pads and replacing them with the new ones.

When it comes to buying brake pads, what are some of the dos and don’ts?

In this article, we will give you a full guide on the sure-fire tips for buying the best brake pads for your car..

Brake Pads Replacement Guide

It is better to be safe than sorry.

As a car owner, you should strive to keep your car in a proper running condition.

One of the ways is through regular car maintenance.

During the maintenance, worn out parts are removed and are replaced with the new ones which function properly.

Brake pads are just some of the components that you need to replace when they are worn out.

Is there any problem if I decide to use worn-out brake pads?

Yes. You will be putting yourself at very high risk.

The brakes of your car will become inefficient and you will risk getting involved in a bad accident.

So, the earlier you do the brake pads replacement, the safer you will be on the roads.

There is a wide variety of brake pads option that you can buy.

So, how do I end up buying the best brake pads?

Read on to the end as we teach you how to buy the best brake pads.

Types of Brake Pads

Do you know that there are different types of brake pads?

Here is a breakdown of the main brake pads types:

(i)Semi-Metallic Brake Pads

It consists of a combination of soft metals which are embedded in the friction material.

The friction of this material enhances the braking power.

The main disadvantage of this brake pad type is it wears out the brake rotors faster.

It is also noisy and not ideal for cold weather.

(ii)Low Metallic Brake Pads

The brake pad consists of an organic compound and some metal elements.

Metallic brake pads are known for their quality, efficiency, and reliability.

If you want brake pads that you can fully depend on, but this type of brake pads.

They offer near-perfect braking in all the driving conditions.

However, they also wear the rotors and the drums faster.

(iii)Organic Brake Pads

As the name suggests, these brake pads are made from organic material.

These are mainly fibrous and non-asbestos material.

One of the advantages of organic brake pads is they are quieter.

The main undoing of organic brake pads is they are very soft.

This means that they wear out very fast.

They are also emit a significant amount of dust.

(iv)Ceramic Brake Pads

Are you looking for the best brake pads for your car?

Consider buying ceramic brake pads.

They are ranked as the best brake pads in the market.

This is because they are very reliable.

They can serve you for long without wearing out.

Ceramic brake pads are also tolerant to high temperatures.

The brake pads also perform well even on wet conditions.

As expected, these numerous advantages of ceramic brake pads come at a cost.

They are the most expensive brake pads.

Choosing Brake Pad Materials: Bonded vs Riveted Friction Material

Other than the brake pads types there is something more that you need to know.

Do you know that all the brake pads have a friction material that is attached to the metal backing plate?

How is this material attached?

There are two methods of attaching the friction material.

These are bonded and riveting.

Bonding is done using an adhesive.

On the other hand, riveting using strong rivets.

What is the difference between the two and which one is better?

Neither bonded nor riveted method of attaching friction material is superior to another.

However, the bonding method enables the brake pads to last for long.

This is unlike the rivets which can come in contact with the brake rotors wearing them down.

You will know this has happened once you start hearing some noise produced by the rivets.

Otherwise, bonded brake pads also wear down.

In doing so, they can end up damaging the backing plate.

Choosing the Right Brake Pads for Your Car

Now that we have analyzed different types of brake pads, which one should I buy?

There are several factors to choose when choosing brake pads for your car.

One of the key factors is the type of vehicle that you drive.

Here are some of the vehicle characteristics that can help you to choose the right brake pads:

1.For very light cars

Let’s say I own a very light and compact car, which brake pads should I buy?

With a light car, you will need very minimum braking force to bring it to a halt.

If you own such a car, consider buying organic brake pads.

Such brake pads provide minimum noise when used on light cars.

You will only have to deal with the accumulation of dust.

2.Medium weight vehicle

Such cars are slightly bigger and need slightly more braking force.

Which brake pads should I get if I own such a car?

Low metallic brake pads are highly recommended for medium-sized cars.

If you have the means, you can still go for the ceramic pads.

3. Fast cars/ sports cars

Let’s say I have a sports car or a vehicle that has high acceleration power.

Which brake pads should I use?

Such cars require brake pads that can handle quick and rapid deceleration rates.

This means that you have no option but to buy high-end brake pads.

Semi-metallic and ceramic brake pads can do you some great justice.

They are capable of handling such vehicles

4.Best brake pads for heavy-duty vehicles

Heavy-duty vehicles include lorries, trucks, SUVs, and vans.

If I own any of the above vehicles, which brake pads should I buy?

Because of the massive weight of such vehicles, buy brake pads that can handle their weight.

The pads should have a big percent of metal.

You can go for the low metallic brake pads.

Alternatively, you can buy the ceramic brake pads.

Driving Requirements When Choosing the Brake Pads

Apart from the type of car, you should also consider your driving requirements when choosing brake pads.

These are basically the conditions under which you will be driving your car.

By looking at the conditions, you can choose the right brake pads regardless of the type of car that you drive.

Here are the questions that you should ask when assessing the driving conditions:

-What is the average temperature of my area? Is it too hot?

-What is the terrain in the area? Is it mountainous or plain?

-How is the traffic pattern in the area?

-Are there lots of water puddles during the rainy season?

-Will I have to attach a trailer on my car?

-Can I tolerate brakes that squeal?

How regularly do you drive your car?

This is a key factor that can help you to choose the right brake pads.

I use my car to commute to work daily. Can this be grouped under regular driving?

Yes.

Most brake pad manufacturers recommend that you should buy semi-metallic brake pads if you drive your car on a regular basis.

Why semi-metallic brake pads?

They work well on most commuter cars.

Also, they are fairly priced compared to other brake pads.

However, your driving conditions still play a critical role in determining the brake pads that you should buy.

Even if you are a regular commuter.

Let’s say I drive regularly in a mountainous region.

Or I drive a heavy-duty vehicle regularly.

You will be better off with ceramic or low metallic brake pads.

Brake Pads Replacement Near Me

What does the brake pad replacement cost?

And, how do I go about with the whole process of brake pad replacement?

The first thing that you need to focus on is whether your brake pads actually need to be replaced.

The most visible indicator is the brake pads are worn out.

Do they squeal when in use?

This is another indicator that you need to replace it.

Start by reviewing the entire brake system.

Doing this will help to unearth some flaws in the system.
Probably the squealing could be because of a problem in the rotors and not the brake pads.

Another sign that the brake pads need replacement is if your car leans ti the side when braking.

Do not hesitate to buy new brake pads as soon as you have discovered that your current brake pads are worn out.

Choosing Brake Pads Manufacturer

After considering everything that we have mentioned, there is one thing that you should be careful with

That is choosing your supplier

With the right manufacturer, you can be sure of getting high-quality brake pads.

Conclusion

Even as you are torn between cheap brake pads vs expensive brake pads, the right manufacturer will make your choice easier.

You will be free to explore different types of brake pads for sale.

At the end of the day, you will end up with the one that you need.