Many drivers do not even think about taking their car into a brake repair shop until it is not stopping as it is supposed to or until they hear an odd sound emitting from the car when they apply the brake. Not all brake pads are made of the same material. The kind of material used in the pads will affect the noise level of the brakes, as well as their rate of wear, stopping distance and the amount of dust that is created when the vehicle comes to a halt. The material that your pads consist of is also related to how often you will need to take your car in for a brake repair job. This is not something that you should ever ignore!
Semi-metallic brake pads are the most common kind of brake pads used in vehicles manufactured in the United States. The materials used are combined with small metal strands which is where the name comes from. These brake pads are low to moderately priced. They offer high durability and the metal in them is highly conductive of heat which means that the rotors are not as likely to suffer from overheating.
The disadvantage of pads that are of the semi-metallic variety is that the metal particles make it such that the pad pulls away from the rotor at a more rapid speed, thus making the need for brake repair more frequent. This is a good choice of brake pad for most passenger vehicles and most trucks but not the most suitable choice for high performance vehicles.
An inspection of your brakes by a qualified mechanic at an auto shop should let you know what type of brake pads you have and how often they need to be repaired or replaced all together. Asbestos was the original material used for brake pads but due to health issue connected to them asbestos brake pads have rarely been used in the past 30 years. However they have not been banned all together in the United States.
Organic brake pads are another option. These are made of a softer material such as rubber, resins, Kevlar or glass and allow a vehicle to make a quieter stop. Due to the fact that softer materials are used in their construction, organic brake pads create large quantities of brake dust and tend to wear quicker. If you do not want your trips to a brake repair business to be frequent then organic brake pads are not the best choice for you!
Ceramic brake pads are becoming increasingly popular on new vehicles made in the U.S. They are composed of ceramic fibers that contain small quantities of metal filler. They are lightweight in construction and offer good performance and wear very well. The downside to them is that they are costly and out of the price range of many motorists living on a modest budget.
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