Replacing Brake Pads – What types of brakes are right for you?

The brakes are one of the most important components of your vehicle.  It is important to properly maintain your brake pads to ensure the smooth operation of your car while on the road.

Knowing the right types of brake pads that are available can help you decide which one is best for you. There are several options to choose from, depending on the type of material used to make the pads. Other considerations to think about when purchasing brake pads is how the vehicle is being used. I.e. Every day driving, high performance, 4WD, etc.

Organic Brake Pads

Organic brake pads are the traditional type of pads used in most vehicles. They are made of natural fibres such as rubber, carbon or glass. They remain sturdy due to a high-temperature resin that holds them in place and maintains their shape. Organic brake pads are a popular choice because they’re relatively inexpensive, have a quiet operation, and are suited for everyday use. They also cause minimum wear and tear to the brake rotors, extending the life of your vehicle’s braking system.

However, if you use your vehicle for racing and 4WD purposes, these pads may wear out quickly and produce a lot of brake dust.

Low-metallic Brake pads

Made of mostly organic material with a small mix of metal, these brake pads combine the two components to achieve effective braking and heat transfer between the brake pads. Metal (such as steel or copper) is added in low concentrations to assist with braking speeds.

Ceramic Brake pads

These pads are commonly used in newer types of vehicles. They are made of ceramic fibres that are mixed with resistant bonding agents. Ceramic pads are popular due to their strong braking performance, fade resistance and durability.

Ceramic brake pads are lightweight, making them less burdensome on the vehicle’s suspension system. They’re also very quiet in their operation and exhibit a superior level of fade resistance. In fact, these durable characteristics make them a popular choice for racing and other aggressive conditions. Due to their superior performance, they are more costly than other brake pads but are worth the investment.

Kevlar Brake Pads

Brake pads made with Kevlar are better equipped to withstand wear and tear from friction. With enhanced thermal stability and intrinsic abrasion resistance, reinforced brake pads with Kevlar pulp and fibre are designed for long life and safe, quiet braking.  They also help improve performance and the durability for a wide variety of vehicles, from cars and light trucks to professional race cars.

Kevlar brake pads are ideal when extremely smooth braking performance is desired and they deliver a solid braking performance under normal driving/riding conditions.  They are manufactured using high strength polymer binders, Kevlar fibres, organic materials that are non-asbestos based and fine metallic particles.  This means they provide noise reduction, fade resistance, reduced brake dust and thermal stability.

The brake pads you end up choosing will also depend on the type of vehicle that you’re driving.  Here at Transgold we stock a large range of Low or Semi – Metal with Kevlar brake pads.  Check out the range of brake pads from Transgold here, we stock over 600 part numbers.