Brake Pad Questions

AFD256 · July 26, 2010

I HAVE to do a brake job in the next couple of days and have a couple of ????'s

I was talking to a friend who swears that ceramic pads are bad, they seem to wear the rotors faster. He likes to use premium rotors with the highest non ceramic pads available. Any truth? is it all personal preference?

I'm thinking of using NAPA Ultra Premium Severe Duty pads, and ultra premium front/rear rotors. What are your thoughts on NAPA's quality?

It's a 2001 1500 Ext Cab 4.8L RED silverado with 165k. I have around me NAPA, Advance auto, prep boys no o'reiley's

Any advice/opinions welcome

Wires · July 26, 2010

I HAVE to do a brake job in the next couple of days and have a couple of ????'s

I was talking to a friend who swears that ceramic pads are bad, they seem to wear the rotors faster. He likes to use premium rotors with the highest non ceramic pads available. Any truth? is it all personal preference?

I'm thinking of using NAPA Ultra Premium Severe Duty pads, and ultra premium front/rear rotors. What are your thoughts on NAPA's quality?

It's a 2001 1500 Ext Cab 4.8L RED silverado with 165k. I have around me NAPA, Advance auto, prep boys no o'reiley's

Any advice/opinions welcome

Ceramic need a lot more heat before they get up to operating temp for maximum braking. Great for the track, not so great for a truck.

You will get better braking/life from the non-ceramic pads.

No comment on the Napa pads though. Never tried them.

the hammer · July 26, 2010

I heave seen where many people use the NAPA ultras with success and like them very much. Ceramics don't necessarily mean they will wear rotors faster, it has more to do with the coefficient of friction of the compound used in the pad, not necessarily the type (even though the type is one of the factors affecting the friction). I prefer hawk HPS pads as they are ferro-carbon based, not ceramic, and have great cold and initial bite characteristics.

Ceramics usually get chosen for LOW DUST, QUIET, and LONG-LIFE performance, but they do sacrifice a little bit in braking ability to attain those qualities. MEtallics or othe materials should make a little more dust but usually you will get more braking (friction) out of the compound.

I liked NAPA rotors, used them on the vette and other cars, seemed pretty normal to me nothing special.

Too much to discuss about them all but you get the idea. Others will chime in soon!

Zembonez · July 26, 2010

Lots of misinformation out there about ceramic based pads. I've used them on several vehicles over about 150,000 miles. They do not wear rotors prematurely (that's the job of metallic pads) - They stop GREAT - The last a LONG time, and they don't create ugly brake dust all over your wheels.

No reason in the world not to run them on your truck.

jasonh277 · July 26, 2010

Ran power slot rotors and Hawk pads from Summit 40,000 miles ago. Getting ready for another set on my old 2001 Ext Cab 4wd. Happy with them....

Zembonez · July 26, 2010

To be fair, I have read that some aggressive semi-metallic pads will stop somewhat quicker than ceramics (which perform similar to OEM pads according to tests), but in all of the miles I have used them, they have performed really well for me.

[email protected] · July 26, 2010

I use midline semi-metallic and they work great. They don't have any brake dust or nothing, which is always a worry with certain semi-metallic pads.

Zembonez · July 26, 2010

I use midline semi-metallic and they work great. They don't have any brake dust or nothing, which is always a worry with certain semi-metallic pads.

The only complaint I ever had with metallic pads was their tendency to squeak after a while. Mine always got changed out at about half depth because they started to get noisy. They work well.

[email protected] · July 26, 2010

I use midline semi-metallic and they work great. They don't have any brake dust or nothing, which is always a worry with certain semi-metallic pads.

The only complaint I ever had with metallic pads was their tendency to squeak after a while. Mine always got changed out at about half depth because they started to get noisy. They work well.

Hmmmm..... I've never had any do that, yet. But, if I do, they'll definitely be in the thrash, I can't stand to pull up at a red light squeaking like crazy. Sounds trashy.

Sly · July 26, 2010

I HAVE to do a brake job in the next couple of days and have a couple of ????'s

I was talking to a friend who swears that ceramic pads are bad, they seem to wear the rotors faster. He likes to use premium rotors with the highest non ceramic pads available. Any truth? is it all personal preference?

I'm thinking of using NAPA Ultra Premium Severe Duty pads, and ultra premium front/rear rotors. What are your thoughts on NAPA's quality?

It's a 2001 1500 Ext Cab 4.8L RED silverado with 165k. I have around me NAPA, Advance auto, prep boys no o'reiley's

Any advice/opinions welcome

Ceramics came stock on my 02 Yukon XL Denali. The rears lasted about 90K. Rotors were fine. Had them turned and Akebono Ceramics put on. I just did the fronts with 105k on them. Still had plenty of pad left! Rotors were able to be turned. Replaced the fronts with Power Slots Rotors and Raybestos Thermo queits (Ceramic).

Semi metalics will give you better initial bite. They are harder on your rotors, produce more brake dust and can be noisy. Ceramics are quiet, produce almost no dust and are more fade resistant. I would go with ceramics.

irongoats · July 26, 2010

Put on EBC power slot rotors and yellow pads last winter and they work great without any noise at all.

rc51matt · July 26, 2010

i also havethe ebc power slot rotors and a set of hawk ceramic's. the truck has never stopped better

jblakeney · July 26, 2010

I am a NAPA jobber. Our Ultra Premium Metallic (UP-_ _ _ _ - M) or Ultra Premium Ceramic (UP- _ _ _ _ -X) are the best pads I have ever installed.

My choice unless you do a lot of towing the UP- _ _ _ _ -X are the ones you want....

The severe duty pads are going to make noise and eat the rotors quickly. The compound is designed to stop better than OE and contains more aggressive metal particles.

SD Pads are for heavy duty use.... Towing, police, heavy hauling, etc etc etc.... This will DUST HEAVILY black dust.

The ceramics are not an aggressive pad compound. Plus NO black dust.

Jbo

tanked_darren · July 26, 2010

I use midline semi-metallic and they work great. They don't have any brake dust or nothing, which is always a worry with certain semi-metallic pads.

The only complaint I ever had with metallic pads was their tendency to squeak after a while. Mine always got changed out at about half depth because they started to get noisy. They work well.

Hmmmm..... I've never had any do that, yet. But, if I do, they'll definitely be in the thrash, I can't stand to pull up at a red light squeaking like crazy. Sounds trashy.

mine do that simple cleaning with brake clean every tire rotation takes care of it for awhile though.

BTW to the thread creator:

I've been using Napa brake parts and filters for years now. No complaints, at my work we use their parts too, no problems there either.

Plan on using thier rotors on my own GMC next brake job.