There is much more to a good brake pad than just its ability to stop a vehicle. The ability to absorb and disperse heat, how quickly it will wear, and the amount of noise and dust it creates are all things to consider when choosing a brake pad.
It may be tempting to choose the brake pads with the lowest cost. However, it is important to keep in mind that you really do get what you pay for. Low quality brake pads can be very noisy, wear down faster and also cause wear on other brake system parts like brake rotors – which means spending more in the long run.
There are three main types of brake pads that you’ll find on passenger vehicles: non-asbestos organic, ceramic and semi-metallic.
Because of their organic makeup, non-asbestos organic (NAO) brake pads don’t pollute as they lose friction material and are easy to dispose of. NAO pads are softer than most other brake pads, which makes them quieter, but also means that they wear faster and may produce dust. They are best suited for lighter vehicle applications that don’t require a lot of hard braking.
Ceramic brake pads have excellent stopping power and disperse heat well. Ideal for most normal driving applications, they produce very little dust or noise and are long lasting. Many foreign and domestic vehicles are equipped with ceramic brake pad formulations from the factory.
Semi-metallic pads have good stopping power and are very efficient at dispersing heat. They can be noisy and do create more dust than ceramic brake pads. This type of pad is also made with friction materials that are harder than most others, so they may have more aggressive wear to your brake rotors.
If you have any questions on best type of brake pads for towing. We will give the professional answers to your questions.