Why Are Brakes Important?

Brakes are the most crucial safety feature in a vehicle as they prevent collisions while driving.  It's essential to regularly inspect the brakes, or hire a specialist, to ensure the safety of the driver and passengers.  Regular inspections of brake pads help in determining the remaining lifespan of the brake pads.  The brake pads are made of a friction material that grips onto the brake rotors, which are metal disks attached to each wheel of the car.  When the brake pedal is pressed, hydraulic fluid exerts pressure on the brake caliper which houses the brake pads and squeezes the rotor to slow down the wheel and eventually stop it.  Over time, the friction material on the brake pads wears away, and the pads need to be replaced.  When the time comes to replace the brake pads, you have the option to choose the type of brake pads to be installed on the brake rotors.  An important factor while driving is to maintain safety, thus checking the brake system at regular intervals is crucial.  The brake pads should be checked for wear-and-tear, rustiness, and also possible signs of heat stress and general discoloration.  When replacing brake pads, also check the condition of brake rotors, as they can warp or get damaged with age and use.  Here we are going to discuss the two most common brake pads: ceramic brake pads & semi-metallic brake pads.

Let's Compare Brake Pad Materials

The first of the two is Ceramic brake pads, which are more expensive than any other type. These pads are made from ceramic material mixed with copper fibers. Ceramic brake pads are designed by keeping in mind the needs of the drivers and to assist them up to their comfort levels. They are not noisy and produce very little brake dust. They possess the longest life if compared with other types of brake pads. They are designed to bear wide range of temperature. They produce a firm brake pedal and the only downside of these pads is their high cost.  As they are made with ceramic material therefore, they don’t absorb heat especially well. The best part about these ceramic brake pads is, they are tested for long life, durability, and performance. Those quality tests have proved them right in their claims.

The next type of brake pads under consideration is semi-metallic brake pads, which are commonly known as metallic brake pads. These are the choice of the public because they deliver what they are made for. These are comprised of anywhere between 30% and 70% of metals including steel, iron, copper, and other metals and composite alloys that contributes well to enhance their durability, heat resistance and most importantly, the stopping power. Semi-metallic brake pads perform over a wider range of temperatures than any other pads. As metals are good conductors of heat, they tend to be able to withstand more heat simultaneously contributing to cool down the braking system more quickly. They provide the best result of firm brake pedals and absorb the most heat of any pad to keep the braking system cooler and lighter. They last pretty much long time, not exactly equal to ceramic brake pads but rather fair enough of organic brake pads. Performance-driven drivers prefer the metallic brake pads because they offer improved brake performance in much wider range of temperatures and conditions. Talking about the price, they lie in between the organic and ceramic brake pads. The downside of these brake pads is their noise. They produce lots of noise as well as brake dust that comes in excess.

Semi-metallic pads are more aggressive in their approach towards braking, therefore, possesses the higher performance and more wear on the brake rotors. As they are the noisier option in brake pads, contributing to louder rides, leaving more stress for the braking system, adding more strain and wear on the brake rotors. But they may be termed as best of all if one deals with their noise and brake dust that is occurred in excess. If one is pulling the trailers or carts, hauling a heavy load, or willing to go for rash driving and sudden stopping, then these are your pads. They equip you with all the backups, durability, upgraded performance, and reliability needed for your rides as well as ensuring your safety.