What to Know About Ceramic and Semi-Metallic Brake Pads

You don't have much reason to think about your brake pads until either they start to wear down, start to grab and squeak or, even worse, fail on you. Then you likely want to know more about your brake pads and the options available as you decide what to do to have them replaced.

Really, all you want your brakes to do is work and work in all kinds of weather and temperatures and to work quietly. Noisy brakes are only slightly better than no brakes at all. Also, you don't want your brakes to generate lots of dust to mess up your rims or wheels. All brakes will produce dust as they hit your rotor and stop your car. But the issue of dust is especially important if you've waded into the aftermarket to buy custom rims and wheels and so have money invested. Clean rims mean happy owners.

The materials used to make brake pads have changed over the last few decades. Asbestos pads of course were tied to the health problems that made asbestos an issue in the first place. Semi-metallic brake pads are a current option that is a cheap way to go. Semi-metallic pads are made of strands of steel and, while they do the trick for braking, they also can be noisy and do produce more dust. Also, the metal part of the pad will wear on the rotor faster than other options. Still, semi-metallic pads are frequently selected because of the price.

Ceramic pads have only come on the marketplace since the 1990s but they have advantages that many drivers enjoy. The ceramic models are threaded with copper fibers instead of steel. Ceramic brake pads can work with higher temperatures and don't generate as much dirt and grim. The ceramic materials mean less noise and less wear on the rotor for the long haul. It is also generally accepted that ceramic brake pads last longer than other pads. As a result, ceramic pads in general do cost slightly more than the other options.

It's good to have all this in mind when it comes time to replace your brakes. A little knowledge will give you peace of mind as you make this important decision about your car. Brakes are nothing to fool around with and that's an understatement. You have to have brakes that work. But brakes that aren't as noisy or as messy are nice to have as well.