Your new brakes might last up to 50,000 miles. Options for brake pads are ceramic, metallic or organic. Pads push on rotors, which halt the wheels from spinning.

After a car has burned through its OEM brake pads, it needs new ones. In addition to your alternatives regarding what the pad is made of, you have options about the level of performance. But brake pads can be confusing and expensive – read on to uncover the details. You can think about livability issues like noise and dust plus stopping power.

First, think about what it’s made of. You can choose replacement pads of semi-metallic material for extreme conditions. A driver doesn’t have to worry much about brake fade relative to their heat resistance. These brake pads can be noisy and dusty, and they put off a lot of black or dark gray dust. At Christian Brothers of Missouri City, our mechanics don’t prefer these for typical driving.

Now for organic pads. Great for comfort, they’re at the bottom for stopping power.

The most popular primary grouping is ceramic pads. Asbestos brake pads are out. They are good at handling a wide range of temps, so are as effective after prolonged use as when you start with them. They keep going and last too. Plus, their dust isn’t obvious. But know that, in the hottest environments, ceramic pads can seep too much heat to rotors.

Let’s get into how they’re constructed. It’s a difference of molding and glue. For the manufacturer-installed brake pads, the car factory molds the brake pad material to the shim directly with intense pressure, meaning more consistency.

With aftermarket replacements, the friction material is glued onto the backing plate, and shims aren’t usually included. You could see inconsistency.

The friendly brake replacement team at Christian Brothers can explain the details. Schedule an appointment at your convenience.