Which Brakes are Better?
Here, at Ayer Auto Service, one of the most common questions or sources of confusion we receive from our customers is in regard to brakes. Before tackling some of your specific questions, we figured that this week’s blog post should provide some background on the topic of brakes and the choices available to you as both a consumer and a driver. During the course of our three decades of automotive repair experience, brakes and the materials utilized in their component parts have evolved and changed greatly. Having once been composed of asbestos, brakes are now classified as organic, metallic, or ceramic.
Organic, or non-asbestos organic (NAO), brake pads are made of materials like rubber, carbon compounds, glass, fiberglass, or Kevlar, and are bound with resin. NAO brake pads tend to be quiet, while producing a relatively low amount of dust. They are typically suitable for normal driving and commuting patterns, and can be purchased at a reasonably low price. With this in mind, it is important to consider that organic brake pads tend to wear more quickly and don’t perform as well in extreme weather or driving conditions. NAO brake pads are subject to overheating more quickly than other types of brakes when under heavy load. The driver may also experience the need to depress the brake pedal more forcefully in order to engage them, due to the organic brake pad material’s higher degree of compressibility.
Next up for consideration when choosing brakes for your vehicle, are metallic, or semi-metallic, brake pads. These are made of metals like copper, iron, steel, and other composite alloys. They’re combined with graphite lubricant to complete the brake pad. Often, drivers interested in high-performance opt for metallic brake pads because they offer superior braking performance across a wider range of temperatures and driving conditions. Since metals are good conductors of heat, they can tolerate high temperature better while also cooling back down more quickly. When compared to organic brake pads, less pressure needs to be applied to the brake pedal to engage the brakes because they don’t compress as much. However, it is important to note that metallic brake pads are often noisier than the organic and ceramic brake pad options. As a result, not only do drivers typically report a louder driving experience, but mechanically there is more stress placed on the braking system and more wear and tear on the brake rotors. Metallic brake pads also tend to produce noticeably more brake dust than either the organic or ceramic alternatives.
Last, but not least, are ceramic brake pads. Ceramic pads are denser and more durable than the non-ceramic alternatives discussed above. They contain copper fibers to help increase friction and heat conductivity and are increasingly popular among consumers. Since their introduction to the market in the 1980’s, ceramic brake pads have been increasingly popular for a few reasons. First, they are rather quiet. Next, ceramic brake pads tend to produce less dust and residue particles from wear and tear over their lifetime. Lastly, ceramic pads are more reliable in a wider range of temperatures and driving conditions when compared to organic pads. As in the other two situations, the positives do not come without some negatives. Ceramic brake pads are more costly and since they don’t absorb as much heat as other materials, the heat that results from braking tends to pass through the pads and into the rest of the braking system, which causes wear and tear on other components. Finally, ceramic brake pads are not considered the best choice for extreme driving conditions, like those faced in very cold climates or in high heat situations resulting from performance driving and racing.
With all these options and particular considerations, who can keep it all straight? Fortunately, you don’t have to! At Ayer Auto Service, our certified technicians and support staff stay up to date with the latest trends and developments in the automotive industry, so that we can most effectively serve our customers and take the stress out of the repair situation and decision. We pride ourselves on helping our customers select the component parts that are best suited to their specific driving pattern and needs. We do this with the goal of minimizing costs and repeat trips to a service center for repair work, so that you can get back on the road with the confidence that your vehicle will be there and function properly when you need it most.
