Brake pads are essential to a car. Every car requires working front and back brake pads to be able to stop. The moment you press on the brake pedal, the brake pads apply friction against a metal disc, and this is what stops your car. It is the friction that causes the brake pads to wear down over time. In order to make sure your vehicle will sufficiently stop, it is important to keep an eye on their wear and tear.
What are the 7 best brake pads for your car?
1. Akebono ACT787 ProACT Ultra-Premium Ceramic Brake Pad Set
2. Wagner QuickStop Ceramic Brake Pad Set
3. Bosch BC905 QuietCast Brake Pad Set
4. Wagner ThermoQuiet QC1324 Ceramic Brake Pad Set
5. StopTech 309.10780 Brake Pad Set
6. ACDelco Professional Ceramic Brake Pad Set
7. Bosch BP976 QuietCast Premium Brake Pad Set
Figuring out what brake pad is compatible with your car is relatively easy with a google search or call to the mechanic. Even Amazon now has a feature where you can put in the year, make, and model of your car, and it will only pull up parts that are compatible with your car. There are other things to keep in mind, though, like whether you should buy metallic brake pads or ceramic. It is also important to know when the proper time to replace your brake pads is.
The 7 Best Brake Pads For Your Car
Brake pads are an essential part of every car. Every car has four brake pads, two in the front and two in the back. They are always sold in pairs because you never want to replace just one brake pads. It is very unusual for your brake pads to wear out one at a time anyway. Usually, the front will be worn down at the same time, and the back will be worn down at the same time.
You may not need to replace all four at once, though, because the back brake pads tend to last longer than the front. Each of the brake pad sets listed below is available in front and back brake pad set. That said, it doesn’t mean the exact models I have listed will be compatible with your car, but there will most likely be another model by the brands that will.
Make sure you check with a mechanic or your vehicle’s manual to ensure you are buying the correct brake pads.
1. Akebono ACT787 ProACT Ultra-Premium Ceramic Brake Pad Set
At the top of the list are the OE standards engineered and DOT certified, Akebono brake pads. They are extremely safe, reliable, and durable. The unique Pro-ACT ceramic formula allows these brake pads to be guaranteed to last longer while providing continuous superior performance. These brake pads feature material formulations that dramatically reduce screeching, vibration, and dust residue for a quiet and smooth ride.
In fact, these brake pads are so smooth and durable, they are recommended even for new drivers and those that tend to rely on their brake pads more than the average driver. It is also stated by the manufacturer that these brake pads don’t require any time to break them in because they are made ready for immediate use. As if it couldn’t get any better with this brand, you will also find these pads at an outstanding price.
2. Wagner QuickStop Ceramic Brake Pad Set
Wagner is a reliable brand, many know, and love, with an extended line of products. Their Quickstop ceramic brake pads are an outstanding addition to this long list of quality products offered by this company. They are 100% OE post-cured, which means they ensure consistent braking performance throughout the time they’re used. You will have little to nothing to worry about from these brake pads because they are built to last and offer optimal stopping performance.
The ceramic is formulated using a low copper 2021 compliant to ensure high quality and at a fair price. This is not something you see every day. The set comes with everything you need to be ready for install, including an OE style lubricant to keep your brakes quiet happy and proper installation hardware. The ceramic compound is also formulated to keep the noise and vibration down for the duration of the life of each brake pad.
3. Bosch BC905 QuietCast Brake Pad Set
The Bosch BC905 brake pads are up on the list because this brand is notorious for its quality line of products, and this extends further than brake pads. They make these brake pads in ceramic and semi-metallic materials and are excellent quality with great stopping power. The BC905 series features molded shim technology to protect shim attachments and ensure stability. The OE style multi-layer construction provides great strength, but also insulation against noise.
The slots and chamfers are OE designed as well, and this ensures a perfect fit and function capability. As an added bonus, the set is engineered, manufactured, and tested in North America. The quality is there, and the install is sure to be easy. Each kit contains all things necessary to get the job done right, with or without a mechanic.
4. Wagner ThermoQuiet QC1324 Ceramic Brake Pad Set
Just exactly as the name suggests, the Wagner ThermoQuiet QC1324 brake pads are almost silent. Created by a brand that is known for its great quality products, these brake pads hold up that reputation. They are reliable with superior braking power paired with an affordable price tag. Complete with a proprietary friction formulation to provide the silent performance with minimal dust residue left on your wheels.
These brake pads also feature a Dynamic Noise Absorption technology, and this technology targets and absorbs vibration at the point of contact. Not only this, but they are also made with a thermal-sensitive friction feature that adjusts the brakes to different temperatures. This feature ensures optimum braking power for nearly any weather conditions you may run into.
If this weren’t enough, these brake pads don’t have a use for a shim. The integrally molded insulator is the reason for this. There is no doubt that these brake pads are one of the best on the market. They are a little more expensive than some of the others on the list but well worth the price for the lasting durability and superior performance.
5. StopTech 309.10780 Brake Pad Set
If you are looking for one of the most stable and reliable brake pads and you don’t mind paying a little more for them, these brake pads were built to last and will provide one of the smoothest ride performances of any of the brake pads on the list. They are designed for street and light track use. Even when they are introduced to high-stress situations, these brake pads produce little to no dust residue.
These pads feature a scorched pad surface to ensure one of the best braking performances you will find on the market. No matter the weather conditions you are faced with, these pads will provide the ultimate stopping power every time. They feature a high-temperature compound to ensure this consistent performance throughout the life of the brake pads.
6. ACDelco Professional Ceramic Brake Pad Set
The ACDelco ceramic brake pad is reliable and easy to install. One of the best on the market, these brake pads are built to last. They are available in ceramic as well as semi-metallic and are applicable for a wide range of vehicles. This company guarantees reliability because they test their braking effectiveness using SAE J2784 standards.
ACDelco also goes above and beyond to test for things like noise, harshness, vibration, and durability, so you don’t have to worry about your purchase. This set features premium shims, chamfers, and slots with a stamped backing plate, working together to reduce noise, vibration, and harshness. These brakes are also sold in a box that comes with everything you need for the install, including brake lubricant.
Whether you are installing these yourself or taking them to a mechanic, you can rest assured that they will last you a long time and keep you safe. They have great stopping power, and the ceramic material cuts down on dust.
7. Bosch BP976 QuietCast Premium Brake Pad Set
Bosch is another company with a superior reputation in the industry. They are known for more than just brake pads, but their BP976 QuietCast Premium Brake Pads are top of the line. They are complete with noise reduction technology that also ensures durability and reliability when you need it most. They come in a multitude of materials ranging from ceramic and semi-metallic to non-asbestos organic and NAO materials, as well.
These pads are fitted with a pre-attached rubber core shim. The shim style is predominately used by OE manufacturers. The slots and chamfers are also OE designed to ensure a perfect fit.
How Often Should Brake Pads Be Replaced?
The length of time your brake pads last depends on a few factors. It is important to know these factors because they will give you great insight into how often your brake pads will need to be replaced. These factors are:
- Your driving habits
- The environment you drive in
- The hardness of your brake pads
- Materials your brake pads are made of
Driving habits and environment:
If you are someone that tends to be a little harder on their brakes, it will greatly affect the life of your brake pads. On the contrary, if you allow yourself plenty of time and room to stop, then you won’t have to push on your brakes as hard, and they will have a longer life. Allowing your car to coast to a stop rather than relying solely on your brakes to stop you, then this will save you money in the long run and improve the life of your car.
However, if you are constantly driving in stop and go traffic in a city setting, there isn’t much you will be able to do to preserve the life of your brake pads. The constant friction being applied to them will cause them to wear down faster than someone who drives in an area with little stopping. Driving in the mountains or somewhere with steep elevation will also wear your brakes out quicker than other environments.
Brake pad hardness and other materials:
Your driving needs will also affect what type of brake pad is best for your vehicle. There are different compounds you can choose from. Brake pads with hard compounds will last longer, but they will need to be warm in order for them to perform well. These types of brake pad compounds are more common on performance cars.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, brake pads with soft compounds perform their best at low speeds in urban areas. This is because too much heat will melt this type of pad compound and interfere with proper brake performance.
The durability of your brake pads also has a lot to do with the materials that were used to make them. The two common types of brake pads are either ceramic or metal-based, but I will get more into this later.
Aside from these key factors, there are a few other tricks to noticing when it is time to get your brake pads changed. The general rule of thumb is to get your brake pads changed every 50,000 miles. That said, some pads will only last you 25,000, while others can go for as long as 70,000. It all depends on the previously listed factors. To stay on top of how well your brake pads preserved by paying attention to the following warning signs:
- The thickness of your brake pads
- A screeching noise
- Unstable braking
If your brake pads have little to no thickness left in them, it is time to get them changed because they will soon start losing their performance value as well. The last thing anyone wants is for their car or any cars around them to have faulty brakes that lead to potential car accidents. It is important to be a responsible driver, and this includes paying attention to the warning signs that your brake pads could be on their last leg.
Are Ceramic or Metallic Brake Pads Better?
Over the years, brake pads have gone through a lot of changes in regards to how and what they are made from. In today’s market, the two top-selling brake pad materials are ceramic and metallic. Before you go purchasing brake pads at your own free will, you may want to know what material is best for your car and driving habits.
Ceramic:
This material was introduced to the market back in the 1980’s and has been popular ever since. These types of brake pads are composed of a blend of ceramic and copper fibers embedded into the compound of each pad. This combination allowed ceramic pads to handle higher braking temperatures with less heat fade. This provides faster recovery after you’ve stopped while also generating less dust.
They are oftentimes quieter than metallic brake pads, and the fact that they produce less dust means you will have cleaner wheels in return. The durability is proved with a longer lifespan than metallic pads, as well. This material brake pad tends to work best when it’s warm, though, and is not recommended for racing for tow trucks. They are, however, recommended if you spend a lot of time on the road.
Possible downfalls of ceramic brake pads include their price tag. They are more expensive than metallic brake pads, and they also tend to add more wear and tear on your rotors, which could cause you to spend more money replacing rotors more often.
Metallic:
For anyone that is doing a lot of heavy-duty towing, racing, or lives in a colder climate without adequate amounts of time for your brake pads to warm up during your trip, then metallic brake pads are your best bet. They are made with portions of metallic fibers in their compound. The more expensive brands contain fine metallic fibers, while the cheaper pads have larger, more coarse portions of metal.
Metallic brake pads are great for colder climate and people that frequently take short trips because they do not need to be warm to perform at their best. They are often easier on the rotors because of this as well and don’t cost as much as ceramic brake pads. They are, however, louder than ceramic pads and generate more dust onto your wheels. They also have a shorter lifespan, so you can expect to keep a regular eye on them.
Regardless, if you own a car, it is your responsibility to look out for your life as well as the lives of those around you while you are driving. This includes making sure your brake pads are in adequate condition. And for the sake of your wallet, it is viable information to learn the best and most affordable brake pads on the market today. This will ensure you are getting the most out of your brake pads for the right price.
