Ceramic Pads vs. Semi-Metallic Pads
This is probably the second most asked question we get asked once
our clients decide which style of brake rotor they want. Just like how the
style of brake rotors matter depending on the driving style and type of
vehicle it’s going on, brake pads are equally as important. Because
everyone’s driving style and situation is different, we aim to educate
our clients so that they can make a choice that suits them.
Ceramic based brake pads have their appeal due to their nature of
producing less brake dust, compared to semi-metallic brake pads. While
this is true, ceramic brake pads also react differently depending on the
application. While ceramic pads are great for passenger and smaller
cars, they can be noisy on heavy cars and trucks. This is due to the
higher rate of heat transfer inherent in ceramics. In other words, heavy
trucks and heavy tow-loads exert a great amount of heat in a short time
period, which can create noisy brakes when used in conjunction with
ceramic based pads.
However, this isn’t always the case as sometimes noisy pads can simply
be attributed to uneven pad deposits on your brake rotor friction
surface.
