Our mission is to help you find the best brake pads for both your driving style and your vehicle. That's why we grade and rank every brake pad we sell by Noise and Dust levels, Stopping Power, Performance Over OEM pads, and Lifespan.
And to make sure this is the best place to buy brake pads online:
With the best brands - EBC, StopTech, Hawk, Akebono, and Raybestos - you won't find a better place to buy brakes online.
Check out our reviews:Brake squeaks and squeals are often caused by brake pads that don't match the specs of the OEM brake pad material. For example, if your vehicle's brake system was designed for a premium ceramic pad, but you're using a cheap semi-metallic or organic pad installed by the local repair chain, you're probably going to hear a lot of noise. So, before you buy a set of pads, it's a good idea to talk to a brake expert about your vehicle and what the brake system was designed for.
Excessive brake dust often has the same root cause as brake noise: Your vehicle's brake system is designed for one type of pad, but you've got a different type of pad installed.
Of course, brake dust is also caused by heavy brake use. If your driving style demands a lot of stopping power, your brake pads will make a lot of dust and wear out sooner than expected. If that describes your vehicle, it might be worth looking at a brake pad and rotor kit designed for your specific use. Upgrading both pads and rotors to a kit designed for towing or high performance might be the best way to solve a brake dust problem.
Brake pad wear is hard to predict - different vehicles and different drivers can have different experiences. Still, we can safely say that harder brake pad formulations last longest. The hardest, most durable brake pad material is ceramic. Metallic and semi-metallic pads are second, with so-called "organic" pads being softest and least durable. Unfortunately, brake pad pricing and durablity go hand in hand...a good ceramic pad often costs more than a good metallic pad, and much more than an organic pad.
The other factor in brake pad longevity is quality. Some pads are designed to be low cost replacements, while others are designed to be premium alternatives to OEM brake pads. If you're looking for the longest lasting pads you can get, you usually want to look at the premium or heavy-duty pads rather than basic replacement or economy pads.
There's no one answer to this question, but you want to think about three things before you buy a set of brake pads:
Answering these questions is the best way to figure out what pads work for your specific situation. Additionally, when it's time to buy, we recommend focusing on the higher end pads that are rated as premium, performance, or heavy-duty. While there are some exceptions to this rule, generally speaking the best pads cost more.
Of coure, having said all of that, our brake pad experts are standing by to help you find the best brake pads for your specific vehicle. Our team of brake experts has first-hand experience with competition racing, autocross, heavy-duty towing and hauling, and off-roading (including overlanding). If you're not sure about what you need - or want to know more about the differences between different pads - just text, email, or call.
