ceramic pads...
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Pittsburgh
ceramic pads... are ceramic pads an upgrade from OEM? I had ceramic pads installed to pass inspection as I was unable to do the work myself as I'm down with a herniated disc.
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From: Home: Flint, MI Stationed: Charleston, SC
OEM are not ceramic from what I know. I think OEM are organic but that shouldn't matter if your getting your car inspected by the state. State laws I think look more at emissions not neccesarily at wether you have cermic, organic, metallic or carbon fiber brake pads.
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On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Buffalo, NY
Originally Posted by wannafbody
are ceramic pads an upgrade from OEM?
I have carbon-metallic pads right now with powerslot rotors and they suck. The dust is unbelievable and they dont break that well. I am thinking about putting ceramic pads on instead. Ceramics are OEM. But I'm afraid that they will be to hard for my powerslot rotors. Does anyone know if ceramic pads are harder than semi-metallic pads?
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 85
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From: Houston, Texas
I change out my pads every year and use carbon ceramic pads from AutoZone. I like the carbon ceramic pads, because there is little to no brake dust. Plus, after you buy the first set, AutoZone will give you future sets for free. You just return the pads you replaced and they give you your money back.
i got the same ones from autozone like SShotgun did and they worked great
for a month until i had to do a ooo-wee panic stop and now they pulsate and
fade when i use them under normal condtions.
for a month until i had to do a ooo-wee panic stop and now they pulsate and
fade when i use them under normal condtions.
ceramics are harder i believe, also there is a lot less dust and better braking, just did new pads rotors front and rear with ceramics... oh and btw only way you fail with brakes in an inspection is if theyre grinding
well i like to do a lot of "spirited" driving and i do a lot of hard braking. However i'm afraid that ceramic pads will be too hard and warp my $400 rotors. However, the semi-metallic pads im using are just not performing and there is an unbelievable amount of brake dust. Just recently i posted a topic about this which i titled "I think I really messed up my brakes". I was dong a lot of hard brkaing and afterwards, my brakes were squealing and screaching like crazy. Also the rotors themselves looked like they had been threw hell. heat marks/scorches. I dont know which pad to use: ceramic, semi-metallic, whatever else there is.
What is the best for performance and drivability?
What is the best for performance and drivability?
I had discount auto parts bendix rotors and bendix ceramic pads. Everytime I had to do hard braking or even braking after a 1/4mile pass at the track, all I smelt was something severly burning. After a few times I started to get heat spots around my entire rotors. I then switched the cross-drilled/slotted to try and alleviate the heat that might be causing those heat spots, and it did the same thing to those BRAND NEW ROTORS! I will NEVER put ceramic pads on my car again.
Heres a pic:
I honestly dont know what to do. My brake setup right now isnt the best like Id want it to be. I dont know if I want to keep these rotors since they eat away at pads more, or get regular rotors and a good brake pad like semi-metallis that will work as good as ceramics.
Heres a pic:
I honestly dont know what to do. My brake setup right now isnt the best like Id want it to be. I dont know if I want to keep these rotors since they eat away at pads more, or get regular rotors and a good brake pad like semi-metallis that will work as good as ceramics.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,604
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From: Pittsburgh
did the vehicle stop better? I've read posts by Trackbird (fbody racer) and he talks of using ceramic race pads that heated a rotor so hot it glowed in the center yet the pads performed great. A hot rotor is not neccessarily a bad thing. Personally I wouldn't worry about discolored, heat spotted rotors. Cracked rotors are a different issue tho.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Evansville, IN
I put Powerslot rotors up front and ceramic pads all the way around, and the car stops better than it ever has. I do alot of hard braking at the track also and no shakes or vibrations. I've got weld prostars all the way around and I have never seen any sign of brake dust.
How would heatspots and discoloration be an ok thing? It caused my rotors to become pretty warped. If they are getting heat spots on them then Iwould assume its from the pads heating up the rotors beyond the heat that they can disipate (sp?) which could possibly cause brake failure.
Are ceramic pads suppose to heat up more than metallic or semi-metallic pads? Anyone on here use Hawk pads?I dont know if Ive heard anything bad about those.
Are ceramic pads suppose to heat up more than metallic or semi-metallic pads? Anyone on here use Hawk pads?I dont know if Ive heard anything bad about those.
Last edited by FBodyPerformer; Jun 11, 2006 at 08:53 PM.