4 Types of Brake Pads to be Aware Of

If it's time to replace the brake pads on your vehicle, you'll need to know what type of brake pads your vehicle uses before you go out and purchase them. So, here's a quick list of the 4 main types of brake pads that are commonly used in today's vehicles.

Semi Metallic Brake Pads

These types of brake pads are made from about 30% to 65% metal, and are commonly made out of steel wool, wire, copper or other metal materials. These types of brake pads are considered to be very durable, but also may wear brake rotors faster. Also, semi-metallic brake pads may not function well in very low temperatures.

Non-Asbestos Organic

This type of brake pad, commonly referred to as NAO, is made from organic materials such as fiber, glass, rubber and even Kevlar. These types of t pads are usually softer and don't create much noise, but they tend to wear faster and create a lot of dust.

Low-Metallic NAO

These are made primarily from an organic formula mixture with small amounts of copper or steel added to help with heat transfer and provide better braking. Because of the added metal, there is usually a considerable amount of brake dust and these pads are often noisy.

Ceramic Brake Pads

Ceramic brake pads are composed primarily of ceramic fibers and other filler materials. While ceramic brake pads are usually more expensive than other types of pads, they are cleaner and produce much lower noise levels. Also, they provide for excellent braking and don't cause a lot of wear on the brake rotors.