Almost all of us have considered upgrading to a big brake kit at least once. What usually stops most is the fact that it’s either a little too pricey or overkill, for lack of a better word. Both those things, in the majority of cases, are true. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. There’s a way to get more stopping power from the existing hardware on your vehicle. The most expensive component of the braking system is the calipers, and luckily, you can improve their performance without replacing them.
As long as the calipers are in good shape, and you have life left in your brake rotors, you can get a bump in performance with upgraded brake pads. Upgraded brake pads are direct replacements and a highly recommended upgrade. We recommend swapping in upgraded brake pads even if the vehicle was just driven off the lot. Below, you can find what you need to know for this simple upgrade and our recommendations.
How Do Brake Pads Work?
As their name suggests, brake pads are usually single-piece pads that sit inside the calipers on your vehicle. It’s not easy to see brake pads from the outside as they are positioned towards the inside of the caliper. Brake pads have two sides — one is a flat surface that is designed to be pushed by the caliper pistons while the other is made to rub against the rotor. The side that rubs against the rotor can handle a lot of friction thanks to its constituents.
The rotor is connected to the wheel and moves at the same speed. The purpose of the brake pad is to slow down the rotor or bring it to a stop which in turn simultaneously affects the wheel speed. The brake pad can do this with the help of the force provided by the pistons in the caliper. While it might seem like the calipers are doing most of the work, the brake pads also have an important role as it is the only contact point between the calipers and the rotors.
This metal-on-metal friction between the brake pads and the rotors has a massive role in bringing a vehicle to a stop. Over time, both these parts wear out and need replacing. Oftentimes, brake pads wear out quicker than rotors. There are marks on brake pads that indicate wear and many modern vehicles have a dedicated warning light for this as well. Regardless of the condition of the brake pads in your vehicle, we recommend upgrading to one of the following units to ensure the utmost safety.
Why Upgrade the Brake Pads?
Brake pads might look like simple blocks of metal, but in reality, there’s quite a lot of research and development that goes into making them. There’s a lot of science that goes into developing the friction materials for brake pad. These materials on the surface made for fraction determines things like the stopping power, and longevity among other things. The make-up of the brake materials varies depending on the manufacturer and the type of upgraded brake pad.
Over the years, there have been advancements in brake pad technology. In the beginning, asbestos was extensively used. It was the main material on the majority of brake pads. This material has now been phased out and replaced by newer compounds that have taken things to the next level.
Many upgraded brake pads use several different compounds that work in conjunction to deliver impressive stopping power. Big names like Brembo and Akebono factor in several requirements to deliver improved performance, while also making sure they meet NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) levels.
Types of Upgraded Brake Pads
Considering that most brake pad manufacturers take a unique approach to make their pads, one can expect varying performance from most of them. As mentioned earlier, it’s the type of brake pad material that will make the biggest difference and give you upgraded performance. That being said, we recommend sticking to the best in the business like Akebono and Brembo.
Brembo Low Met Brake Pads
One of the most widely used types of upgraded brake pads is low met or low metallic ones. These brake pads use a lower amount of metallic materials when compared to fully metallic brake pads. The lower concentration of metallic compounds makes these brakes less aggressive, but sufficient for an upgrade in performance over ceramic brake pads. Fully metallic brake pads are designed to provide the best performance at all times, even if it comes at the cost of brake dust and higher NVH levels.
Ceramic brake pads, on the other hand, are at the other end of the scale. They are built to offer the best comfort or NVH levels and extremely low amounts of brake dust. It’s important to understand both these extremes of brake pads as the low metallic brake pads sit in the middle in terms of overall performance. Brembo has revealed the make-up of its low metallic brake pads, but these types of pads are known to feature 30 to 70 percent of metal. In most cases, the metal comprises copper, iron, steel, and more.
The Brembo Low Met brake pads also claim to feature many benefits, aside from significantly shorter braking distances in all conditions. The company has also stated that these pads meet or exceed OE technical specifications. These brake pads will offer an improvement in terms of bite and perform better at higher temperatures without fading as quickly as standard brake pads.
Akebono ProACT Ceramic Brake Pads
As we touched upon earlier, ceramic brake pads are essentially the opposite of fully metallic pads. Their main focus is to ensure the highest level of comfort and longevity, albeit at the cost of some performance. Akebono’s ProACT ceramic brake pads claim to eliminate noise, vibration, and harshness. While complete elimination of these things certainly isn’t impossible, one can expect these brake pads to be among the best. Akebono has also tested these ceramic brake pads and according to the results they have the “smoothest, quietest, and longest-lasting braking performance in the industry”.
Similar to the Brembo Low Met brake pads, the Akebono ProACT pads also feature proprietary technology. While comfort is certainly the top priority with these pads, the company has made a mention of “consistent stopping power across a wide range of driving conditions, including panic stops”. The company also claims that these brake pads have reduced rotor wear which one can expect from ceramic brake pads. No brake dust and no break-in period are other features you can expect from most ceramic brake pads.
Akebono Performance Ceramic Brake Pads
While the ceramic brake pads discussed above are comfort-oriented, some alternatives offer a little more in terms of performance. The Akebono Performance brake pads, for instance, are ceramic pads designed to offer more stopping power. Something else reveals the different intentions of these brake pads are the intended applications. The Akebono ProACT brake pads mentioned above are suited for light vehicles and sedans, while the Akebono Performance ceramic brake pads can be used on heavier vehicles like trucks and SUVs.
What makes these ceramic brake pads different are the compounds used on the side meant for friction. These brake pads wear quicker than the other ceramic brake pads but offer a shorter stopping distance. They are also not as quiet as them. However, they are much more comfortable and longer lasting than any type of metallic brake pads. In terms of pricing, the performance ceramic pads sit above the quieter ProACT ones. This is to be expected as they are the most advanced ceramic brake pads the company makes.
These top-of-the-line ceramic brakes are designed for those looking to get the best in the business. They offer all the benefits of ceramic brake pads, while also promising to deliver in terms of performance. That being said, they won’t stand a chance against brake pads with high metallic content in terms of performance. What it comes down to is what you are looking for from your brake pads. There are many options in the market, but we’d recommend getting one of the Akebono or Brembo pads mentioned above.
Safety and Performance In One Upgrade!
There’s no denying that improving your braking performance increases safety and upgraded brake pads are the most affordable way to do so. Yes, upgraded brake pads are more expensive than stock replacement, but they won’t break the bank. We recommend picking between one of the quality brake pads mentioned above after figuring out your requirements and usage pattern. Head to our Shop to find fitment information, pricing, and more!
