Brakes pads recommendation

I'll put in a word for the Raybestos Element3 as well :) I've had them on a few vehicles now and like them. Good initial bite that gets better as they heat up, with little fade in most cases so far. I have a set waiting to be put on my 2014 300C 5.7L AWD, so this heavy pig will be a good test for them too ;) Only issue I had with them was on my Jeep TJ once in a while I'd get squeaks from them, but didn't mind as the performance was great on it and the squeaks were rare...
 
I had the Carquest Wearever Good pads put on my 2006 Corolla last month and they are great. Made by Akebono I do believe. I think they are a bit outside OP’s price range though.
 
wdn said:
I had the Carquest Wearever Good pads put on my 2006 Corolla last month and they are great. Made by Akebono I do believe. I think they are a bit outside OP’s price range though.
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Yup. I like them so much I doubt I’ll shop for something else.
 
I did the Element 3/EHT paired with the Element 3 rotors on my 04 Sentra. Worked great so far.
I would do it again.
I always change my rotors when I change the pads, no matter which vehicle, they are too inexpensive not to...I remember the days of getting them turned. Then I find a nice quiet stretch of road to bed them.
 
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I have the EHT pads on my daughters '12 Scion xB.
I like them so far (~ 3000 miles on them). They are quiet, minimal dusting, good stopping power, and include all hardware needed for install.
It was ~$65 for both the front and rear pads as well (from Amazon).

I have also used some Bosch Quiet Cast pads on my sisters '10 Santa Fe, they have also been a decent pad overall.
 
Anyone know anything about the Orileys break best semi metallic pads? I was forced into installing a set the day before I was leaving on a trip. I wanted something of better quality but would have had to order them. Who knows maybe these are just fine. They feel like the originals did. I picked up a set of their brake best semi metallic pads. Which was their premium pad.
 
R1jake said:
Anyone know anything about the Orileys break best semi metallic pads? I was forced into installing a set the day before I was leaving on a trip. I wanted something of better quality but would have had to order them. Who knows maybe these are just fine. They feel like the originals did. I picked up a set of their brake best semi metallic pads. Which was their premium pad.
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Avoid them if possible. They are the same pad as Duralast and WearEver, made by MAT Holdings’ Rolunds division in India or China. MAT also makes Bendix brand friction as well as Dan-Blok which is OEM on some Volvos.
 
Wearever Gold not “Wearever Good” that was a typo, are made by Akebono or so I have heen told. They are ceramic pads.
 
OP only mentioned front brake pads, not pads + rotors or front and rear pads and/or rotors. He/she is also looking at Rockauto. They offer (13) pads under "Daily Driver" with the most expensive being $24.99 and in the "Premium" category, (2) pads under $35. These are names like Bosch, Powerstop, Raybestos (Element 3 = $34.99), Centric, and so on. I'm not even sure what differentiates their categories because it's not price.
 
Raybestos Element 3 just be sure to get the Enhanced Hybrid Technology version. They make 2 versions, both are great but the EHT version is best. This is ALL I use on my cars and customer cars since they came out years ago. I won't use Wagner thermoquiets ever again.
 
I use Wagner almost exclusively but found powerstop oe replacement ceramic pads and rotor kit for $60 for my RAV4 and couldn't pass it up. Over the years I have used a bunch of chain store and name brand pads and except for the chain store $15-20 "value" pad have YET to be disappointed or wowed. They all stop commuter cars just fine. Don't overthink it because of the zillion choices. If you have a truck, severe service/fleet type use buy pads accordingly suited (I use Wagner severe duty semi metallic pads on my trucks). Appropriate pads for a tracked car goes without saying.
95% of people aren't doing anything that matters on a drive to work/grocery store car. I'm an aggressive driver with years worth of tickets and modified cars to prove it and have never found being overly selective to matter on street driven cars. New or straight rotors, cleaning hubs and contact surfaces, greasing slide pins, using new hardware in cars that use press on hardware, bleeding the brakes once in your life is what matters.
 
If you are doing just a pad slap and not changing rotors, you are wasting your money on anything high end.
 
I’ll jump onto the use Raybestos EHT bandwagon. They’re my go to pads for personal vehicles a lot anything I’m working on.

Motorcraft are very good as well. Also never had an issue with the Duralast Gold Cmax pads, the issue with them is price. They’re higher than Motorcraft and twice the price of Raybestos in my experience.

Over the years I’ve had previous employers tell us to quit using Duralast Gold, Brake Best(all of them) and Napa’s mid tier pads due to noise complaints.
 
wdn said:
Wearever Gold not “Wearever Good” that was a typo, are made by Akebono or so I have heen told. They are ceramic pads.
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They are not Akebono. most part numbers are GRI, which is who makes the Platinum pads though the fricition compounds and shims are different between them. Some golds are also made by Sangsin, some are wagner quick stop.

Edge code on the set of GNAD923 pads that I just had the local store send down is db927ff, which is MAT Holdings/GRI friction per https://ameca.org/wp-content/upload...iction-Material-Edge-Codes-October-1-2021.pdf
 
Timmastertech said:
They are not Akebono. most part numbers are GRI, which is who makes the Platinum pads though the fricition compounds and shims are different between them. Some golds are also made by Sangsin, some are wagner quick stop.

Edge code on the set of GNAD923 pads that I just had the local store send down is db927ff, which is MAT Holdings/GRI friction per https://ameca.org/wp-content/upload...iction-Material-Edge-Codes-October-1-2021.pdf
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I don’t think Akebono wants to dilute their brand by supplying the chain parts stores. There’s been more Thai, Indonesian and Chinese friction coming in lately - mostly under the Centric and DFC brands, the AMECA codes for Centric don’t reveal the manufacturer though.

I’ve seen Wagner(Driv) and Bosch supply parts store house brand pads as well. At my latest trip to AutoZone, I saw a new higher-tier Duralast pad with MADE IN MEXICO on the label. Probably a Wagner or Bosch-made pad but the AMECA code tells all.
 
Timmastertech said:
They are not Akebono. most part numbers are GRI, which is who makes the Platinum pads though the fricition compounds and shims are different between them. Some golds are also made by Sangsin, some are wagner quick stop.
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OK thank you, I stand corrected. In any case I am happy with the Wearever Gold pads and rotors my mechanic put on the Corolla.
 
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