Is metallic bad idea for new pads?

[ziggy]

Hi all! Wanna change my pads out soon.roto rs.98 lesabre...
Saw on rockauto, their s severe duty pads, don't remember brand though. Wagner,powerstop? Regardless,their metallic.
I've always used semi metallics. Now,wanna try metallics! When we were younger,talking cars,friend said metallic stop car on a dime,but,eat up rotors muchfaster....any truth to that?
I'm long king at, a.c. Delco semi metallic silvers, gm original...but don't know if he host ceramic or not, raybestos,or wagner. One is best,I know. Not a fan of ceramics.lots of stop n go traffic here,mini nyc..semi metallic,or metallic!?

 

[JMJNet]

I would suggest to get Raybestor Element 3 Hybrid if it is available for your car.
It is the best of all world brake, a mix of ceramic and metallic.
Less dust and quiet.
Latest and greatest techology.
I learned about this pad from this forum and tried it in my Sienna.

 

[Donald]

I do not know why ceramic (Akebono ProAct) would not be a good pad for you. Stop & Go traffic means lots of braking but your not going very fast when you need to stop and with you driving a sedan, you are not hauling or towing a heavy load.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

The cheap metallics I put on my wife's crosstrek chewed the rear rotors. Duralast.
brakes are made form junk you sweep of the machine shop floor with some other organic dirt and binders,
Nothing expensive goes into these.

The recipe for the good stuff is secret.

 

[mk378]

They don't stop faster.

They will make a lot of noise.

They do wear longer, but more of the wear is on the rotor. Usually found on buses, garbage trucks, mail delivery etc. which need to stop more often than traffic requires.

 

[Duffyjr]

I just discussed this with my Mech a couple months ago since my Lucerne will need a break job soon and he said he's had the best luck with Napa ceramic on passenger cars and light trucks.

A couple years ago I had him do the fronts on my Sierra and he used ceramic pads and they seem normal to me.

 

[Jetronic]

The secret to stopping power is tyre grip and correct brake bias. With different friction coefficient pads you can change the brake bias, but it's not easy or consistent through the temp range, and the optimal bias changes with load in the car and the retardation you achieve.

But what's the point if the tyres are only 80% as grippy as they could/should be?

 

[MParr]

There’s nothing wrong with the OEM semi-metallic pads. I would definitely use them on your vehicle. I prefer semi-metallic pads. I haven’t tried the Raybestos Elelment 3 pads so, I can’t really comment on them.

 

[jims5600]

I have had good performance from Bendix Met Lok and Raybestos Element 3.
Installed a two sets each on different vehicles and pleased with the results
from both

 

[ripcord]

Ceramic, semi-metallic, and metallic are broad categories of pad types and the definitions are fuzzy. What may be labeled as metallic might not be that different from semi-metallic in terms composition from one manufacturer to another. Ceramics may have a significant percentage of metal in their composition and semi-metallic pads often have some ceramic components as well. My point is that you can't make broad assumptions about the performance characteristics of any particular pad based just on how it's labeled.

Personally, I would buy the Raybestos Element 3, or Wagner OEx, or other premium line and call it good.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Yes, metallic pads are bad for most people. They are noisy, create lots of dust, and are hard on rotors.

Rock Auto carries the actual OE pads for your Lesabre.

Otherwise, Akebono ceramic is perfect for your driving conditions. The Raybestos EHT pads are getting popular on here. Another good choice is EBC Ultimax pads, if you're willing to look outside Rock Auto.

Pair them with Powerstop coated rotors, or if you prefer, GM OE, which Rock Auto also carries.

 

[ziggy]

Thanks all! I always love reading,ascertained replys! On other areas too.when we were younger,19,we're hang out talk cars,ect.one,was a makeshift mechanic.helped him out a manual tranny,into a 78? Monte carlo. He became a diesel mechanic,for a bit,local tow shop, and later,electricuan.he used too say,metallic will chew up your rotors,bad. He deemed too like wagners,as he always mentioned them,when we talked brakes,and his car. This was 1994. He also kentioned,carbon fiber. I don't think,he was a fan,of semi metallucs,back then.but we,did,race his Monte carlo,through windy roads at night! He put a small bblick 302 or 5 or something like that,in it.

 

[ziggy]

RockAuto

RockAuto ships auto parts and body parts from over 300 manufacturers to customers' doors worldwide, all at warehouse prices. Easy to use parts catalog.

www.rockauto.com

 

[ziggy]

Wagner sx623/...severe duty semi metallic..what's everyone think?they have a.c. Delco gold semi metallics,as high performance. I wanted too try,Wagner thermoquiets..but rear their just a no real special pad. Raybestos semi metallic look interesting

 

[ziggy]

Raybestos brutestop!?

 

[JMJNet]

I did not have good experience with Wagner Thermoquiet in my former 2000 Camry.
It was far from Quiet, it was squealing from when it was new.
I claimed a warranty and they sent me a new one and it was still the same.
I learn to just live with it.
Similar experience with a few members here also.

Now, the application for your particular car may be different, though.
Or may be you are looking for a noisy brake pads, then you get one.

In my post #2, the Raybestos E3, this one never have any squeal even when it is new.
Most brake pads I had in the past will squeal when new until it is bedded in.

This is my experience, others may vary.

 

[stanlee]

Wagner sx623/...severe duty semi metallic..what's everyone think?they have a.c. Delco gold semi metallics,as high performance. I wanted too try,Wagner thermoquiets..but rear their just a no real special pad. Raybestos semi metallic look interesting

I used them followed by Bosch severe duty pads. No difference between the two in feel or stopping power. The brake dust was a little uglier on the Wagner's but I wouldn't hesitate to use them again. I've used the TQ (Thermo quiet?) series as well. Again I couldn't complain (those were on a BMW 335, the severe duty pads on a truck).

 

[Jake_J]

I would say it's not the greatest idea to switch to metallic, considering there probably was a very good reason why the entire auto industry has largely stopped using them and even semi-metallic are quite rare now. Every time I buy new pads I'll check what the OE pads are made off and if the car was made in the last 20 years it's almost always ceramic. Rotors are generally a lot for money than pads so it makes sense to choose pads that don't chew up your rotors.

 

[atikovi]

Full metallic pads are a 70's technology designed for police cars and track use. There is a reason they cost less than $10 a set. You can do a lot better.