What's good, and not so good, in brake pads these days?

[Oldwolf]

Don't know if this is BS but this is what my AI told me.

Several brake rotor brands manufacture their products in the United States. Some notable brands include Akebono, StopTech, and Wilwood. Akebono is known for manufacturing their entire aftermarket brake rotor and pad line in the USA www.santa-brakepart.com, while StopTech's AeroRotors are also 100% made in the USA www.centricparts.com. Additionally, Wilwood Disc Brakes designs, tests, and manufactures their products in the USA Wilwood. Other brands like Brembo also have manufacturing facilities in the USA www.brembogroup.com. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Here's a more detailed breakdown:

• Akebono: A popular OEM brake pad brand in North America, Akebono produces its entire aftermarket brake rotor and pad line in the USA. [2]
• StopTech: StopTech's AeroRotors are manufactured entirely in the USA www.centricparts.com. [5]
• Wilwood: Designs, tests, and manufactures their brake rotors, including specialty OEM, racing, and street performance bolt-on brake kits, in the USA, Wilwood. [4]
• Brembo: While Brembo is a global company with manufacturing facilities worldwide, they also have production sites in the USA. [6]
• EBC: EBC manufactures its motorcycle brake rotors in the United Kingdom, and some of their brake pad manufacturing is done in the UK and USA, Tdot Performance. [7]
• Raybestos: Raybestos has manufacturing plants in North America and other locations around the globe. [8]
• Muller Brakes America: This company is an American manufacturer of brake pads and rotors. [9]
• Bendix: Bendix has manufacturing facilities in Bowling Green, KY, and Huntington, IN, which are considered centers of excellence for brake systems components. [10]

AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://www.santa-brakepart.com/news/are-all-brake-rotors-made-in-china/
[2] https://www.santa-brakepart.com/news/are-brake-rotors-made-in-the-usa/
[3] https://www.buybrakes.com/saleen-an...placement-rotor-rings-for-bbk-and-aero-rotors
[4] https://www.wilwood.com/
[5] https://www.centricparts.com/disc-brake-rotor-6998516
[6] https://www.brembogroup.com/en/who-we-are/brembo-history
[7] https://www.tdotperformance.ca/products/ebc-brakes-bbk007red-2-apollo-balanced-big-brake-front-rotor-and-caliper-kit-with-yellowstuff-brake-pads.html
[8] https://www.raybestos.com/who-we-are
[9] https://www.mullerbrakes.com/
[10] https://www.bendix.com/en/about-us/manufacturing/

 

[cheesepuffs2]

I just put a set of these good year pads on my 18 rogue. The red Powerstop calipers I installed last year were an absolute disaster! I lost half my pedal, even after vacuum and pressure bleeding. Plus, whatever lube they used on the rear slide pins boiled off causing one to hang up. Not even a year old. I emailed Powerstop and was basically told to pound sand on something not even a year old. I’ll never purchase anything Powerstop again. Poor quality to say the least. The bleeders were also corroding at the threads and could have been a major issue had I not have caught this. The fronts somehow were fine. And yes, I did check before I installed them. I rebuilt my factory akebonos, painted them black with some por15 and a brush and reinstalled them on the brembo rotors in place and these new pads. Back to factory feel. These are a definite winner for the money. No noise, solid feel and no fade from what I can tell. Of course I haven’t been through the smokies on a 100 degree day, but so far so good.

I've always been surprised by how many people buy those PowerStop brake packages. They always seemed like a crappy gimmick to me.

 

[cheesepuffs2]

Anybody here use Pagid Silver pads? Interesting in trying them, but concerned about potentially losing initial bite compared to the current Raybestos Element 3s. I had Akebonos on this car before too and was not satisfied with how wooden those felt and don't want a repeat.

 

[nthach]

Don't know if this is BS but this is what my AI told me.

Several brake rotor brands manufacture their products in the United States. Some notable brands include Akebono, StopTech, and Wilwood. Akebono is known for manufacturing their entire aftermarket brake rotor and pad line in the USA www.santa-brakepart.com, while StopTech's AeroRotors are also 100% made in the USA www.centricparts.com. Additionally, Wilwood Disc Brakes designs, tests, and manufactures their products in the USA Wilwood. Other brands like Brembo also have manufacturing facilities in the USA www.brembogroup.com. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Here's a more detailed breakdown:

• Akebono: A popular OEM brake pad brand in North America, Akebono produces its entire aftermarket brake rotor and pad line in the USA. [2]
• StopTech: StopTech's AeroRotors are manufactured entirely in the USA www.centricparts.com. [5]
• Wilwood: Designs, tests, and manufactures their brake rotors, including specialty OEM, racing, and street performance bolt-on brake kits, in the USA, Wilwood. [4]
• Brembo: While Brembo is a global company with manufacturing facilities worldwide, they also have production sites in the USA. [6]
• EBC: EBC manufactures its motorcycle brake rotors in the United Kingdom, and some of their brake pad manufacturing is done in the UK and USA, Tdot Performance. [7]
• Raybestos: Raybestos has manufacturing plants in North America and other locations around the globe. [8]
• Muller Brakes America: This company is an American manufacturer of brake pads and rotors. [9]
• Bendix: Bendix has manufacturing facilities in Bowling Green, KY, and Huntington, IN, which are considered centers of excellence for brake systems components. [10]

AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://www.santa-brakepart.com/news/are-all-brake-rotors-made-in-china/
[2] https://www.santa-brakepart.com/news/are-brake-rotors-made-in-the-usa/
[3] https://www.buybrakes.com/saleen-an...placement-rotor-rings-for-bbk-and-aero-rotors
[4] https://www.wilwood.com/
[5] https://www.centricparts.com/disc-brake-rotor-6998516
[6] https://www.brembogroup.com/en/who-we-are/brembo-history
[7] https://www.tdotperformance.ca/products/ebc-brakes-bbk007red-2-apollo-balanced-big-brake-front-rotor-and-caliper-kit-with-yellowstuff-brake-pads.html
[8] https://www.raybestos.com/who-we-are
[9] https://www.mullerbrakes.com/
[10] https://www.bendix.com/en/about-us/manufacturing/

Bendix === MAT Holdings.

They’re similar or the same as Carquest Gold/Platinum, Duralast Gold or BrakeBest Select Ceramic/ImportDirect.

 

[nthach]

I drive for livery/car service and put 70000 miles per year on my vehicle. I tried a lot of pads. Basically with Raybestos EHT hybrid pads it will stop well but it wont last like OEM pads. The pads which last the longest will be the OEM ceramic pads usually made by Akebono. Of course the pedal feel on the OEM Akebonos wont have a lot of "bite" and best described as spongey but they do last the longest.

NAPA Adaptive One, Raybestos EHT and Wagner OEX are all of the same theme. Im not sure which works the best.

For professional use every time you have to change the pads then a mechanic gets involved and the car goes down for a day or so. It also adds to costs. So the longer lasting pad is usually the better choice for professional use.

"Fleet" or "severe duty" pads usually work and last well but the dusting is off the charts. Police vehicles have steel black wheels for a reason which is brake dust from semi-metallic "fleet" pads.

Now that my dad’s a cabbie and his “new” Prius(2017.5 package two, equivalent to an LE now) will need pads eventually, I’m debating Toyota TCMC or Duralast Elite/PerfectStop/QuietCast(if Akebono ASP isn’t available, all of those are Bosch) for that when the time for pads rolls around. San Francisco stop and go isn’t a joke.

 

[iCurious]

I've always been surprised by how many people buy those PowerStop brake packages. They always seemed like a crappy gimmick to me.

The Corvette people seems to love them.

 

[iCurious]

Now that my dad’s a cabbie and his “new” Prius(2017.5 package two, equivalent to an LE now) will need pads eventually, I’m debating Toyota TCMC or Duralast Elite/PerfectStop/QuietCast(if Akebono ASP isn’t available, all of those are Bosch) for that when the time for pads rolls around. San Francisco stop and go isn’t a joke.

In that case go with pads that you can warranty them. Duralast is a no brainer.

 

[nthach]

In that case go with pads that you can warranty them. Duralast is a no brainer.

I usually don’t install part store pads, but I like the Duralast Elites on the Sienna.

 

[D1dad]

I've always been surprised by how many people buy those PowerStop brake packages. They always seemed like a crappy gimmick to me.

Total gimmick. They’re rehabbed out of Chicago, which is why I bought them. Crappy hardware and apparently crisco for lube. I get it, sometimes things happen. It was the auto response from their customer care team that will turn me off from anything Powerstop. . I actually hold raybestos element 3s in a much higher regard now.

 

[D1dad]

I usually don’t install part store pads, but I like the Duralast Elites on the Sienna.

I usually don’t either. I did buy some Carquest platinums from rock auto for $25, front and back that I’m going to try. I generally go through my brakes once a year, so if they don’t work I’ll go with tried and true ebc. I do recommend these Good Year pads for someone who doesn’t wanna spend akebono/ebc money. I’m really impressed with them for what they are.

 

[John105]

Again for me, the whole idea of brake pads is noise, as in don't want any. So that's why I've used Akebono for 20+ years. For Japanese and American cars. They aren't that expensive online (they are in an auto parts store). I used to be the type too, to say pads are cheap enough I'll just replace them while I'm in there (throwing away say 40% of $50)--today, I'll try to use at least 75% of the pad.

For German, I stick with OE, to keep the performance original. And they do develop noise in the rear, even when the car was new and had 19k. Never tried to switch to ceramic to get rid of the noise. OEM is Pagid, Jurid, etc., but I actually used OE only (normally I don't care, it's just a box or packaging and OEM saves).

There used to be a lot more information online, I think when entities were not as big on having security as a standard. I recall this long publication by GM discussing squealing and groaning. It went on to mention these are characteristics of designing OE brake hardware. If pads and rotors had noise, all the vehicles would be coming back for warranty repairs which is usually only an initial portion of a 3/36 or 4/50, often 1/12. Since Akebono is OEM, I suspect that's why they work well. Ditto with Valeo wipers.

 

[Cujet]

Wagner Semi Metallic pads are absolutely superb. They are 'old school' good, often with G-G ratings and the expected hot stopping power, while still being excellent cold. I went through quite a few pads on my Jag, trying to find ones that had excellent real world stopping power. So many of the imported pads really fell short.

Wagner ThermoQuiet Semi-Metallic pads with the "Wagner OE25™ zero-copper friction formulation".

Here is a link to my post:

Thread 'Brake pad stopping power! Wagner ThermoQuiet Semi-metallic'

Jan 3, 2023

After going through a good number of sub-standard brake pads for my Jaguar, I finally found a quality set of "non race" pads with high friction ratings that actually perform. The Wagner ThermoQuiet Semi-Metallic pads with the "Wagner OE25™ zero-copper friction formulation". They are accurately G-G friction rated. I've got to say, they are exactly what I was looking for. I tried Centric Ceramic pads, and a few other brands of Ceramic. In an emergency, I also purchased some "duralast" semi-metallics from AutoZone that were FF rated. None were able to slow the car well or even engage the ABS...

• Cujet
• Replies: 53
• Forum: ATF, Differential, Trans, Brakes, P/S

• 
• 
• 

There are a great many expensive options out there, and often they fall short too. Yet here we are with a $30 set of pads that are superb.

Also of note, the rotors are holding up very well. No unusual wear, no warping.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Total gimmick. They’re rehabbed out of Chicago, which is why I bought them. Crappy hardware and apparently crisco for lube. I get it, sometimes things happen. It was the auto response from their customer care team that will turn me off from anything Powerstop. . I actually hold raybestos element 3s in a much higher regard now.

Almost ALL reman calipers suck

The good news is that they do make all-NEW calipers for your car, so no more sloppy "rebuilds" to deal with

 

[D60]

I have Callahan loaded calipers on the rear of my F150, but they were new. Callahan is just the budget line of Powerstop. The calipers seemed identical and came in Powerstop boxes with Powerstop part numbers. Unfortunately I didn't get the red paint that adds 5hp.

I find it interesting: in Sept of pandemia I paid $93 for two loaded calipers. The same kit today is $183, so not an exaggeration to say double. That said, maybe the Amazon bot is just playing pricing games today. I could plot the ASIN at CCC if I really cared....

 

[D1dad]

Almost ALL reman calipers suck

The good news is that they do make all-NEW calipers for your car, so no more sloppy "rebuilds" to deal with

I’ve always had good luck with remans, although I haven’t had a lot of opportunities to use them. I slowly replaced all 4 corners on my 2000 f250 and wound up getting motorcraft on all 4 corners. So the castings were a good canvas and I’ve since learned how to rebuild a caliper. Never needed to until now as the advance auto rebuilds are close to 10 yrs old.

 

[nthach]

Total gimmick. They’re rehabbed out of Chicago, which is why I bought them. Crappy hardware and apparently crisco for lube. I get it, sometimes things happen. It was the auto response from their customer care team that will turn me off from anything Powerstop. . I actually hold raybestos element 3s in a much higher regard now.

I think Powerstop was the former Lucas Autospecialty division. I’m installing their shoes on an old Chevy truck that has been sitting out for a while with leaky wheel cylinders. Anything has to be better than the old Kragen shoes in it now.

I think Powerstop is a bit of a gimmick. As much as I don’t like the Indian-made pads from the parts store, at least MAT Roulunds India has some OEM supplier cred. The “value” Mercedes line as well as Volvo pads are MAT India.

 

[930.engineering]

Wagner Semi Metallic pads are absolutely superb. They are 'old school' good, often with G-G ratings and the expected hot stopping power, while still being excellent cold. I went through quite a few pads on my Jag, trying to find ones that had excellent real world stopping power. So many of the imported pads really fell short.

Wagner ThermoQuiet Semi-Metallic pads with the "Wagner OE25™ zero-copper friction formulation".

FER5100 GG = Ferodo made, probably similar or same like Ferodo`s own Premier Eco Friction, which again is a true OE compound.
.

 

[D1dad]

These good years are made in Virginia for what it’s worth. Not Ebc bite but dead silent, and 500 miles later, no dust. I did get them red hot on my brembo rotors since they weren’t new to bed them in. I just did a panic stop @80 to test them out and no wobble what so ever. Probably a testament to the rotors more than the pads.

 

[nthach]

FER5100 GG = Ferodo made, probably similar or same like Ferodo`s own Premier Eco Friction, which again is a true OE compound.
.

Driv owns Ferodo along with the former European Honeywell friction brands(Jurid and Bendix Europe). It seems like from this shot and when the local parts house sold Wagner, they imported Ferodo and reboxed them as QuickStop/QS(which Driv also packaged for Federated Auto Parts affliates as the house brand) and ThermoQuiet.

 

[nthach]

I meant to say for Euro applications. Wagner was proud to boast all their pads for Euro applications were ECE90. Their pads for American/Japanese/Korean cars are still made in the US or Mexico. IME, they’re hit or miss. Had luck with ThermoQuiets on a Subaru. But they make clunking noises on Toyotas due to the backing plates being stamped small. O’Reilly did stock ThermoQuiet but they pushed BrakeBest Select, probably due to profit margins and less comebacks from pro shops.