Front brake pads ceramic or semi matallic

[Sad Sack]

If I had a daily driver I’d lean towards organic or semi metallic, rotors for squares are not cheap. Brake purchasing always relies on driving habits. Purchase accordingly my friend.

 

[Ricko1966]

What are you using for organic? I think the last pad set I ordered was Bosch BP52S which said organic but the box stated semi metallic.

They got used anyway.

TIA !

I can't remember. I honestly don't have any favorite brand of brake pads and shoes. I normally use,raybestos,wagner,bendix

 

[TotalyHucked]

Wagner Thermoquiets were my ceramic go-tos till I switched. I've put 2 sets of the Duralast Gold semi-metallics on my truck and like them alot (not the severe duty, the normal ones). I'm not easy on brakes and these have done very well

 

[Ricko1966]

Raybestos, brake pads for dummies

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[Rustisbest]

And if you really want to go down the rabbit hole you can look at the pad rating on the edge of the pad. The further you go in the alphabet the more aggressive they are. I *think* the ones I put on my C10 were FF even though theyre the same exact brand and style.

I have to put brakes on my Tahoe when the rotors get here so I've got these handy. Maybe the sky won't fall on me lol

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[75BEASTK20]

I run these on my 2020 High Country. Best brakes I've ever had, and I've tried 'em all. MUCH better than factory.

Power Stop K8171-36 Front and Rear Z36 Truck & Tow Brake Kit, Carbon Fiber Ceramic Brake Pads and Drilled Slotted Brake Rotors For Escalade Chevy Silverado 1500 Suburban Tahoe Sierra 1500 Yukon​

 

[Tyger13us]

On my 82 c10 diesel, i had the ceramic pads on the front and semi-metallic shoes on the rear,
In the winter time while driving when i hit the brakes the rear LOCKs up, ALL new everything.
for the life of me couldnt figure it out.
changed out the front pads for semi-metallic and that fixed the problem.

It seems that the ceramic pads need some heat to work right, so the rear were working right?
But the fronts took to long to engage so it locked up the rear first.
once i drove for a few miles and the front pads (ceramic) warmed up everything was working.
But, if you panic stopped before the front pads warmed up? hang on, your going for a ride as the back end comes around.
the brakes work as they should with semi pads on the front and semi shoes on the back.......
JM2C......

 

[ucs75]

I'm running Powerstop Z23 Evolution sport pads with no issues. Braking was a definitely better after installing these.

Powerstop Z23

I second the Powerstop Z23 Evolution sport pads. I've used on multiple vehicles with great results.
Carbon-Fiber/Ceramic.

 

[Mike_82_Shortbox]

This is what I know about ceramic brake pads.

Ceramic pads are comparatively ineffective when they're cold. In fact if you are used to driving organic or semi metallic, the first time you leave in the morning with ceramic pads, they will downright frighten you the first time you try to stop, because you will have to use such braking force on the pedal that you'll think something is wrong with the system. Now, once those pads heat up, when you hit the brakes, they'll throw you through the windshield.

Ceramic pads run hotter than other brake pad materials, and they tend to hold that heat for a while. So if you are doing a commute with heavy braking involved - start and stop traffic that starts to go 40 miles an hour and then stops - and then you get home and just park the car, the pads and the calipers will retain that higher heat for a longer time, and so the rotor will cool at different rates, creating different friction characteristics around the diameter of the rotor. This is what gives you that front end shuddering, vibration, or even steering wobble when you hit the brakes at high speed.

Ceramic pads are very tough. All else being equal, they will generally wear out a set of rotors before the pads wear out. But most things aren't equal, so depending upon the break-in method, braking habits in normal driving, and whether a cool-down period is employed after driving, ceramic pads and rotors can last a few months to a couple years.

Lastly, my opinion is that ceramic pads aren't good for trucks, or other heavyweight vehicles, or work vehicles. I have ceramic pads in all four corners of my Nissan Maxima, and like I said, scare you to death in the morning, throw you through the windshield in the afternoon. But the problem is also a safety issue. Ceramic brakes are terribly ineffective when they're cold, and if you've got a work truck loaded up with tools and materials and you forget about this, you're either going to go through a red light or you're going to hit whoever is sitting at it.

So how about a nice, quality, semi-metallic set?

 

[Camar068]

This is what I know about ceramic brake pads.

Ceramic pads are comparatively ineffective when they're cold. In fact if you are used to driving organic or semi metallic, the first time you leave in the morning with ceramic pads, they will downright frighten you the first time you try to stop, because you will have to use such braking force on the pedal that you'll think something is wrong with the system. Now, once those pads heat up, when you hit the brakes, they'll throw you through the windshield.

Ceramic pads run hotter than other brake pad materials, and they tend to hold that heat for a while. So if you are doing a commute with heavy braking involved - start and stop traffic that starts to go 40 miles an hour and then stops - and then you get home and just park the car, the pads and the calipers will retain that higher heat for a longer time, and so the rotor will cool at different rates, creating different friction characteristics around the diameter of the rotor. This is what gives you that front end shuddering, vibration, or even steering wobble when you hit the brakes at high speed.

Ceramic pads are very tough. All else being equal, they will generally wear out a set of rotors before the pads wear out. But most things aren't equal, so depending upon the break-in method, braking habits in normal driving, and whether a cool-down period is employed after driving, ceramic pads and rotors can last a few months to a couple years.

Lastly, my opinion is that ceramic pads aren't good for trucks, or other heavyweight vehicles, or work vehicles. I have ceramic pads in all four corners of my Nissan Maxima, and like I said, scare you to death in the morning, throw you through the windshield in the afternoon. But the problem is also a safety issue. Ceramic brakes are terribly ineffective when they're cold, and if you've got a work truck loaded up with tools and materials and you forget about this, you're either going to go through a red light or you're going to hit whoever is sitting at it.

So how about a nice, quality, semi-metallic set?

no temp or morning issues with my powerstops

 

[Sad Sack]

It appears to be a mixed bag of results...so it's a simple case of "your results may vary"....

 

[Rustisbest]

It appears to be a mixed bag of results...so it's a simple case of "your results may vary"....

So you mean I dont have to worry about hitting a truck tire, running off a cliff and burning alive if I have ceramic pads?

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[Grit dog]

It appears to be a mixed bag of results...so it's a simple case of "your results may vary"....

Ya was gonna say that. Lots of “theories” floating around this thread.
Bottom line it’s a 40+ year old slow cruiser burb with a 16mile per day life ahead of it.
Most of the performance you’ll see is from having a brake system that operates 100% effectively like when it was new.
Pad types are really just fodder to discuss in this scenario.
Wheels on that burb look open, so I’d go ceramic for brake dust.
You can complain about the rotors that wore out “early” in like 10 years…..

 

[Bessie]

Raybestos, brake pads for dummies

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Just need one more column for Rotor life with Hourglasses reversed ( 3 for organic 1 for ceramic)

 

[Rustisbest]

Just need one more column for Rotor life with Hourglasses reversed ( 3 for organic 1 for ceramic)

Wanna see the rotors I just replaced on my Tahoe that had ceramic pads? Theres not even a ridge. They wanted more to turn em than it cost to replace with a set of AC Delco silver rotors.