Looking at NAPA pads, any good? better out thier?

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ziggy

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HEy all..I need to replace my front brake pads soon. Last pair iput on myself, 5 years ago, autones. They worked pretty [censored] good actually! Well this time i wanna try something different.
Im a daily driver, stop n go traffic. Ive been wanting to try cermaics for sometime, instead of semi metallics. I am getting ew rotors too..passenger sidde one is marked in pitted pretty bad. Getting hose from napa, the premium of course, not the bottom line stuff.
Last time i had cermics, i was 19, 1994. Had this 85 isuzu hatcback. They worked so well, when it rained, the car would skidd forwards a few extra feet! Ao i feel eary about going with ceramics. But thier supposed to better. Well, heres what NAPA has for my application.. trusetop semi metallics $19.99 for the set. ultra premium OE semi metallic, $37, qadaptive one ceramic, $63.49, and saftey stop OE semi metallic, $34.99
Anyone have experinces or facts about these pads?
 
If you need to replace both pads and rotors, you should look at Rockauto.com and Amazon.com. Rockauto usually has lower price for parts but they charge shipping, if all parts are shipped from the same warehouse the shipping cost is reasonable. Amazon has free shipping for $25 or more orders, so that the total price can be lower than Rockauto.
 
Note that the same pad for different cars can have different friction ratings, and sizes.
What is OK on one car can be mediocre or superb on another.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
If you need to replace both pads and rotors, you should look at Rockauto.com and Amazon.com. Rockauto usually has lower price for parts but they charge shipping, if all parts are shipped from the same warehouse the shipping cost is reasonable. Amazon has free shipping for $25 or more orders, so that the total price can be lower than Rockauto.


+1 for Amazon. Rotors and brake pads are heavy, so shipping on Rockauto is costly.

I recently bought Raybestos rotors for $27 each shipped on Amazon and Bendix CT-3 pads for $46 shipped. I did have some problems with the CT-3s, which you can read about here.

A lot of people also like the Akebono ProAct pads. They're made in the USA.

All the NAPA pads are probably made in China, event the expensive ones.
 
I have never bought a pad pad at NAPA.

For regular street use their adaptive formula is one of the best available.

For aggressive drivers head straight to Stoptech. They have your pad.
 
IMO you can't make an informed choice of rotors and pads by asking this forum. We have all found what works for us based on research, not opinion. For example I have found that Hawk HPS pads work on my Mazda along with Brembo rotors. That works for ME and is a far better combination that OEM pads and rotors IMO. I came to the choice of these pads by reading various websites Of Hawk, Raybestos, Akebono and the wealth of info available on Tire Rack about brakes. There is no easy choice. Do the research and define what you want as a PRIORITY in the brake performance of YOUR car. Each pad material has + and - characteristics at various temperatures. Sort it all out and make an informed decision. Good luck ! FWIW--Oltommy
 
Originally Posted By: ziggy
Last pair iput on myself, 5 years ago, autones. They worked pretty [censored] good actually!

why don't you collect on the lifetime warranty and get free pads?
 
There are lots of opinions around on brake pads. But two names that are mentioned over and over are Wagner ThermoQuiet and Akeebono. I believe they both have semi-metallic and ceramic. I think there is still a $15 rebate on Wagner (up to $30 total). I just got some Wagner TQ ceramics for my Suburban. Still shrink wrapped.
 
Thanks for the replys all. interesting..most seem to say OEM.
WHat im wanting to know, is...do ceramics outperfrom semi metallics? Ive read semi metallics eat your rotors up quickly, and the same about ceramics. Ive also read, cermics will give longetivity and easy wear on rotors, as well as less dust.
cermaics also give better stopping* any truth to all this?
 
I've been rather disgusted with my brakes for some time now. I basically replaced everything but the proportioning valve, pads and shoes within the last year, for next to no improvement. I'm carrying a lot of weight, and recently just stepped up a tire size, and lost even more braking power.

I've had a set of Napa safety stops on for about 20 k miles.

Just yesterday I removed them and installed some Bendix TitanuiMettalic2, and the very first stop from 40 mph yielded an unbelieveable improvement. Each time I step on the pedal now I over brake at first. I have yet to get used to it, and it seems to keep getting better as they bed in.

I bet if I hit the old Napa Safety stops with Brake Kleen and put them in a new box, few could tell they were used. They had so much life left it was ridiculous. But they were a horrible application in my vehicle, and I'm lucky I never rear ended anybody.

I got the Bendix TM2's from Amazon for 42$ with 1 day shipping. They have offered me a 30 day free prime trial, and 1 day shipping set me back a whopping 4 dollars. 2 day shipping would have been free.
 
INteresting. How about carbon metallic brake pads? Theoretically, carbon shuold work better. Carbon works better when hot* absorbs heat* in terms of aplpying brake pad, carbon metallics would be alot better?
 
Just a heads up...

I bought Brembo rotors on Amazon.

15.gif


Junk. 10,000 miles and I should replace them again - and I don't even ride the pedal to a stop as I down shift my 5 speed to slow down too. ...and they're pulsating like crazy!
crazy2.gif
 
Also keep in mind that if someone says they bought "SuperX" (made up name for example) house brand pads at AutoZone and they work great, by the time you were to buy "SuperX" pads at AutoZone they could be sourced to a different supplier and be way different. That should not happen if you buy a name brand.

As to semi-metallic or ceramic, the ceramic should last longer, produce less dust, the dust should be a much lighter color and the pads should be easier on the rotors. Thats the theory. The dust on my Jeep from Raybestos ceramic pads is not light colored, but rust colored. I am sticking with ceramic, but looking at Wagner TQs for pads needed in the future.

In addition it seems that all the manufacturers are jumping on the ceramic pad band wagon as the public wants ceramic, but exactly what has to go into the pads to call it ceramic is not exactly clear. But the top brands should not be playing games.
 
Donald, I put the ThermoQuiets on my 03 Suburban. Took about 500 miles to truly bed in, but have turned out to be a powerful, quiet, dustless pad. Lifetime warrenty.
 
Originally Posted By: 72te27
Donald, I put the ThermoQuiets on my 03 Suburban. Took about 500 miles to truly bed in, but have turned out to be a powerful, quiet, dustless pad. Lifetime warrenty.


Semi metallic or ceramic? Did you use the bedding technique mentioned on BITOG or just normal driving.
 
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