Brake Pad Comparison

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It is very interesting. About the only conclusion you can take away is that the test sponser (NRS) makes a very good brake pad. We know nothing about the other pads and we can not assume from the test that all budget pads are bad nor that all aftermarket mid and top tier pads are better or worse than NRS and/or OEM.

The test fails to prove that you get what you pay for regarding all brake pad brands.
 
Ah, cool. I like Engineering Explained's videos. IMHO, he does a great job of testing and explaining results. I've watched a ton of his videos and he always does a good job of keeping things interesting, but at the same time being informative and clear.

In this case, most of his testing results seemed to be pretty much what I expected, with a few surprises. I honestly did not expect to see the 'mid tier' pads do as well as they did overall, compared to the rest.

On a side note - I found the NRS Brakes testing facility and methods quite interesting. It appears to really put the pads through the gauntlet.

I do have to wonder how applicable many of the tests are to real-world use. I mean, sure, there ARE places in the USA where corrosion is a serious concern, and I'm sure there are vehicles who see similar brake wear and abuse.. but how many? Yes, these tests are meant to represent the absolute worst-case scenario, and it's good to know how that could impact my ability to stop in a bad situation, but what's the over/under of that situation happening with the average commuter?

Having said, this, I do appreciate what it does represent. When your whole family is in the car with you, it makes a difference.
 
NRS/Nucap is one of the major suppliers of backing plates/hardware/shims to the aftermarket and their new pads are supposedly made in Canada when going to Asia is now common with all but a few suppliers. Most parts store pads are from China or India and MAT Holdings has scored big contracts from the chains. They also bought the rights to the Bendix name from Honeywell/Garrett but those are too made in China or India. Even Raybestos is now made in China - used to be US or Canada.

OEs can get specific with each vehicle, while aftermarket pads stick to AMECA/FMSI specs. As long as you don't install a budget pad, you can get decent to good braking with aftermarket pads but don't expect performance as intended when the car is new.

With that said, I've had luck with Wagner pads on a friend's truck but not with my own car. I've installed Worldpac's WBR pads on for a friend's car and despite being Chinese made, they worked OK. I had to pull a set of Toyota's "value line" pads off my parent's van due to noise. In went a set of the "warranty" spec pads from Japan. No complaints since.
 
This was interesting to see how brakes can be tested. But not knowing what the brands are is frustrating.
At least it seemed fair in the fact that the mid quality tested reasonably well.
Why would they even manufacture low quality brakes. Why would anyone cheap out on brakes.
 
Originally Posted by SirTanon


I do have to wonder how applicable many of the tests are to real-world use. I mean, sure, there ARE places in the USA where corrosion is a serious concern, and I'm sure there are vehicles who see similar brake wear and abuse.. but how many? Yes, these tests are meant to represent the absolute worst-case scenario ...



I just replaced front brakes on our Mazda 2 primarily because of severely rusted rotors and pads, which were binding in the caliper. My Subaru has a rear brake noise which upon teardown is the result of severely rusted brake pads, with one actually coming apart.

So, yes, corrosion resistance is important for many owners ... rust sucks.
 
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The video didn't exactly contain much, if any actionable information (other than, perhaps, don't buy the $10 pad sets). Not even mention of whether the ceramic composites have better performance than the older-style semi-metallic, etc.

I would've liked to have seen the relationship between pad material, pad wear, and brake rotor wear explored.

For example, there are some pads which allegedly wear the pad quickly, but do not pose much wear on the rotor. Or vice versa. Is an optimal brake pad one that provides for a relative balance of wear on the components? Or are there pad materials (and/or construction techniques) that legitimately provide a superior combination of lower rotor wear and lower pad wear, while not compromising on performance?
 
I've had some poor experience recently with replacing the OEM brakes at 85K original miles on my Optima at Firestone. First went in a set of NAPA Ceramic pads as an "upgrade" which squealed. Then the Wagner ThemoQuiet pads (which was what Firestone normally uses) went in next after two weeks which then also squealed for another two weeks of my testing. Very frustrated at this point, then came the $65 upgrade I was charged to put in Adaptive One (ADO) high end ceramic brake pads which rarely squeal now so I'm mostly happy. These don't seem to "grab" or "bite" quite as good as the Wagner pads did but are more like the OEM pads. All were sourced from NAPA locally by Firestone.

Yes, the rotors were turned. Yes, the brakes were bedded properly. No I don't think the brake hardware kit (or lube) was used on the first set of pads that went in (and they should have been) but did with the third ADO set.

Go figure. About a year prior to this I had them do the brakes on the wife's Rogue using the Wagner ThermoQuiet pads with no issues whatsoever.
 
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Originally Posted by Davejam
This was interesting to see how brakes can be tested. But not knowing what the brands are is frustrating.
At least it seemed fair in the fact that the mid quality tested reasonably well.
Why would they even manufacture low quality brakes. Why would anyone cheap out on brakes.

From what I recognize, the OE pads look like front pads for a Honda....most likely an Accord.

Of the aftermarket pads, the mid-tier option looks like a Duralast Gold pad that someone removed the logo from.

Originally Posted by doitmyself
It is very interesting. About the only conclusion you can take away is that the test sponser (NRS) makes a very good brake pad. We know nothing about the other pads and we can not assume from the test that all budget pads are bad nor that all aftermarket mid and top tier pads are better or worse than NRS and/or OEM.

The test fails to prove that you get what you pay for regarding all brake pad brands.

This is true. However, the test confirmed what I suspected - OE is generally a very safe choice.
 
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Originally Posted by WhizkidTN

Yes, the rotors were turned.


I didn't know anybody did that anymore, at least in first world countries.
 
Originally Posted by nascarnation
Originally Posted by WhizkidTN

Yes, the rotors were turned.


I didn't know anybody did that anymore, at least in first world countries.

Out here, most dealerships (for Asian brands) will resurface the rotors with their brake jobs, usually with an on-car lathe. $350-$425/axle for new OE pads and resurfaced rotors is the market rate in my area.
 
Originally Posted by The Critic
Originally Posted by nascarnation
Originally Posted by WhizkidTN

Yes, the rotors were turned.


I didn't know anybody did that anymore, at least in first world countries.

Out here, most dealerships (for Asian brands) will resurface the rotors with their brake jobs, usually with an on-car lathe. $350-$425/axle for new OE pads and resurfaced rotors is the market rate in my area.

I work at a Ford dealership and we will turn the rotors as long as there is enough material to keep them above minimum thickness. We do package pricing on a brake service for passenger cars which is $179.95 per axle for new pads, machining the rotors, lubing caliper slide pins and labor. The motorcraft pads also carry the lifetime replacement warranty so if the customer owns it long enough to wear them out the pads are free at the next service. Not a bad deal for those that are not DIY capable.
 
Originally Posted by cb_13
Originally Posted by The Critic
Originally Posted by nascarnation
Originally Posted by WhizkidTN

Yes, the rotors were turned.


I didn't know anybody did that anymore, at least in first world countries.

Out here, most dealerships (for Asian brands) will resurface the rotors with their brake jobs, usually with an on-car lathe. $350-$425/axle for new OE pads and resurfaced rotors is the market rate in my area.

I work at a Ford dealership and we will turn the rotors as long as there is enough material to keep them above minimum thickness. We do package pricing on a brake service for passenger cars which is $179.95 per axle for new pads, machining the rotors, lubing caliper slide pins and labor. The motorcraft pads also carry the lifetime replacement warranty so if the customer owns it long enough to wear them out the pads are free at the next service. Not a bad deal for those that are not DIY capable.


Yup, pretty much what Firestone did and charged me for (also with lifetime replacement warranty on the pads). If not for the squealing pads, I'd been a happy camper.
 
Originally Posted by nascarnation
Originally Posted by WhizkidTN

Yes, the rotors were turned.


I didn't know anybody did that anymore, at least in first world countries.


My car's factory service manual says explicitly to not to ever resurface the rotors unless there's an identifiable customer complaint. Not sure where this 'turning' or 'replacing' rotors business as a matter of ordinary routine (rather than to correct an actual problem) came from, other than salesmanship of the car repair industry.
 
Originally Posted by nascarnation
Originally Posted by WhizkidTN

Yes, the rotors were turned.


I didn't know anybody did that anymore, at least in first world countries.

All the O'reilly Auto stores near me will turn a rotor for you for $10, as long as there's enough material left on the rotor to keep it within spec. I've used their service a couple times in the past. Combine that with a decent set of pads on discount/sale, and I save tons of money.
 
We do not know if these pads had similar Coefficient of Friction (C.F.) so I don't believe one can develop anything out of the simulation unless all of the pads were the same (e.g. FE, FF, etc from Chase Test)
 
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Originally Posted by pitzel
Originally Posted by nascarnation
Originally Posted by WhizkidTN

Yes, the rotors were turned.


I didn't know anybody did that anymore, at least in first world countries.


My car's factory service manual says explicitly to not to ever resurface the rotors unless there's an identifiable customer complaint. Not sure where this 'turning' or 'replacing' rotors business as a matter of ordinary routine (rather than to correct an actual problem) came from, other than salesmanship of the car repair industry.

Most front rotors have some amount of thickness variation when it is time for pad replacement.
 
Originally Posted by The Critic
Originally Posted by pitzel
Originally Posted by nascarnation
Originally Posted by WhizkidTN

Yes, the rotors were turned.


I didn't know anybody did that anymore, at least in first world countries.


My car's factory service manual says explicitly to not to ever resurface the rotors unless there's an identifiable customer complaint. Not sure where this 'turning' or 'replacing' rotors business as a matter of ordinary routine (rather than to correct an actual problem) came from, other than salesmanship of the car repair industry.

Most front rotors have some amount of thickness variation when it is time for pad replacement.

While it is not always necessary to resurface rotors (aka pad slap) it is nice to true them up.
At least that's my experience.
 
Originally Posted by SirTanon
I do have to wonder how applicable many of the tests are to real-world use. I mean, sure, there ARE places in the USA where corrosion is a serious concern, and I'm sure there are vehicles who see similar brake wear and abuse.. but how many? Yes, these tests are meant to represent the absolute worst-case scenario, and it's good to know how that could impact my ability to stop in a bad situation, but what's the over/under of that situation happening with the average commuter?

I can assure you that, here in over-salted Maryland, there is a large population of lower income car drivers who replace, or get replaced, their brake pads with the cheapest available, and then drive them until the noise becomes unbearable, or they fail outright.
 
Originally Posted by The Critic
Originally Posted by nascarnation
Originally Posted by WhizkidTN

Yes, the rotors were turned.


I didn't know anybody did that anymore, at least in first world countries.

Out here, most dealerships (for Asian brands) will resurface the rotors with their brake jobs, usually with an on-car lathe. $350-$425/axle for new OE pads and resurfaced rotors is the market rate in my area.

One can get brand new pads and rotors for that money including labor at decent indy shop.
Last fall I got EBC rotors and Green stuff pads for $212. let's say I gave it to some indy shop (which I did not), they would charge, what? 1hrs of labor? Plus these are far better performance wise than Toyota OE.
 
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