I totally agree, this video dishes out some smarts instead of the usual idiotic hype. Everybody ckearly heard ceramics are the best combination unless special track needs. 🤘
Ceramic acts as my “universal” compound. It has worked in my experience on almost every driving situation. Lasts a longggggg time, performs very well. Great video.
@@wcovey25 Ceramic pads are terrible in wet conditions. Had a ceramic pad + CCB disc combo produce zero friction for a solid second when I tried to brake during heavy rain. Never again.
@@MinecraftMasterNo1 If you watched the video, he did mention that low quality ones tend to underperform when cold. So, maybe you got one of those. I also never had any issues with ceramic brakes, although personally I prefer semi-metallic as well.
This is a great video to learn about which material brake pad is good for your vehicle, but one thing I have learned many years ago is always go with the same brake pad material your car originally came with from the factory. You can never go wrong when you go OEM or the same make material brake pads.
If you live in an area that has salt used for de-icing, or you see a build up of corrosion on the brake rotor, then you need semi-metallic. Organic is normally the quietest, but can't remove any corrosion.
Good video, but narrator never said anything about the stopping power of ceramic pads being way behind Semi Metallic pads. However it is commendable that scores are shown on the screen - 3 out of 5 stopping power vs 5 out of 5 stopping power in favor of semi metallic pads. Great info but TRW sponsorship overexaggerated to some extend performance characteristics of ceramic pads :)
Earlier when I had the regular brake pads, every couple/few years during inspection the dealer always says "your brake pads are worn out" or "your rotors and pads needs to be changed" without which the inspection fails. I later installed ceramic pads I don't know how long ago maybe close to 5-6 years and still going strong. Admitted that I don't drive that much but this video is spot on. I see no brake dust, the rotor and pads lasts forever!!! The only downside I felt was that the stopping power has reduced?
I used ceramic pads on the rear of my F250 and I am really liking them. I ordered a front set earlier today, and then this video popped up. Bed them in properly and there is virtually zero dust, no noise and a nice firm pedal.
Stock setup with Textar pads and BMW rotors all over my e90 328xi feel great, but tons of dust and feel they wear out faster and so do the rotors. Akebono with Meyle zinc coated rotors have almost no dust, but don’t seem as grippy, but still do the job. Also the Meyle rotors have never rusted for anybody wondering about how the coating holds up. This is through almost 2 years in the Midwest winter with salt. Solid setup for a good price especially if you’re gonna DIY.
You should spend a minute or 2 to discuss the 2 letter friction codes on many of the pads you showed. For example, the "FE" pads will tend to have less friction when hot compared to the "FF" pads, which have more similar hot and cold friction.
Thank you! This was the only video I've found that makes the information presented _relatable._ Every other video has gone on about coefficients and what happens if you brake 10 times in quick succession... the relevance of the information they provide seems to be non-existent to me. What I want to know is "does an expensive brake pad do more than just stop me faster?" and you have clearly demonstrated in a completely understandable format that yes, it also buys you less dust and noise, etc. Your little box with the score out of 5 for each feature (cost/dust/etc) is the exact type of straightforward comparison I am looking for and your simple, concise explanations of why they attained that score has produced the perfect results I have been searching for. Thank you for making an entry level explanatory video for everyday consumers, not performance enthusiasts and petrol heads.
Based on FCP Euro's recommendation, I bought the TRW Ultra ceramic brake pads. They are very "well behaved" (smooth and quiet with good stopping power), but they are NOT clean. They leave almost as much black dust as semi-metallic pads. So, if your reason for getting ceramic pads is "low dust" get Akebono instead.
My wife and I purchased a 2001 Chevy Tahoe brand new when our son was born, #3 kid. Anyway, my wife loved the Tahoe and it truly was / is a great family wagon. We live in Ohio and there is a never ending battle with corrosion and driving in wet and slushy roads is a given 250 days of the year. Anyway Cheryl drove from Cincinnati to Cleveland 4 times a week from 2002-04. Then from Cincinnati to Louisville from 04-05. The rest of the years until 2015 she drove it mostly to drop and pickup kids from school and or sports etc. In 2015 we sold the Tahoe with 267,000 miles. The entire reason for this long story is this. We sold the Tahoe with ORIGINAL BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. We sold it to a friend who needs to pull a trailer to “trade shows” around the country. He finally changed the brake pads near 300,000 miles.
Don’t even know what I was looking for but this video is top tier for sure. I’m looking to up my game with my 2020 Honda accord was thinking ceramic might go semi metallic
I needed this. My last couple choices for brake pads have been off. Put Disc Italia on the first time, heard they made F1 brakes so I gave them a shot. Beautiful rotors, warped in 5 k miles. replaced with a a Ferro carbon high performance street pad on a cryo treated G3500 rotor. Stops effing great, squeels like a banchee under very light braking such as pulling into a parking spot. '13 Audi S6. OEM brakes made WAY too much dust and faded quickly when hot. Side note, factory brakes lasted 40K. 10K on Italia and well over 60k now on the G3500 with almost no sign of wear. I think Adams rotors and Hawk ceramic is next in line.
Glad that it was helpful! Brakes are a very personal choice, although you wouldn't expect it. Some compounds and pads are good for one person and their driving, and not another.
I confess I once tried ceramic brake pads on my 2006 Jetta when I still had it. I didn't like them at all! My factory Bosch pads were better. The ceramic was Akebono and must have been one of their lower performance lines of pads. I took them off and went with the OE Bosch pads. They don't have the same bite as a para aramid but they were better than those cursed ceramic ones!
With ceramics I always run drilled and slotted rotors as it helps dissipate the heat. It's a good rule with all brake pads if you can afford the cost. I live in the mountains and I feel like it really helps going down long, steep grades. I also downshift quite a bit as well...
The drill holes are for letting gas between the pads and rotor escape, and minor weight reduction. They increase the likelihood of cracking. The slows clean the pad but also cause more dust. If you feel like they work though.
I'm curious if you've considered installing duct/boot in the lower-half of your grill, and direct that air into the front wheel wells for cooling brake/rotor.
Drilled and slotted rotors are basically useless nowadays... they were used for evacuating gasses due to older brake pad design, but using them with modern pads only reduce their thermal capacity
@@sigmamale4147 Driller rotors are almost a thing of the past. Slotted rotors are vey common in racing applications but not on street ones. Their main advantage is that they manage to keep a clean brake pad surface, which in street usage is not a problem, but when heavy braking is applied all the time a lot of deposits get stuck to the rotor due to the extreme heat.
Yeah drilled discs are obsolete as explained by previous replies. The slots are only beneficial for high-heat on-track driving. A plain, vented disc is the best and is more than enough for today’s on-road brake applications.
I did not know TRW has ceramic now. I always used Akebono ceramic pads. Good to know of another quality brand. Thanks for the informative video. Cheers from West Caost Canada!
Good info. However, uneven pad deposits are a problem with ceramic pads, leading to pulsing and vibration. These deposits are difficult to remove and require new rotors to resolve the vibration and restore normal braking.
I have Akebono Ultra Premium Euro ceramic pads on a BMW X5. They've been great for the least few years. I'll try Powerstop carbon ceramic for next time.
I just installed a set of Power Stop drilled/slotted rotors with carbon/ceramic pads. They are really good. Excellent feel, stopping power and no dust. Fair price too.
Excellent explanation, thanks. I got recommended semi metallic a decade ago at my parts store. They produced copious amounts of that red hard to remove dust stuck to the wheels, and ate my rotors. Never again, ceramics always now.
We are going to do a side by side comparison video coming out soon! Both pads are high quality as we've been testing them both back to back the past few months. Stay tuned!
@@fcpeuro I’m subscribed and hoping to see this soon! I just replaced my front brakes (TRW SEM-MET, 2018 VW GSW) but not liking the dust, so looking for ceramic. I’m aware of akebono, but interested to see how the new TRW ceramic compares. I got 104,000km from the original TRW pads, (rear pads still going strong) so I give props to TRW
We focused on the TRW here because of their availability and some really positive feedback we've been getting on them. The Akebono pad is still available on our site and it's also a great choice!
As the ceramic leader Akebono did not pay for positioning... where TRW felt like getting a piece of the ceramic segment. Usually German brands try to stay below the Japanese businesses they've helped create. I bet TRW is going to be more expensive but with inferior (longevity) results. On the flip side, I bet all the Akebono components are made in Germany by BASF who came up with the technology. 🤘
Hi FCP what would you recommend for a 2016 Kia Soul average driving and I usually buy from the dealer and also that TRW Ultra is it available in Canada? All those you mentioned in the video I don't think I've heard of them in Canada that's why please answer and keep up the good work
Nathan, I have been using Akebono Ceramic with Zimmerman rotors on all my BMWs and Volvos for over 15 years. Decent stopping power and very low dust. They also last a long time for normal driving. Can you recommend a ceramic with better stopping power and similar low dust.
Hey Bob, We’ve been very pleased with the stopping power of the TRW Ultra pads. Some of our more picky in-house testers, including our BMW catalog manager, have been impressed with the braking performance compared to some of the other popular ceramic brands. The combo of their COTEC coating with DTEC ceramic is designed to offer better cold stopping than other ceramics, while maintaining all the other benefits of a typical ceramic.
I usually go with bosch blue or bendix fleet metlok. Both semi metallic. Dirties up the wheels a bit but I like how they perform. Did get some noise with the bosch blues on one vehicle but it was a high miler and the caliper brackets were worn. I've driven lots of vehicles with air brakes so im used to terrible squealing 😂
Informative video! I learned quite a bit of new information. I want to replace the rotors and pads on my 2004 VW Passat 4Motion. I would prefer a bump-up in quality and performance over VW parts. Looking forward to your recommendations.
Great video. I've never read up on brake pad history. Ever since I started paying attention to pads, I happened to have bought EBC Red Stuff. They work great, so I just kept using them. Good to see/learn where in the pads spectrum they fall. 😆
My car is Volkswagen Tiguan, I have to change front break pads and rotors. After watching this video. I decided to take Ceramic Break Pads, but what rotors I have to prefer. Please, Give me your suggestions. 😊
I went with semi metallic ATE rear pads and Ferodo front pads with Zimmerman rotors for my Mercedes 4matic Sport, stopping is fantastic but cannot keep the rims clean. Takes 10 minutes to clean the rims with a bucket of water and car wash soap so I dont mind that much. And I bought everything from FCP so will be free next time I have to replace the brakes.
A lot of great information about break pads and a great presentation. I have a question, though! Are there different types of rotors that match these different break pads? For instance, is there a particular type of rotors that should be fitted with semi-metallic pads?
Hello Nathan, very nice video and informative. I am confused between AKEBONO ACT1384 ProACT Ceramic Pad and BREMBO P30072N NAO Ceramic for my Hyundai. Please suggest which one is better as both are Ceramic. I live in a very cold weather in Canada with lots of snow. Thanks a lot
I am really surprised at the conclusions regarding Ceramic pads. especially since the Akebono ceramic pads I installed on my 1997 Volvo 850 R far outperformed the semi metallic pads both on the street and on the track. Substantially reduced brake fade, and improved recovery. OK, i admit it has been a couple years since I sold the car, but that's what I remember.
Akebono has consistently put out a high quality ceramic pad, but with ceramic compounds being the newest compound on the market its still constantly evolving. Sometimes it isn't until you compare back to back pads to see which does what best.
Be careful because ceramic will dramatically increase the rotors temperature in hard braking... So while they are much more easy to rotors in normal use, they will overheat the rotors if you drive more aggressively...
You probably had AutoZone ceramic pads before. I've had horrible luck with them. I've been forced to use semi metallics due to ceramics warping rotors in my experience
if you are not racing, and for just ordinary everyday use, Akebono pads are the best. OEM factory pads from German car companies produce so much dust, the wheels get covered with black dust only after drving few miles. replace them with Akebono ceramic pads, and wheels stay clean for month.
JInli brake pads also very good. 1. High Safety: Shorter brake distance and high fade performance even at 550 degrees Celsius; 2. Flexibility: Genuine Ceramic formula and Less metal formula can meet different need and Custmized Service available; 3. High Stability: Equal to OE quality, with under layer material, with 2 step pressing process, super quality; 4. Experience: Our company has provided services to over 35 contries.incuding North America, Europe and Japan.
been using ceramic NAO for many many years my 1st pair lasted close to 7 years, it will squeal at low speed braking but very grip at high speed braking but i'd take that over being dusty started using ceramic NAO back when nobody bats an eye on it, nobody searches or know it yet
My Ceramic Duralast Gold Pads smells like hell when I going just half mile down hill (2000 Toyota Sienna). I stopped by Yosemity National Park - Tunnel View and when got out of car I thought that wild fire was near by. Nope! Just my breaks spreading that smell across parking lot. And I got them only on front. But yes, they quiet. And stopping well.
I always used semi-metallic until I bought a used Escape with ceramic. Normally I have to change the pads every 8 months and rotors every 3rd or 4th change. It took 28 months until I had to change the ceramic pads on the Escape and no rotors yet. Also this vid is spot on with the ceramic low dusting characteristic. I used to have to buy a wheel cleaner when I washed my vehicles. Not any more. I'm hooked on ceramic now.
I've switched both trucks I've owned over to a budget friendly Powerstop Z36 "severe duty" kit. AMAZING performance. The Suburban had its stopping distance greatly shortened and while they did get hot on mountain roads, they dissipated that heat very quickly. Carbon-Ceramic pads and drilled rotors really did make a difference, especially for the price.
@darkrulier you do understand that some people drive for a living and put 100s of thousands of miles on a vehicle sooner than the majority of the population.
(Hopefully someone sees) Was looking for biker videos and couldn't find one but came across this. I ended up buying Brembo carbon ceramic. Was this the best choice for 5 day a week use around 40-65mph average speeds and around 50mi a day. Looking for decent stopping power for a heavy 350cc scooter and longevity.
I now feel like a brake pad expert. What's the best choice for a 2001 Toyota Rav4 that's mainly used for commuting to work, errands, and the occasional road trip to car camp? From your video, it seems like ceramic would be the best choice.
I put ceramic pads on my car and took them off the same day 6 years ago... I didn't want to total my car because those things didn't give me a firm pedal.. I had to basically put my foot through the floor like Fred Flintstone to stop my car!!!!!!!!😳😳😳😳... been using cheap semi-metallics with verrrrry little or no noise.. and instantaneous stopping power in rain.. cold or hot weather... my semi metallics do not dust up my rims💪🏾... no cute overpriced ceramic pads for me!!!!!
Got a classic 1959 Triumph. Just fitted semi metallic pads, from Moss Europe so it's the recommended type. Old brakes worked well only changed as been in a few years and have a couple of long (hundreds of miles) trip planned. Bled the system and zero bubbles. Bedded them in to the letter on manufacturer instructions. The disks still rub a fraction if I turn by hand which I think is pretty normal. But braking is noticeably worse. No juddering or pulling, just slower to stop. Any thoughts?
Would be great to see a review on the ATE CERAMIC PADS ... I’ve been using them for 3 years now on my BMW E39 and they are exceptional in every respect.
They do exactly what it says in ATEs marketing material. I like them for road driving. Good solid pedal, good modulation, next to zero dust and last forever. I did however venture onto a brake heavy track with a full set....they didn't like that. Faded and took many normal road miles to recover. Like hundreds of miles.
What would you recommend for street/ track use in a more hotter climate that is good stopping power but is very friendly for daily driving and isn’t super noisy with medium to low brake dust
I will love to know wich brake pads and rotors to buy but to much brands and prices and such a diferent reviews that i don't even know what to pick now
