Brake pad types Q's

[ACCORDianate]

Allright, so its time to finally change out the front pads on the old hoop ride. I went to Auto Zone and they have 3 different kinds of pads (and 3 diff prices too). I think he said they were:

-Cheap-o crap semi-metallic pads - $15
-Nice semi-metallic carbon pads - $30
-Ceramic pads - $50 (all dollar amounts rounded to the nearest five)
-OEM pads from dealer - $60
-AEM & Green Stuff - $80

So:

I understand that the $15 pad is going to be crap and I'll be redoing my brakes in 6 months. OEM is a nice pad thats lasted me 88K.

I thought about getting some AEM pads, but have a hard time coughing up $80 for a set of pads (besides, they're made by the same folks who make the OEM ones- Nissin), and the Green Stuff is a very nice pad, but it is the same situation- $80 and having to wait for 7-10 business days to receive them.

Questions about the ceramic pads:

Life expectancy?

Heat dissipation?

Noise?

Dusting?

Do they eat rotors?

Any input would be appreciated on the ceramic pads.

[accordztech]

the harder the pad the longer it will last.

ceramics will last a while, aem and green stuff is the same but a little higher rated... i run some ceramics right now and they have less brake dust. it takes a bit to warm up, like 2 stops to fully stop right but after that the high temp stopping powre is good

semi metallics have a little more brake dust but works well when its just cold and when warm...not the racing type of pad though...

OEM is now semi metallics. they used to be ceramics but not any more so i dont know how they will last, i hated them on my car

carbon metallic is a crap load of dust but brakes good.

chepo pads stay away from they are usuallyy organic or something and just are not good for HEAT!

in all my ceramics made by raybestos costs 50 bucks...pretty cheap. im satisfied...OH ceramics have no noise due to no metal in them...semi metallics will have some noise. carbon metallics have no noise i thnk

[ACCORDianate]

Ok, now what i've heard from posting a similar thread on other boards is that the ceramic pads will outlast a rotor and actually eat the rotor up.

Any truth to that statement?

[accordztech]

its a harder pad, the harder the pad the more harsh it is on the rotor. semi metallic on the other hand is good for the rotor cause it balances stopping power and wear on the rotor. semi metallics have metal in it that will pick away at the rotor.

though ceramics have no metals in it but it is a harder pad...

sacrafice some life of the rotor for good braking. but i think the life expectancy isnt that bad....ceramics will last a while...tehy were honda oem and as you described lasted you 80k. and your rotors are fine, well not now honda has switched to semi metallics.

but i think the life is like semi metallics at lets say 5 years, and ceramics at 4 years....barley much.

i dont mind ceramics i just hate semi metallics cause of the once in a while squeek

http://members.aol.com/carleyware/library/ceramic.htm

if my info differs from that page then im getting old! haha

[ACCORDianate]

Originally posted by accordztech
sacrafice some life of the rotor for good braking. but i think the life expectancy isnt that bad....ceramics will last a while...tehy were honda oem and as you described lasted you 80k. and your rotors are fine, well not now honda has switched to semi metallics.

We did the brakes last night and went with the carbon-metallic pads at roughly $40.

The old pads were down to less than 1/16 of an inch and badly gouged the backs of the rotors. Next brake job will involve changing the rotors. It took all day's worth of driving to seat the pads. The car stops rather nicely now.

Oh, and we broke a 17mm Craftsman socket trying to loosen the bolts on the backs of the calipers.

[HondaFan81]

Have fun changing the rotors...it's a doozy. Been there, done that on two different 4th gens. Them gouges on your rotor will eat up your pads, just watch. I would have changed the rotors if you had time.

[accordztech]

sand down the rotor for now just a bit...

haha changing rotors..thats fun hahah...lol i done it like 20 times still a pain but it gets to be a cycle.