Brakes: Part 5 (Quality brake parts)

What brands can be trusted? There are many manufacturers that make great products, and finding them is sometimes hit or miss. When I first purchased my shop, the previous owners were using AutoZone’s Duralast Gold product because it costs about half as much as other products. Although it is sold as a ceramic pad, it is only a partial ceramic, semi-metallic pad. About 30% of our clients were coming back to complain about brake noise. To solve the problem, the owners were applying a product called ‘Stop Squeal‘ to the back of the brake pad. The gel, or paste, absorbs vibration and sound and would temporarily eliminate the noise. However, it was a temporary fix until the paste washed off and the noise began again. Don’t let your mechanic use this stuff. Its not bad, but does not solve the problem properly.
We switched to using either Bendix or Wagner products and just about completely eliminated this problem. I say ‘just about’ because every vehicle is different. Every now and then we would experience rear brake noise on mini-vans (Chrysler products, in particular) using Bendix pads. So, we would replace them with Wagners. Some vehicles call for using either an organic, semi-metallic, or ceramic pad. Many imports call for an organic pad, and will make noise with anything different. Large vehicles, like trucks, almost always can benefit from ceramic pads, especially in front. Between 70%-90% of the stopping power on a vehicle is handled by the front brakes, since the momentum of a braking vehicle transfers almost completely to the front. So, you can get away with a ceramic product up front, and a semi-metallic product in the rear with no problems. You may want to find out what product your mechanic uses for their friction material and do some research on it. Also ask what line they use. Each manufacturer makes a good/better/best category. Again, sometimes the use of one or the other will depend on the application. If the manufacturer calls for organic, use organic. Any vehicle that calls for a semi-metallic pad can be upgraded to a ceramic. A ceramic pad produces little brake dust and can dissipate heat better. They will last longer and are less prone to heat damage.

The same goes for rotors and drums. Many parts suppliers (AutoZone, O’Reilly) carry their particular brand (Bendix, Duralast, etc.) but they also carry a “house” brand. This is a product that is made according to the same specifications as the original equipment but may or may not be of the same quality. In general, we have found it okay to use the house brand for these parts. The higher grades might be reserved for someone who doesn’t mind spending a little extra to get higher quality, or for situations that might require it. Toyota trucks are notorious for warped rotors and greatly benefit from higher quality parts. If my client carries heavy loads or hauls a trailer, I would strongly recommend a better rotor or drum. We have always found that a quality pad makes the biggest difference in our client’s satisfaction.

If calipers, boosters, or master cylinders need to be replaced, opt for a remanufactured part if it is available. When shops buy these parts they always have to return the core, as they are rebuilt and resold. To date, our shop has never had a problem with remanufactured brake parts and they save our client quite a bit of money (many times, new parts are not even available). There are some places that will actually rebuild these parts at their shop, but it is unusual because it is time consuming and cheaper to just sell a reman product.