C54U2NV

Does anyone have any thoughts to which of the following brake pads are best?
* Raybestos Quiet Stop Ceramic pads
* ACDelco Durastop Ceramic Wave II Brake Pads

Ken Fitchner has all parts 10% off at this time so I want to get them before the sale ends (through July) if in fact they are a worth while investment over the stock brake pads:
ACDelco Durastop Ceramic Wave II Brake Pads
Noise Suppression: 100% shimmed, 100% slotted, 100% chamfered. AC Delco Durastop provides ultra-quiet braking due to the absence of iron and steel fibers in the friction formulation.
Durability: Ceramic friction lasts longer than other non-ceramic friction.
Low Dusting: AC Delco Durastop Ceramic Friction was specially developed to reduce the ANNOYING dust that is typically found in ordinary friction formulations.
Warranty: AC Delco Durastop Ceramic Friction will provide a limited lifetime warranty.
These are available for many different GM models in addition to Corvettes!!

GM Durastop Ceramic Wave II Brake Pads
Front Set(4 pads) Forum member price $98.85 (Sale $88.97)
Rear Set(4 pads) Forum member price $70.78 (Sale $63.70)
(Total $152.68)


Pep Boys Auto Part Store:
Raybestos Quiet Stop pads
Front Set(4 pads) $89.99
Rear Set(4 pads) $69.99
Sub Total: $159.98
Tax: $9.60 (6% MI)
Total: $169.58




[Modified by C54U2NV, 10:04 PM 7/12/2002]

Mike Mercury

I seen pics of the Delco pads, then bought the Raybestos. They looked identical... even the backing pads were in the same packaging. Is it possible they are all made by the same manufacturer?

ncvetteman

I doubt few people have ran both to give you a compairson. I've heard good things about both. I would go with Raybestos.. I've always been fond of the brand and thing it would be as good or better. They are normally cheaper to, not the case here... but you can just pick them up locally and pay shipping.

Charley Hoyt

I tried the Raybestos Ceramic pads and took them off after about two weeks and went back to the stock pads. The ceramic pads have good and bad points. Dispite what everyone says...they are not dustless. The ceramic dust is a lighter (tan) color then the black dust from the stock pads. The lighter color dust is a little less obvious...but it is still noticeable. The ceramic pads do not stop you as quickly as the stock pads...but in reality, unless you race, they both do an adequate job. The main reason I changed back to stock is that the ceramic pads heated my disks up more then the stock pads and I was worried about the extra heat causing my disks to warp quicker then they already do.

Hope this helps.

vstella

I just bought the Ceramic wave II from Ken Ficner..Good looking pad..I'll post the results when they are installed..:D

Mike Mercury

I did white-glove type testing on my front ceramics. They have always been less coated than my rears (the rears still have OEM pads). And since the rear brake dust was acceptable to me, getting the fronts to just match the rears (and they are actually better) was my goal.
Agreed they are not 100% "dustless". The manufacturer doesn't even make this claim. But saying "greatly reduced brake dust", IMO... is exactly what the ceramics accomplish.

I didn't know that the ceramics heated the rotors any more than the OEM pads. What source did you get that info from... now I'm curious as well?

vettvert

I love my Raybestos QS Pads! Way less dust than stock, and after my first couple of drives the difference in stopping power, as compared to stock, becomes less and less noticeable. Unless you go racing every weekend, I would highly recommend these pads!

Face

I use the QS's on all my cars, best pads I've ever used.

DanC5

A shop was telling me they are the same, and that I could get the drilled and slotted rotors and ceramic pads from their raybestos dealer much cheaper than a chevy dealer's ac delco prices. But then I showed him Ken Fichtner's prices and he couldn't touch them. He said they are the same parts.. that raybestos is the manufacturer.

Don't know for sure, just what I was told. Anyway, Ken's prices are apparently very good.

chocoholic

Unless Ken's going to throw in free shipping, I think you may come out ahead at http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/ as they have the Durastop front and rear sets for $145 including shipping. You might want to call them to see if they'll deal on the shipping too.

Mike Mercury

I usually buy from Fichtner exclusively... but was in a bind for time and needed the pads instantly. Since I have convinced myself the Raybestos pads and the Delco offerings were the same; I drove to PepBoys and bought the front pads for $79 (the rears were selling for $59)