Replacement Brake Pads
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,793
Likes: 58
From: God's Country The Old Dominion
Replacement Brake Pads
It's about time to replace the pads on my '96. Napa has ceramic and replacement of OEM but I don't know which way to go. For regular around town driving what should I buy? Any ideas on the best price? Thanks in advance.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
all comes down to cost. if you aren't out hot rodding the car and pushing a normal pad past its limits your options are many. the napa ceramics aren't bad at all for the first couple stops. i actually use a very similar pad on my daily driver.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,793
Likes: 58
From: God's Country The Old Dominion
What about after the first couple?
Pro
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 506
Likes: 12
From: Savannah GA
they start heading south...
Pads all have trade offs. Most street pads have good cold stopping power and drop off pretty quick.
Pads that can stand up to real heat will scare you to death on a cold morning! They just won't work until they heat up and a lot of them dust like crazy.
I have some carbotech Bobcat pads, I got a deal on them with some cheap rotors when I put J55 brakes on. They have good cold manners and I haven't had them get spongy on the street and they don't dust bad at all.
Almost any pad will do on the street. The better pads will have more hardware with them and shims on the back. What this will get you is quiet brakes. The ceramics make less dust. High on the list for street cars.
I'll add another vote for GM pads if you want consistant, quiet and long lasting.
If you want to know about prices look at Rockauto.com
For how long pads last price is last reason to buy a pad.
JS
Pads all have trade offs. Most street pads have good cold stopping power and drop off pretty quick.
Pads that can stand up to real heat will scare you to death on a cold morning! They just won't work until they heat up and a lot of them dust like crazy.
I have some carbotech Bobcat pads, I got a deal on them with some cheap rotors when I put J55 brakes on. They have good cold manners and I haven't had them get spongy on the street and they don't dust bad at all.
Almost any pad will do on the street. The better pads will have more hardware with them and shims on the back. What this will get you is quiet brakes. The ceramics make less dust. High on the list for street cars.
I'll add another vote for GM pads if you want consistant, quiet and long lasting.
If you want to know about prices look at Rockauto.com
For how long pads last price is last reason to buy a pad.
JS
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,700
Likes: 298
From: Ft. Lauderdale Fl
I also have a 96' and would recommend Hawk HPS pads. They have a great bite, work well with heat and don't dust that much.: Check the rotors and make sure they are within spec.(rotors are cheap)
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,642
Likes: 5
From: One day you're a Comet...the next day you're dust... Arkansas
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Racer
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 336
Likes: 3
From: State of Confusion
Pro
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 538
Likes: 0
From: Orlando FL
I got the ceramics from Napa and wasn't happy. After taking them on and off several times and doing everything imaginable, they still had a squeal to them. Go with Hawks HPS or Hawks Ceramics. They are both a really good pad.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 538
Likes: 0
From: Orlando FL
Well I got Hawks Ceramics from a place out on the west coast called BSI Brakes. Purchased with rotors, they had group buy going on the forum here a few months back. I've seen them on other sites as well. Check Summit or Jegs?
Racer
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 336
Likes: 3
From: State of Confusion
NAPA doesn't do much badly, but brakes is something that they struggle with. I used their pads on my Tahoe and the squealing doesn't bother me to bad, but the break dust was horrific! I thought I was driving an Expedition instead of a Tahoe.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,226
Likes: 9
From: Irvine Ca
I got mine for ~$20 each front and rear from Kragen online.
Pretty happy with both so far.
Cheapest they had for $21.48 fronts and almost the same for the rears.
The store only had a pair for $59ish.
Pretty happy with both so far.
Cheapest they had for $21.48 fronts and almost the same for the rears.
The store only had a pair for $59ish.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 747
Likes: 93
From: Marietta, GA