Friction materials have evolved significantly over the years. Brake pads were originally made with organic ingredients such as asbestos and carbon, held together by a strong resin. Asbestos brake linings were used because it was heat-resistant to the intense friction and heat produced in braking. They've gone from asbestos to organic to semi-metallic formulations. Each of these materials has proven to have advantages and disadvantages. Some of those advantages and disadvantages are noise, wear, stopping capability and environmental friendliness. The use of asbestos was eventually banned by the US government. There are still some non-metallic or organic brake pads sold today.

Asbestos pads caused health issues and organic compounds can't always meet a wide range of braking requirements, such as high performance driving. Unfortunately the steel strands used in semi-metallic pads to provide strength and conduct heat away from rotors also generate noise and tend to cut up rotors as well. At Carbotech, we felt this kind of friction materials were not the best solution, and we decided to develop something that was better in performance and better for the entire braking system. That’s when Carbotech decided 14 years ago to take a path not taken by any other brake pad manufacturer.

Friction materials that contain ceramic formulations have become recognized for their desirable blend of traits. Ceramic compounds use copper fibers (amongst other materials) in place of the semi-metallic pad's steel fibers. This allows the ceramic pads to handle higher brake temperatures with less heat fade, and provide faster recovery after the heavy braking.

Another characteristic that makes Carbotech-Ceramic™ materials attractive is the absence of noticeable dust. All brake pads produce dust as they wear. Carbotech-Ceramic™ compound ingredients produce a light colored dust that is much less noticeable and less likely to stick to the wheels. On that same note, all Carbotech compounds produce a 100% non-corrosive dust that can usually be rinsed off with a hose.

Ceramic compounds extend brake life compared to most other semi-metallic and organic materials, and at the same time they outlast other premium pad materials by a significant margin, without compromising in noise control, pad life, and all around braking performance.

Most brake pads sold today are considered semi-metallic, semi-metallic brake pads use brass, copper, and steel wool shavings held together by a resin. Unfortunately the main drawback about the use of steel strands, iron, graphite, and small amounts of filer and friction modifiers (used to provide strength and conduct heat away from the rotors) is that the metal shavings and iron must rub against steel rotors every time the brakes are applied. This can also generates a lot more noise and are a lot more abrasive on the rotors. It also creates corrosive dust that can damage your braking system as well as the paint on your wheels and car.

 

Thanks for the information! I will be trying Carbotechs for the first time on my race car next year. I would like to try them on my DD as well the next time they need to be changed.

 

Give me a call I will be happy to help

 

Yeah, what he said.

 

Put a set of AC Delco Ceramics on about three years ago. Gosh were they expensive! and I mean really expensive! However, not one squeal or any brake dust compared to all the others I have tried. After all these years I am sold.

 

I've installed more sets of brakes than I care to mention. You get what you pay for when it comes to brakes. You can skimp on a lot of stuff, but if you cannot stop, well....

It NEVER pays to cheap out on the brakes.

Since I'm here, Adam, what compound would you recommend to me, I see some auto-x, drag strip (stopping from 109 or so, lots of run off room), and street use. Now where near wearing out the pads/rotors on the car, but for future reference. I'd think the 1521 or the AX6 would be best. Think I might go for the AX6, as I rarely drive the car when it is less than 40 or so out. Most of the time it is 50+.

 

I just had occasion to try some ceramics on my C4 at Putnam last month. Since my track car was unavailable I tried to run a few laps with the LT4 that I use on the street only. Although the ceramics (hawk) work well on the street and do not dust, they were terrible on the track. I thought they were on fire from the smell on the second lap into T1. Every lap they smelled bad between T1 and T2. I had used them on the street for a couple of years so they were well broken in. Perhaps a more track oriented ceramic might work better.

 

Let me guess HPS or HP+? For folks with lots of track time these are not good.

I run XP12/10 combo on my track car. I've run XP10/8 and the old Panther pads on the street. Both were a little dusty and the XP are a little noisy occasionally. If I get the big brake package I'll be trying different front pads again

Adam - Why no love for the V6 Camaro?? I just bought a 2012 and even on the street those stock pads are not confidence inspiring. Shoot my big box Tahoe's stock brakes are better, and they have 40K miles on them.

 

Hawk only makes one ceramic. For the track C5Z, I like DTC 70's. As I said, the Hawk ceramics on the '96 work well on the street, but not the track. Perhaps Carbo's have a better ceramic for track. Do all carbo's use ceramic?

 

The AX6 will be a good choice for your needs. The 1521 will work also for you but in the auto x the ax6 will have more bite.

 

Call me I will be happy to make you a set of pads for the Camaro.

 

Only Carbotech uses a proprietary Ceramic and Metallic brake construction, not the carbon and iron used in conventional brake systems. All our compounds are ceramic based.

It was over eight years ago that Carbotech started building brake pads out of Ceramic, Kevlar, and Carbon for street, autocross and racing applications. Carbotech is the only brake pad manufacturer in the world with a complete line of Ceramic compounds for street, autocross, and track use. Carbotech-Ceramic compounds are known for their unsurpassed release & modulation, while maintaining very consistent torque control characteristics. Carbotech brake pads are extremely rotor friendly and contain 100% non-corrosive brake dust, that’s something that has been unmatched by any other brake pad in the industry.

 

Not for an imeadiate buy but over the winter as there are still driving days left so really do not want to waste one wrenching on a weekend if it is nice out.
Here is what I have J55 upgrade with calipers bought used and I rebuilt, NAPA rebuilt master cylinder with a DRM bias spring I installed and rear calipers from NAPA Hawk HPS pads all the way around on new GM rotor and new stainless brake liness. A company on the west coast rebuilt my OEM brake booster as all the replacements had the wrong length pedal rod as a booster from an 89 back will not correctly fit a 90-92 and have documented that here and with 2 booster rebuilders and they could not or would not provide the correct part with the correct length pedal rod.
The car stops very well but completely lacks pedal feel intial bite seems very low to me unless you get on them pretty good and then you might grab more brake than you really wanted though has never set off the abs on a dry road and straight line stop, the ABS works as i have set it off on wet roads from time to time.

What I want is what I have in my 2002 Pontiac GP, the brakes seem soft and light at first and as you grab more brake get firmer progressively and the trasition seems to be over 1 inch or so of pedal travel. The Corvette a much firmer initial feel on the pedal without the starting out very light. IS this pads hydraulic system as in piston sizes in calipers vs master cylinder the bias spring or bad parts. FWIW the brake dust is 3X more on front at least with almost zero on rear wheels. i do not think it is the ABS as it did not act this way until I did all the 'upgrades'.

I am up for suggestions especially with a braking system guy in on this thread.
Dave

 

Thats what drives me crazy in my Camaro - that almost 1" of travel before it acts like its braking! Wife's 04 Corvette and our 11 Tahoe don't have it! I want them to start working like those cars. The race car is another story, but lets stay on street manners.
Wife's 04 has HPS on all 4 corners and one thing I've noticed is when the rotors were changed at the same time as the pads that initial bite wasn't there until she had driven it a few days. I now firmly beleive you need to do some bedding with street pads. Take it out to an empty parking lot and do a few 30/40 mph to 5mph stops - get the brakes hot.
I've got 200 miles now on the Camaro and the brakes feel better (remember when put on the brakes I want to feel it working without too much pedal travel) maybe its because I'm getting used to them. I know when I drove the Tahoe the other day the comaparison was closer.
OBTW - even with the bias spring the rear brakes don't do a lot of work. On the race car I go through two or three sets of fronts before the rears need replaced.

 

I have 5k miles on the pads/rotors played the bedding in game several times. That seems to help for a short period of time if that is some sort of clue. Every off ramp on the interstate around here does the bedding in as if you slow to 30 mph for the entire length of the ramp you will get rear ended. Glad to hear about your good results though.

 

i think next summer when i do my pads all around i'll order a set of Carbotech pads. they seem to be a very good route to go. i've been considering ceramic pads for some time now. i had a friend that would run them exclusively and i remember that there was some dusting but that the dusting had a hint of a pink tint to it and would wash away with water. i'm sold on the quality and durability of the ceramic brake pad.

 

Prior to my useing Carbotech pads at the drag strip - my car would occasionally push through the light while using my 2 step and dual line locks. After discussing this with Carbotech a set of brakes were recommended and since installation I have not red lighted due to pushing through the light.

The pads do make a lot of dust and can be noisy on the street but it is easy to clean and easily stops my car from 125 in the quarter.

I was one of the first drag racers to use Carbotech pads - I read about them in autocross and thought I would give them a call. That was 5 years ago and 2 sets of pads later.

 

I understand what you are saying, but I want to point out that those pads are pretty good and an advancement in technology from the old days. I run the HP+ on my street/track car (I dont like to monkey around w/ changing pads). It is squeaky on the street when cold and dusts a lot, but thats a small price to pay to keep myself and my passenger safe on a supercharged vette

I know that you use your car as more of a race-only car so, for 100% track use, theres probably something better.


however, for the weekend-warrior types I can speak that the HP+ is a great pad and more-than-adequete to run an autocross or single lap type nelson-ledges road course event.

Now maybe if you were tracking a heavier car (ex. 600 lbs heavier pontiac GTO), with more demands on the braking system, HP+ would wimp-out quickly.