How do ceramic brake pads perform compared to OEM?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 590
Likes: 0
From: Saratoga CA
How do ceramic brake pads perform compared to OEM?
The title sys it all. I know the ceramics don't generate disk like the OEMs do, I am interested in those of you who have switched to ceramics and can comment on their performance. Thanks.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,891
Likes: 4
From: North Port Fl
I changed out my brake system with only 5k miles on the car, so I didn't have a lot of time on the stock stuff to compare. Went with red calipers, D & S rotors, Ceramic pads and SS hoses. I haven't noticed any difference between stock pads and ceramic as far as stopping power or distance. I have Satisfied Brands performance ceramic pads. Most people say there is less dust but they don't perform as well. I haven't noticed that. Dust is less but haven't really noticed any degradation in stopping performance.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 4,812
Likes: 46
From: Taylorsville North Carolina
I have the ceramics for street. They stop as good as what was on there before. It is only after the 3rd or 4th hard stop within a short time do they fail. For most street driving the do fine, don't dust or squeal. No way would I use them on the track though.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 7,727
Likes: 7
From: Twilight zone
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Ceramics will generate more heat,therefore more fade,but only really noticeable unless you have high speed stops frequently. Or,in one example I remember,going down a steep grade for several miles at a time and at a good clip,you could see some brake fade.Just be aware it could be there and account for it in those instances,and you will be fine
Last edited by flynbya2; Sep 3, 2009 at 11:34 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 21
From: Waldorf MD
I ran GM Ceramics and they were terrible, I took them off early. They required much more force to stop and they WARPED my rotors !
I now run HAWK HPS, they dust less than OEM pads and stop better than ZO6 pads.
I now run HAWK HPS, they dust less than OEM pads and stop better than ZO6 pads.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 58,510
Likes: 1,842
From: Oklahoma City OK
C6 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
I don't really race my car, they say the stopping distance is farther with ceramics. I've had both and on the street I don't notice a difference.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 452
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio TX
I thought I read on this site that the Hawk HPS IS used for the Z06?
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,487
Likes: 4
From: WA
whenever I take out my track pads, AC Delco ceramics go in. this is a very good street pad for the money although intial bite/torque is nothing compared to the pads I use on the track. I bought a set over 2 years ago and still use it.
in order to generate enough heat on the street to cause them to fade you would have to do something insane, like half a dozen 60-0 panic stops within a couple of minutes or drag the brakes going downhill for a long time (just use a different gear or cycle the brakes allowing them to cool down
)
i actually had to use ac delco ceramic pads in the rear for a couple of track days this winter, they held up OK, I would not run when them in the front though, but that applies to any ceramic compound.
in my experience, no pads out there on the market for these car will "warp the rotors" unless there is something else wrong with the system (rotors have unusual wear pattern when the new pad is installed, caliper binds on one side, rotor is impregnated with several pad compund materials, rotor/pad surface is contaminated, etc). I maintain my brakes on a monthly basis and I have run close to a dozen different compounds at this point - I have never seen a warped rotor.
in order to generate enough heat on the street to cause them to fade you would have to do something insane, like half a dozen 60-0 panic stops within a couple of minutes or drag the brakes going downhill for a long time (just use a different gear or cycle the brakes allowing them to cool down
)i actually had to use ac delco ceramic pads in the rear for a couple of track days this winter, they held up OK, I would not run when them in the front though, but that applies to any ceramic compound.
in my experience, no pads out there on the market for these car will "warp the rotors" unless there is something else wrong with the system (rotors have unusual wear pattern when the new pad is installed, caliper binds on one side, rotor is impregnated with several pad compund materials, rotor/pad surface is contaminated, etc). I maintain my brakes on a monthly basis and I have run close to a dozen different compounds at this point - I have never seen a warped rotor.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 21
From: Waldorf MD
As for my GM Ceramic Pads "warping" my rotors, I am well aware of some people who say, "rotors never warp, they just get brake pad deposits on them". I tried to "fix" my pulsating rotors by doing hard stops several times, it did not work. Maybe my rotors just wore out while using the Ceramic pads? I had 115,675 miles on the rotors ! In a previous post, several other people said ceramics "warped" their rotors also.
Last edited by Oldvetter; Sep 3, 2009 at 03:11 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 4,326
Likes: 140
From: Weatherford, TX
I dumped the Z06 pads for ceramic about 20K miles ago. I hated the high dust and squealing around town, even for the sake of "performance". I used the stuff Autozone carries in stock. The ceramics do fine for stopping me at the track from nearly 150mph. They feel different but I can still stop well. Almost no dust and never squeals. But if I went to a road course, I would want performance pads on.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,473
Likes: 356
From: Palmdale, Ca----- 2009 Cyber Gray 4LT A6 F55 452 RWHP 422 RWTQ- RIP 1998 C5 734 RWHP & 585 RWTQ-----
They make "LESS" dust and have less braking force!
IMHO - I'd go with the C5 Z06 Pads, they work great! I use them and have no issues, great braking force!
Thanks,Matt
IMHO - I'd go with the C5 Z06 Pads, they work great! I use them and have no issues, great braking force!
Thanks,Matt
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 12,742
Likes: 43
From: Color my life with the chaos of trouble.
I switched to Hawk Ceramics on my 02 Z06 and have never noticed a bit of difference (except for WAY less dust). Mine is a daily driver at about 20k miles a year.
The brakes on the track car... different story.
The brakes on the track car... different story.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 20,030
Likes: 289
From: Wylie TX --> Less is More, except under the hood !
My car is a weekend street car only. Just cruising around, no racing... I put on the GM ceramics and after the wear in period I had no more dust. I did not feel a reduction in performance. Likely cause i don't drive really hard.
Toque
Toque
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 13,760
Likes: 75
From: Haymarket VA
I hated everything about the ceramics on my car - the sound, the feel, the braking. I took them off after about 1k miles and threw them in the trash. I run Hawk HPS now and will never look back.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,421
Likes: 8
From: Lake Mary Florida
I ran AC Delco DuraStop (ceramics), on my 93 C4. They replaced the Hawk HPS. The Hawks were better then the OEM pads, but too much dust, the DuraStops were a much improvement over the Hawks both in dust, stopping and fade. During the burnish process right after each were installed, by stop number 18 the Hawks were fading fast, but the DuraStop were still going strong through stop 20.
When my C5's OEM set goes I'll be replacing them with AC Delco DuraStop pads.
Both pads were equally quiet, the DuraStops provided a much smooth stop during normal operation.
When my C5's OEM set goes I'll be replacing them with AC Delco DuraStop pads.
Both pads were equally quiet, the DuraStops provided a much smooth stop during normal operation.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 4,326
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From: Weatherford, TX
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,437
Likes: 59
From: Bay Area (Danville) CA
I also like the ceramics over stock pads. Mainly because they are silent! But the braking feels great to me. My vette is a daily driver and dont do any track stuff. I also use ceramics on my wifes car, my moms truck, etc,. and they are all silent and all feel like they have sufficient stopping power.
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 30,317
Likes: 165
From: Reading PA
With all due respect, no one will ever convince me that any brake pad warps any rotor.
GM rotors warp if you breathe on them. It has nothing to do with the brake pad lol.
Pic a GM car, it has issues with warping rotors. I buy a new GM car on average 1 every 1 to 2 years, and every single one of them have had warped rotors.
GM rotors warp if you breathe on them. It has nothing to do with the brake pad lol.
Pic a GM car, it has issues with warping rotors. I buy a new GM car on average 1 every 1 to 2 years, and every single one of them have had warped rotors.