Brake Pad

Are you ready to change your worn brake pads? Replace your worn-out Brake Pads at KGCAR.PH, the Philippines Online Auto Parts Store. Depending on the disc brake system and your driving habits, they may be in fair condition, or it may be time for them to be replaced. Brake pads create friction in disc brake systems. When you press the brake pedal, your vehicle slows down because the pads squeeze on the rotor. Kinetic energy from your vehicle is converted to heat energy as the situation unfolds. As the friction material wears, it becomes less effective at slowing or stopping your vehicle, and as you can imagine, this means it may take longer to stop your vehicle. If brake pads are worn too far, they will need to be replaced because they are diminishing the vehicle’s brake performance and may damage the rotors.

Brake Pad Replacement Intervals and Factors

The service life of brake pads is influenced by type, driving conditions, and the car. Some pads may last more than 50,000 miles. Other brake pads may only last under maximum usage as little as 20,000 miles, so it is hard to pinpoint. Normally, brake pads should be replaced if:

• Friction material below 3 mm thick
• Braking performance will be followed by an obvious reduction
• Audible wear indicators will give out a very high-pitched sound
• Vibration occurs when braking
• The dashboard warning lights will come on (if equipped with sensors)

Hard braking, towing, and stop-and-go driving accelerate pad wear. Highway driving tends to be less demanding on pads than urban driving.

Choosing the Right Brake Pads for Your Vehicle

Use vehicle-specific guides or OE part lookup tools to find matching components. Match the brake pad to your driving style:

Always check packaging or documentation for compatibility with ABS, electronic brake systems, or pad wear sensors.

Symptoms of Bad Brake Pads and Related Risks

Ignoring worn brake pads, you run the risk of causing damage to your rotors and calipers, as well as paying for more expensive repairs. There are many ways worn brake pads can present themselves to you, including:

• A Squealing Noise: The most common reason for these is from wear indicators and/or glazed pad or rotor surfaces.
• A Grinding Noise: It can mean you have used all of the pad material, and the metal is contacting the rotor.
• Pedal Vibration: can be caused by uneven pad wear or warped rotors.
• A brake warning light: In some situations, the vehicle can be designed with sensors that notify the driver when pad replacement is needed.

By driving with compromised brake pads, your safety margins are decreasing and you will have increased stopping distances.

Types of Brake Pads and Their Differences

Choosing the right type of brake pad depends on driving style, vehicle use, and environmental conditions. Each compound offers trade-offs in performance, durability, and noise.

Semi-Metallic Brake Pads

• Composition: Metal fibers, graphite, and fillers
• Pros: Good heat dissipation, strong performance
• Cons: Noisier, may wear rotors faster

Ceramic Brake Pads

• Composition: Ceramic compounds and copper fibers
• Pros: Low dust, quiet operation, stable under heat
• Cons: Higher cost, less effective in very cold conditions

Organic (Non-Asbestos Organic – NAO)

• Composition: Rubber, glass, resin, and other fibers
• Pros: Soft and quiet, minimal rotor wear
• Cons: Shorter lifespan, not ideal for high-performance driving

Low-Metallic NAO

• Composition: Organic base with copper or steel
• Pros: Improved braking over standard organic pads
• Cons: Slightly more noise and dust

Brake Pad Fitment and Compatibility

Brake pads aren’t universal. Every vehicle requires specific shapes and friction materials that must be matched to the specific vehicle’s braking system. Some of the compatibility items include:

• Rotor size and design,
• Caliper types,
• Pad backing plate specifications,
• Friction material ratings (e.g., EE, FF, GG).

Even if the brake pads fit your vehicle, the retrofit installation must match the manufacturer’s torque specifications and bedding specifications to ensure that there is full contact and the brake pads perform as expected.

Common Mistakes in Brake Pad Maintenance

• Replacing only one axle’s pads
• Not checking rotor condition or thickness
• Skipping lubrication on caliper guide pins
• Improper torque of bolts or wheel lugs
• Ignoring bedding-in instructions