Brake Pad Set

Brake pads are a consumable part of your car's braking system. They are essentially steel backing plates that have friction material bound to their surfaces.

What do brake pads do?

Brake pads are installed on a caliper, with their friction surfaces facing the brake disc. When you step on the brake pedal, the caliper squeezes the disc with the brake pads. This contact between the pads and the surface of the rotor generates the friction that is necessary to slow down and stop your vehicle.

How do you know when your brake pads need to be replaced?

The most common sign that your brake pads need to be replaced is a squealing or screeching sound made by the brakes. This sound is made by a thin piece of soft metal in the pad that rubs against the brake disc when the pad gets too thin. If you own a more expensive car, you probably have an electronic sensor that will tell you when you need to get new brake pads.

What type of brake pads to get for your car?

There are several kinds of brake pads available in the market today, with their biggest difference being the type of material that they are made of. The type of pads that you get will affect braking performance, brake pedal feel, and braking distances.

Before you choose brake pads, you should consider how you're going to use your car, the way that you drive, and the level of performance that you want to get out of your brakes.

If you simply want to recapture the old braking performance of your vehicle, then we recommend that you get the same type of pads that originally came with your car.

To minimize brake noise and prolong rotor life, non-asbestos organic pads are ideal.

For heavy-duty performance, such as track or road racing, we suggest that you get semi-metallic pads. They provide excellent braking performance, although they produce a significant amount of noise.

For better brake feel and shorter braking distances, we recommend that you go for ceramic brake pads. They are pricier, yes, but they are far more resistant to brake fade, they operate quietly, they consistently provide excellent brake feel, and they produce relatively light-colored brake dust that isn't as noticeable on your wheels.

What to look for in brake pads?

Always look for Brake Effectiveness Evaluation Procedures (BEEP) or Differential Effectiveness Analysis (D3EA) Certification when searching for brake pads.

We recommend that you get products only from trusted and established brands. You may pay a premium for these products, but at least you can be assured of excellent performance, quality, and durability.

Brake pads are a consumable part of your car's braking system. They wear out over time and must be regularly replaced. You can get a mechanic to replace your pads or you can just do it yourself to save some money.

Here are the tools you will need and the steps to follow to replace the brake pads on your vehicle.

Difficulty level: Moderate

Tools needed:

• Jack stands
• Lug wrench
• Socket wrench set
• C-clamp
• Hammer
• Small bungee cord

Reminders:

Before you begin, make sure your car is raised and supported by jack stands and not just jacks. The jacks may give, which could crush you while you are under the car.

Also, take note that you will need to remove several nuts, bolts, and screws for this project. Put them away in a safe place and in an orderly manner. You won't want to lose any of those.

Step 1: Using the lug wrench, loosen your wheel's lug nuts. Remove them and slowly slide your wheel off. Set it aside for now.

Step 2: You now have to remove the brake caliper. Feel around the back of the caliper for two or more bolts. Use the socket wrench to loosen and remove these bolts. Grab the top of the caliper and gently pull it away. If it won't move, tap it very lightly with the hammer. Set it down on the floor or use the short bungee cord to hang it.

Step 3: Take note of how the pads are attached to the caliper. We suggest you take a picture of the assembly that you can use as a guide when putting things back together again. The old pads should slide right off. If they don't, look for tabs or clips that may be keeping them in place and remove those as well. Slide the new caliper in place.

Step 4: Before putting the caliper back in place, use the c-clamp to reset the position of the piston or pistons that push the brake pads toward the brake disc. Place the end of the clamp with the screw against the piston and the other end of the clamp behind the caliper assembly. Gently tighten the clamp until you move the piston back to its original position.

Step 5: Place the caliper assembly back in its place and secure it by tightening the bolts. Press the brake pedal a few times to test the brake pressure. Put everything else back in place and lower the car.

Just repeat the steps for each of your car's wheels, and you'll be good to go with a new set of brake pads.