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| Choosing the Right Brakes |
| Finding the right set of brake pads
for your car or truck doesn't have to be difficult. Because we offer several
well-known brands and different warranties, the number of items to choose from
can be large. However, we're here to help. Keep the following in mind as you
shop: |
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| Signs That Brakes Need Replacing: |
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Excessive, persistent squealing during
braking |
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A grinding sound or pedal feeling
during braking |
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A high-pitched chirping or scraping
sound from one or |
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more wheels while driving, but not
during braking |
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| « Go back and shop for brake parts and
accessories |
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| Brakes are sold in sets of four - two
pads/shoes for the left wheel and two for the right. Sets for the front and
rear wheels are sold separately; look for "Front brake pads" and "Rear brake
pads". |
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 Organic, semi-metallic,
and ceramic - types of material that the "pad" portion of brake
pads/shoes may be made of. Each of these has different characteristics that
affect the rate at which the brakes will wear out, their braking performance,
and the amount of noise they generate. More information below. |
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 Consider quality and
warranty length - both will affect the price you pay. For the vehicle
you drive every day, higher quality brakes with a longer warranty will provide
maximum service life and minimize time lost for future repairs. For the car or
truck you only use occasionally, lower price and a shorter warranty may be most
practical. |
| « Go back and shop for brake parts and accessories |
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| Choosing the Right Material |
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| Organic materials were
originally used on many older vehicles. Brakes made of these are softer than
others, tend to wear out faster, and do not offer comparable performance. Look
for "organic" in the product description. |
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| Semi-metallic materials are
made with a combination of organic materials and metals. They offer superior
performance and last longer than organic pads. Most late-model vehicles require
semi-metallic pads. They can often be installed on older cars and trucks that
originally used organic materials. Look for "semi-met" in the product
description. |
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| Ceramic pads represent the
latest in aftermarket brake pad design. They offer excellent performance and
superior service life while minimizing brake dust and noise. If your vehicle
requires semi-metallic brake pads, you can often upgrade to ceramic materials. |
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| Riveted or Bonded? |
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| These terms refer to the way the
brakes' friction material is attached to the steel backing plate. Bonding
the material to the plate is a fairly common method and uses high-strength
adhesives with heat to fuse the two together. Riveting is what it sounds like -
the material is attached to the backing plate with steel rivets. These are
often used on higher-quality pads and shoes because the rivets allow better
transfer of heat to the rest of the brake assembly. This keeps the temperature
of the pads or shoes lower and improves braking performance and service life. |
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| Some Abbreviations You Might
See |
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| Abbreviation |
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Example |
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What It Means |
| "Exc" |
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"Exc wagon" or "Exc 4WD" |
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"Except" - The product does not fit station wagon
versions of the selected vehicle or the product does not fit models with
4-wheel drive |
| "w/" or "w/o" |
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"w/ABS" or "w/o ABS" |
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"With" or "Without" - The product fits models with
anti-lock brakes or the product fits models without anti-lock brakes. |
| "Fleet/HD" |
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These pads/shoes are designed to perform well under
constant use and/or while carrying heavy loads. |
| "SUV" |
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These pads/shoes are designed to meet the higher
performance requirements of today's sport utility vehicles.
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"OE" or
"OE Repl" |
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Indicates that the pads/shoes meet the requirements
set by your vehicle's manufacturer and will fit and perform as well or better
than the original brakes. |
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| Special Notes |
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General Motors trucks: Brake pad/shoe
sizes may vary by the type of brake system on the vehicle. Product descriptions
sometimes indicate a "JB" system ID (e.g. JB6, JB7). Check for a
label inside the glove box that indicates the system used on your truck or call
your local GM dealer with the VIN for proper identification.
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| « Go back and shop for brake parts and accessories |
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