Oct. 9, 2020
Your customers rely on their vehicles to get them safely from point A to point B, and they also rely on their brake pads and brake rotors to provide reliable stops each and every time. So how does the vehicle’s friction system work and what role do disc brake pads play?
Once you understand how brake pads work and which friction material is best suited for which driving application, you can then select the right type of aftermarket brakes for your customer’s vehicle and driving needs.
Brake pads are a critical component of the vehicle’s braking system, providing the friction that allows the vehicle to stop smoothly and securely, every time.
A disc brake system (different from a drum brake system) consists of four major components: the wheel hubs, brake rotors (discs), brake pads and disc brake calipers. All of these components work in harmony during a braking event to slow or stop a vehicle in motion. The brake pads contact the brake rotor and apply friction/pressure based on pedal inputs from the driver. The friction/pressure applied will reduce the rotational speed of the brake rotor which in turn reduces the vehicle speed.
Originally, brake pads were made of asbestos, an effective but highly toxic heat-absorbing material.
Utilizing today’s technology advancements, brake pads fall into three categories: organic brake pads, semi-metallic (metallic) brake pads and ceramic brake pads.