Brake Pad preferences?

[cardiac]

Recently bought me a 2017 Grand Cherokee retirement present. It has just shy of 40k miles and while the brakes are still ok, I want to probably do the fronts this summer. What is everyone liking for pads? OEM? I have had a preference to EBC in the past on some of my vehicles. I had the severe duty on my Excursion when towing a 9k lb trailer and they were awesome. Thanks for the input.

 

[NutBucket]

I generally run Hawk on everything. I'll gladly sacrifice pad life for more bite.

 

[cardiac]

I generally run Hawk on everything. I'll gladly sacrifice pad life for more bite.

I had a set of Hawk pads on another tow vehicle years ago. Bite was awesome, but pad life really sucked. Don't know if I need that kinda bite on the GC... Thanks

 

[NutBucket]

The other thing to consider is harder pads are harder on rotors. Something's got to give.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Akebono's - best pad I've used for daily driving applications.

 

[cardiac]

Akebono's - best pad I've used for daily driving applications.

I was looking at them last night. Seems to be a decent choice. Thanks.

 

[sdifox]

Akebono pour moi.

 

[Jimzz]

Best bang for the buck for a good street pad is the Raybestos Hybrid pads. They are around $30-35 a set at www.rockauto.com under the premium section of brake pads. Part number should be EHT1629.

Clean wheels but with a little better performance than general ceramic pads.

 

[cardiac]

Best bang for the buck for a good street pad is the Raybestos Hybrid pads. They are around $30-35 a set at www.rockauto.com under the premium section of brake pads. Part number should be EHT1629.

Clean wheels but with a little better performance than general ceramic pads.

I have used Raybestos in the past. Had a local parts store that almost exclusively carried them. Not bad...

Where are you guys buying Akebono pads?

 

[UsandThem]

Where are you guys buying Akebono pads?

I usually get most of my parts for my three vehicles from https://www.rockauto.com/

 

[EXCellR8]

Totally depends on your driving style and habits, among other things.

I'm typically pretty light on my brakes, where I know other's who are stomping or riding on them more frequently.

 

[cardiac]

I'm not typically a heavy "braker" either. I'll check with Rock Auto. I've gotten a few things there... Thanks

 

[BonzaiDuck]

My whimsical curiosity impelled me to enter this thread. I've had a lot of work done on my Old Trooper during the past 2 1/2 years, and done a formidable amount of other work myself.

Back in 2018, when I was naively allowing independent mechanic shops to take care of my SUV, I was searching for a new local outfit to replace my retired mechanic and shop-owner. I visited A**-T*** T***-U* down the road -- a father-son shop I'd actually visited once for a smog-test 18 years ago. [They still had my records in their database!] I called for an oil-change. They didn't follow my preference for synthetic oil, but I asked them to look over the car and find anything begging for maintenance.

"Ball joints upper and lower", "power-steering high-pressure hose" (it was leaking), "a control-arm bushing" and a CV-Joint-boot -- now the common practice to replace the whole transaxle. I'd been planning for new KYB MonoMax heavy-duty shocks anyway, which I insisted adding to the shop-order. I later nixed the shop from the potential list to replace my last guy: A check with my tire reseller, who also does front-end work, gave me an estimate for the same parts and labor that was $700 lower. Live and learn. But, for some reason I don't quite remember, they offered to replace my front brake pads "for FREE". Maybe the junior partner felt guilty for his greedy father. I told them I wanted "the best, heavy-duty" pads.

Reviewing the 2018 shop order, I see that they used "Posi-Quiet Ceramic Brake Pads" from Centric and APC Automotive Technologies.

When looking for reviews of "Ceramic Brake Pads", I don't see them in a review list of "top ten".

They seem to be fine. Summit Racing sells them, and their customer reviews -- which are a bit sparse -- sing their praises. One guy had installed them himself, and had a stuck caliper -- a brake was frozen.

Does anyone know anything further about "ceramic" pads and particularly Centric Posi-Quiet Ceramic pads?

My tire reseller suggests that I exercise wisdom in my braking behavior, so my pads last longer. I pump the brakes before stopping, and avoid quick stops.

 

[herm0016]

Extreme Truck & Tow Carbon-Fiber Ceramic Brake Pads | PowerStop

Truck & Tow affordable brake pads from PowerStop. Upgrade to carbon fiber reinforced pads. Smooth and noise free for extreme duty trucking & towing.

v2.powerstop.com

I put power stop z36 pads on my truck, and I have been very happy. much better performance than whatever was on there before when getting hot in the mountains, even while towing a trailer full of boulders down a mountain pass. I use the GM OE rotors, as I have had great luck with them. They are a little heavier duty than some of the after markets. i have had them for 15k ish? and do not show signs of wear and rotors have no step on the edge, they have nice full contact. my previous pads on the back only had about a 1/2 in ring of contact, and they had 3/16 or more in of pad left.

I get all my parts from Rock auto.

 

[trenchfoot]

I generally run Hawk on everything. I'll gladly sacrifice pad life for more bite.

Hawks are also my go-to brand. Specifically, I like the HPS 5.0 for my van and the wife's C-HR, LTS for my Taco, and PC version for my 'Vette and G35.

Never had a problem with this brand, plug-n-play, fit'um and forget'um.

Besides, they're so easy to remove/replace, can't ever see where lifespan has priority over safety and reliability.

 

[NutBucket]

People who are cheap?

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I've never had a problem with pad life. My Trooper runs both pads and shoes. The rear wheels have both.

My last set of brakes for the front had lasted sixteen (16) years -- purchased in July, 2002. I'm sure I have the entire history of shop orders. The front brakes were replaced in October, 2018; the rear brakes in December, 2019.

So I had posed the question in my post above: "What about Ceramic Brake Pads? And What about Centric Posi-Quiet Ceramic Brake Pads?"

The mileage on the last set was approximately 87,000 miles, and they still had some life left. I think about five or six years earlier, my tire reseller (brake and front-end work offered) had noted "4mm left on front pads."

Will ceramic pads last longer? Are ceramic pads "just as safe"? I'm not all that savvy about different brands, different types.

Here -- I've found a review of "top ten brake pads".

Centric Posi-Quiet Ceramic pads rank 5th. Of course, there are reviews, and then there are reviews. There are ratings, and then . . . there are ratings.

 

[Pacfanweb]

The other thing to consider is harder pads are harder on rotors. Something's got to give.

Yeah, but once you've gone over 100k on a set of pads, it's time for new rotors as well.
I use OEM

 

[sdifox]

Yeah, but once you've gone over 100k on a set of pads, it's time for new rotors as well.
I use OEM

Lol I average 30k km per pad change. I cannot imagine 100k mi

 

[NutBucket]

100k is doable with either tons of hwy miles or an MT. Brakes do seem to last longer with them.

 

[sdifox]

100k is doable with either tons of hwy miles or an MT. Brakes do seem to last longer with them.

I have Tungsten foot and live in a metro area.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Lol I average 30k km per pad change. I cannot imagine 100k mi

Wife's 04 Suburban went over 140k and still had some decent life left. I changed them because I had bought the pads 2 years before thinking that it would be close to worn out....Nope. I just finally changed them because we were going on vacation and was tired of looking at them on the shelf in my garage. It's an 04 with now over 280k on it, I've put brakes on it twice, ever. And I just change the rotors at the same time.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Wife's 04 Suburban went over 140k and still had some decent life left. I changed them because I had bought the pads 2 years before thinking that it would be close to worn out....Nope. I just finally changed them because we were going on vacation and was tired of looking at them on the shelf in my garage. It's an 04 with now over 280k on it, I've put brakes on it twice, ever. And I just change the rotors at the same time.

In the past, I've changed out rotors, and I've had them "turned" or machined. For the latter treatment, you can do that only so many times, as I understand it. With my new heavy-duty ceramic brake pads, I may not put 30,000 more miles on my SUV in the next five or six years, but it's 25 years old and I think I'll run over to Rock Auto to assure myself that new rotors are still available.

Man! That's a lotta miles on that Suburban! My Trooper has a GM engine in it. I'd like to see that sort of mileage and beyond. How do you do on oil consumption?

 

[cardiac]

Thanks for all of the suggestions and comments. Good info. I had EBC's on my '02 Trailblazer also. Would get about 60-70k out of the fronts. Had 200k when I sold it a few weeks ago. I'll have to look at the Power Stops that Herm had mentioned. EBC's, Hawk's, or Power Stops are in the final running. Thank you!

 

[Pacfanweb]

In the past, I've changed out rotors, and I've had them "turned" or machined. For the latter treatment, you can do that only so many times, as I understand it. With my new heavy-duty ceramic brake pads, I may not put 30,000 more miles on my SUV in the next five or six years, but it's 25 years old and I think I'll run over to Rock Auto to assure myself that new rotors are still available.

Man! That's a lotta miles on that Suburban! My Trooper has a GM engine in it. I'd like to see that sort of mileage and beyond. How do you do on oil consumption?

I change the rotors because if you turn them at that mileage, they'll most likely go below the minimum thickness to get them straight....or they'll be right at it, and if you're going to go another 140k+, they'll be really thin by then, so if they last that long, just put new ones on.

Oil consumption....I replaced the 5.3 with a 6.0 LQ9 at about 227k. It really didn't use any oil, now the 6.0 that had 107k on it when I installed it has roughly 160-ish, and doesn't use any oil, either.