Auto Body Tips from an Automobile Connoisseur

2 Types Of Auto Brake Options

Not all automotive brakes are built the same. In fact, depending on the type of car you have and what you use it for, there might be some brake options that might be better for you compared to what you currently use.

When it comes to looking at the types of brake you can have in your car, you can look at it in terms of the brake mechanism or the type of material used to make the brake pads.

Types of Brake Systems

There are two types of brake systems that you can find in vehicles. These are:

  1. Disk brakes: These are by far the most common type of brake because they are found in almost all small cars and, nowadays, even in trucks. Disk brakes have shorter stopping distances, last longer and have fewer maintenance needs. Disk brakes consist of brake pads on calipers on both sides of a rotor.

  2. Drum brakes: These brakes are enclosed in the wheel cylinder where brake shoes press onto them when the pedal is pressed. Drum brakes are mostly seen on heavy trucks nowadays.

Although disk brakes are safer, their high upfront cost has made their adoption slower in some sectors.

Types of Brake Pad Materials

A choice you're more likely to make is the type of material your brake pads will be made from. Your options include:

  • Semi-Metallic: Considered to be one of the most durable types of brake pad, semi-metallic pads are between 30 to 65 percent metal. On the downside, these pads wear the rotors faster.

  • Organic: Also known as Non-Asbestos Organic or NOA, these brake pads are made from organic materials. They don't wear the rotor quickly but themselves wear quite fast.

  • Low Metallic NOA: Small amounts of metals e.g. copper and steel are added to improve heat transfer and braking characteristics.

  • Ceramic: Although they are quite expensive, these brake pads provide the best braking characteristics without wearing the rotors too quickly.

How to Choose Your Brakes

You probably won't get to choose between disk and drum brakes in most cases. However, in the case of brake pad material, the choice will be yours. Brake pads have to be replaced at some point since they wear.

Low metallic NOA offers a good balance between performance, price and rate of wear. However, if you need some heavy-duty braking power, you should consider paying the extra amount for ceramic brake pads next time you're in a brake repair shop.

Reach out to a company like George's Eastside Shell to learn more.


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