Ceramic Brake Pads

Do Ceramic brake pads really work and what do they do exactly ???

That's a question a lot of people have and the answer is in fact its just a buzz word for an organic brake pad made with less metallic fibers and perhaps man made fibers such as Dupont Kevlar or Twaron. A very good pad that contains some Ceramic PARTICLES is the EBC Redstuff which as a low metallic also has the benefit of low dust.

However Ceramic brake pads are generally a term for a group of pads known as NAO or non asbestos organic pads and EBC Brakes was of course the pioneer of this technology back from its early roots 70 years ago when it was part of the BBA group and manufactured products known as Top Dog in the UK. These Aramid fibers used in Ceramic brake pads are certainly NOT Ceramic fibers because although some good friends from the Far East do actually use Ceramic fibers they are a carcinogen and as dangerous if not more dangerous than asbestos.

The organic pads made by reputable suppliers MAY contain small amounts of Ceramic particles (not fibers) in a granular form but this does nothing more as an additive than the other naturally mined ores that are common in brake pads such as vermiculite or barites crystals that help build a decent brake pad. If you have a car that is fitted with Ceramic brake pads and your dealer or service provider tells you they must be replaced with a Ceramic pad, tell him to read this article because he is in fact blowing smoke. There is NOTHING a Ceramic based brake pad can do that a good non asbestos organic pad cannot.

Aramid fibers such as Kevlar and Twaron came about when the world changed away from asbestos. The fork in the road gave rise to two distinct choices, organic pads or semi metallic pads. Of course the price minded people went down the semi metallic fork as the steel fibers used cost 10 times less than Kevlar although Kevlar fibers which are 64 times as strong as steel when used in a matrix form and can be used down to as low as 4% content by volume allow a huge number of new interesting ingredients to be blended into brakes. Those were the main advantages and what was driving the choice, need low costs go steel fiber, ….want to develop some interesting stuff, go aramid.

So basically you have it Ceramic brake pads are just a non metallic type pad and essentially a buzz word and you need pay no more attention to people pushing them as a eutopic solution to brake problems as green cheese.

If you want good quality organic pads without the frills look at this link: EBC Organic Brake Pads or for automobiles check this link EBC Automotive Product Index.