To stop your vehicle, you’ll want a good set of brake pads doing the work.
There are a lot of different brake pad types to choose from, which means you need to know which one you should purchase—your decision will mainly come from deciding between ceramic vs organic brake pads.
In this article I will discuss both organic and ceramic brake pads in depth, and summarize their pros and cons and, at the end, determine which brake pad will be best suited for your vehicle, driving style or both.
To start, let me mention the basic differences between ceramic vs organic brake pads.
What’s The Difference Between Organic And Ceramic Brake Pads?
The key difference is that ceramic brake pads have a longer lifespan compared to organic brake pads, but organic pads are generally cheaper than ceramic pads. Nothing is made for heavy towing or high-performance, in which case you would want metallic brake pads.
While those are the basic differences, there is much more to it. Let’s take a deeper look in the differences between organic vs. ceramic brake pads:
What are Organic Brake Pads?
Brake pads used to be made of asbestos. Although the heat-absorbing properties worked well for brake pads and braking, it was also a cancer-causing agent when inhaled from prolonged exposure.
As brake pads wear down, they also release asbestos onto the tires, which is then released into the air. In the past, car manufacturers created a safer compound to resolve this problem.
That safer compound produced organic brake pads (most commonly referred to as non-asbestos organic brake pads or NAO). Nowadays, most vehicles in the United States have organic brake pads installed.
Organic brake pads are made from a mixture of several products. These products may include carbon, rubber, Kevlar, fiberglass, glass, and more. All of these products are then mixed with resin to create the brake pads we are use today.
Pros
There are many reasons organic brake pads are among the most common options available.
- Less Dust: Compared to other types of brakes, the organic pads will create less dust, which will keep the wheels cleaner.
- Cost-Effective: Organic brake pads will almost certainly be the least expensive option you can buy for your vehicle.
- Less Friction and Heat: Since these brakes are not performance brakes, they create less friction and heat, which makes them great for driving to and from work.
- Quiet: You will not hear nearly as much noise from organic brake pads as you would if you drove with the metallic options.
- Reduce Wear on the Rotors: With less wear and tear on the rotors, you are be generating less expensive brake repairs in the future.
Cons
Although there are many benefits, there are some disadvantages to using organic brake pads. You will find some disadvantages using organic brake pads when comparing the other styles.
- Some Types Can Wear Out Quicker: Organic brake pads can wear out faster, depending on the organic material. As a result, this will require more frequent brake pad replacement.
- Not Meant for Extremes: The organic brake pads are designed to work within a limited temperature range. For example, they tend to overheating in both hot climate and while towing.
- Harder To Activate: Organic brake pads are highly compressible, which means a driver would have to push harder on the brake pedal for activation.
What are Ceramic Brake Pads?
Ceramic brake pads are made from the material used in plates and pottery, though the ceramic in brake pads is more durable and higher density.
There are also some finer copper fibers embedded in the pads to improve heat conductivity and resistance to friction.
Ceramic brake pads hit the market in the 1980s and have gained in popularity ever since.
Pros
It is not hard to see why this material is so popular, especially when considering the pros to using ceramic brake pads.
- Even Quieter: If you think organic brake pads are quiet, just wait until you hear the ceramic variant. This super-quiet design was one of the top reasons that people chose ceramic brake pads.
- Reduced Residue: Similarly, with ceramic brake pads also producing little to no brake dust, you are also leaving your vehicle even cleaner than the equivalent, organic brake pads.
- Meant for the Long Haul: And possibly the most appealing aspect of ceramic brake pads, because of their construction, they will wear down at a slower rate. While you certainly spend more on this design, you will replace your brake pads less frequently.
- Requires Less Effort: Furthermore with the use of this design, with the special braking power, owners have to push less on the brake pedal to activate the stopping power.
Cons
Like all good things, there can be some disadvantages to ceramic brake pads. Here are some explanations as to why some people avoid ceramic pads.
- Cost: Ceramic brake pads are more expensive to produce. This cost is passed onto the consumer, making it one of the most expensive options on the market.
- Wear and Tear: Copper and ceramic do not dissipate heat like organic brake pads / This design permits the heat generated in the braking system to pass through the pads and affect surrounding components. This can result in a user requiring more repairs.
- Not for Hi-Performance Applications: If you’re tow regularly or drive in excessive weather conditions or race your vehicle, the ceramic brake pad may not provide the stopping power you need.
Which is Better – Ceramic or Organic Brake Pads?
If you do a lot of city driving and have the funds to purchase the better product, ceramic brakes are the best choice. You will be replacing these less because they are quieter and produce less dust than the organic brake pads.
On the other hand, organic brake pads are fine too, if you are looking for a cheaper option, again, they brakes have to be able to stop you safely, and they are cheaper.
Neither the ceramic or organic brake pads are designed for heavy towing, or performance. In those case, you would want to use pads that have some metallic in them, but some drivers also perform better with picking one of teaches mentioned before.