Disc Brake Pads

Brake pads are composed of friction compound molded and bonded or riveted to a metal backing plate. The friction lining naturally wears with use and the pads must be periodically replaced. Vehicle manufacturers have minimum pad thickness specifications. Many vehicles have wear sensors that alert the driver when the lining is approaching minimum thickness, and some pads have wear indicators that contact the rotor and make noise when replacement is needed.

But the brake pads are only part of a complete repair. Quite often noise and uneven pad wear are not the fault of the pads but caused by worn hardware. Parts like clips, springs and shims ensure that brake pads function properly, quietly, and wear evenly. We offer pad sets that come with hardware, as well as individual hardware components and hardware kits that will help you get the job done right so you get the best performance and longest life from your brake pads. In most cases you have to remove these parts to install the pads anyway – install new hardware and get the most benefit from your time and money.

When most cars and trucks are designed, the brake pad friction compound is formulated for the “average” driver operating the vehicle under “normal” driving conditions. But if you’re a performance enthusiast you’re certainly not average, and if you’ve hot-rodded your car for aggressive street driving or the race track, or beefed up your truck for towing, hauling or 4-wheeling, you may have found that those brake pads don’t cut it for the way you use your vehicle. If you’re in need of more stopping power, check out our vast selection of performance brake pads.

Original equipment brake pads are generally fine for relaxed cruising, commuting, and running errands around town, but they’re not up to the demands of spirited performance driving on twisty roads, towing and hauling heavy loads, or high speeds and hard use at the race track. That type of use generates a lot of heat created by the friction needed to slow and stop a vehicle at speed or to stop a large, heavily laden vehicle, and this can cause OE pads to overheat and fade, with subsequent longer stopping distances.

We offer performance brake pads formulated to meet the needs of driving enthusiasts; racers; hard-working truck owners; law enforcement and emergency personnel; and fleet operators. They’re available in a wide variety of friction compounds created by the industry’s foremost brake pad manufacturers, so you can get the pads that best suit your application. These proprietary formulations include ceramics, low metallics, semi-metallics, and compounds that may also include ingredients like aramid fibers and carbon fiber. Each pad set has been developed to deliver a particular blend of attributes, so whether you want better stopping power for an everyday driver, do occasional track days, go off-roading in a 4x4, or need a mix of stopping power and durability for a commercial truck, we have the pads.