Favorite Brake Pads

[NWForester]

What brake pads are you using and why?

I'm getting my stuff together for brake maintenance and an opportunity for an upgrade is always welcome as long as it is a good value.

I'm sure there's some folks out there that have played with some really cheap ones and some really good ones.

I have always been of the "use a softer pad" club so to not damage the rotors. That school of thought has been passed down to me from my old man and I never challenged it. I also don't care for the noise I have experienced with various "lifetime" pads. For the past decade I have used OEM pads for all my vehicles.

Thanks.

 

[Sandroad]

OEM because they stop the vehicle with no drama whenever I need to stop.

 

[SmoothLC]

OEM

 

[bwell]

+3, and you start out with probably close to 35% more pad area because the OEM pads are not chamferred on the front and back side like almost every aftermarket pad I've ever seen.

 

[TheForger]

OEM - Toyota spends millions of dollars researching all aspects of their vehicles. They have them on their vehicles for a reason, and that is because they have found them to be the most effective in stopping power while minimizing heat production. There's a very careful balance between those two!

 

[NWForester]

Thanks for your input.

I'm actually a bit surprised. I really thought I was in the dark when it came to this stuff.

There are sometimes brake kits offered for our trucks with various rotor and pad options, but I don't recall ever seeing factory pads as an option. That led me to believe that demand dictated the supply. Now that I'm thinking about it, I wonder if their pad offering has more to do with the non OEM rotors...

 

[bdac]

I used akebono because I needed them in a pinch and it was my understanding that akebono is an OEM Toyota manufacturer. I did notice some differences between the stock ones and the akebono. No differences noted in stopping distance nor any differences in brake dust, but I'm going back to OEM Toyota the next time around.

 

[super90]

Akebono ceramic. Been using them on three trucks now. Very happy.

 

[mr111]

Don't use the rockauto "wholesaler close out" rebranded raybestos pads. Although I have always had good luck with raybestos, I've had serious trouble with these pads. You're warned.

 

[NWForester]

Don't use the rockauto "wholesaler close out" rebranded raybestos pads. I've had serious trouble with these pads. You're warned.

Cheers

 

[12guns]

Hawk HPS. They stop better than OEM and don't fade like the OEM pads. OE is fine unless you row. They will NOT hold up well with severe use and they leave the pesky uneven brake pad material that causes pulsing. When pulling a 5,500 lb boat downhill with no trailer brakes (I know, not smart) the OE pads lost ALOT of their stopping power. The Hawk pads did not. I've towed the same hill with each pad and the Hawk is superior for that application. That's my experience.