It's time to change the brake pads on my 2000 Toyota Sienna. I was thinking about going to ceramic pads but I hear they may not be compatible with braking systems not designed for them. Any truth in that? I would think if the pads are available they should work. Should I just stick with OEM pads? Since it'll be a DIY job, the extra cost for the ceramic pads is not an issue.
Vin
Lots of people love ceramic pads. It is my opinion that they are much harder on the rotors and don't stop better than the OE pads. I always prefer the OE pads (purchased from the dealer's parts department). If the OE pads have lasted you 7 years, why do you want to change to something of unknown quality?
Ed
One small thing to consider is that the ceramics generally produce less dust than the standard ones. Some cars I have owned made a big mess with brake dust and I had to clean the wheels often, others not so much. Just something to think about.
Assumiong it is of the correct size I'm not aware of a compatibility issue. Over the years I have tried harder pads to reduce dust and extendd the miles bettween changes. The replacement pads I've tried stopped just fine and reduced the dust. But brake noise increased and rotors seemed to wear faster so I've switched back to pads from the manufacturer.
This will be the 2nd set of pads I'll be putting in. The first time I replaced them I put standard pads in, from Raybestos I think. They lasted about 30K miles. I'm thinking of ceramics since I tow a small boat with the van and the boat trailer has no brakes. I figured I'd use the best pads I could this time. But I did hear that they are tougher on the rotors but not as bad as semi-metalics.
Ceramics aren't "better", just harder.
It takes more pressure and heat to get the maximum braking force out of ceramics. For your average car, going from semi-metallic to ceramic isn't the best move.
Do your current brakes do the job? Would you regret having to push the pedal harder to get the same stopping power that you currently have?
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.