Which Brake Pads Should I Buy?

**clovis** · #1 10/07/09, 10:32 PM

I have an 06 Chevy HHR which we love.

Unfortunately, my wife drives our HHR to the city for work. The car now has 91,000 miles.

I am still on the factory brake pads and rotors, which have held up great.

I could buy the $14.99 to $19.99 after-market variety. I find these don't last but 30,000 miles or so.

I am really considering buying much higher priced pads with the hopes they will last much longer.

If I could find the pads at a reasonable price, I would consider another set of GM/AC Delco factory pads...I would hate to think what the dealer would want for these.

I haven't bought any pads in a long time, and have not priced anything yet.

What are your thoughts? Ideas, advice or experience?

Thanks!

foxtrapper · #2 10/08/09, 05:24 AM

Very generically, there are three levels.

Level 1 is the bottom. This is cheap aftermarket replacement. Raybestos, Bendix, generic store brands, etc. They work, and that's about it. They overheat fast, tend to be squishy, and are all around pretty lousy.

Level 2 is the oem pad/shoe. Usually a lot cheaper than people expect. Pedal feel and braking is almost always much better than the generic aftermarket stuff. You get brakes that feel just like they did when the car was new. Right in here is good quality aftermarket pads and shoes. Names like Axis, Carbotec, Ferodo. They all make some good quality pads and shoes. But be carefull, they all also have cheap junk.

Level 3 would be performance. Real performance, not faux performance. Porterfield, Hawk, EBC, etc. Not cheap, and not always suited for the street. They tend to wear fast, create dust, be noisy, and stop superbly. They require carefull selection to get the right type for street driving. Generally not recommended for people with street vehicles, but with some thought and carefull selection, they can be great.

tyusclan · #3 10/08/09, 05:34 AM

I've found the auto parts is one of the things that you get what you pay for, up to a point of course.

We have the big chain parts stores in town, but I never go in them. We have a local family that owns several stores around the area. Their parts are aftermarket, but I've found that they are definitely a higher quality than you can get at the big boys. They're competitively priced on most everything and actually cheaper on a lot of it.

OntarioMan · #4 10/08/09, 07:55 AM

Most of the China stuff is junk, and unless you're planning a very long highway trip, I doubt you'll even get 30k miles out of junk pads. I'd agree with whoever said that the price of parts at the dealers is not as bad as most folks think, and they almost appear to be more competitive than ever. With something like pads, they're not that expensive to begin with. Really, what is the difference between a $15 and a $35 set in the larger picture?

There is a fairly large difference in price for rotors when you compare China stuff to high quality stuff - but again, the China stuff is terrible. What good is a rotor at any discounted price if it warps and wobbles in the first few months of use?

**clovis** · #5 10/08/09, 08:42 AM

Thanks guys!

Here is what I want to know now:

Are there two types of AC Delco pads?

Are there AC Delco remans, and also AC Delco new factory pads?

What do you think of the ceramic pads that my local family owned place is pushing? A few years ago, these ran about $50.

**Cabin Fever** · #6 10/08/09, 08:44 AM

I always buy "organic" pads. They last about 30K or so. I don't mind swapping out brake pads, it's easy.

Even though semi-metallic pads last longer, I've had "squealing" problems with them. So, I no longer use them.

foxtrapper · #7 10/08/09, 08:53 AM

There are at least 3 AC Delco pads that I'm aware of for your HHR.

Yes, you can get AC Delco reman or new. Finding the remans is difficult. They may not exist for your 06 HHR yet.

Asking "what about ceramic" is about as broad a term as asking someone "what do you think of wood"? There are good ceramic brakes, there are junk ceramic brakes. Your oem pads are ceramic most likely.

agmantoo · #8 10/08/09, 08:54 AM

I tried the semi-metallic on the wife's car but she was not happy with them so I took them off and went searching for a replacement. Next I bought a higher priced set that were of a ceramic compound. Along with the wife I have been very pleased with these. They have held up and they stop the car readily. I believe I got the ceramic ones at Advance.

dngrous · #9 10/08/09, 09:04 AM

I swapped the brakes on my fiancee's Intrepid back in June, and the rotors are still nice and shiny. I got them on Ebay, from brakemotive76.
They're zinc-plated rotors, drilled and slotted, with ceramic pads. I paid $190 shipped for all four corners, and it was only about $10 more than buying the cheapos from the parts store. I could tell a DRASTIC difference over stock replacements, and the pad wear is actually pretty slow.

I'd buy a set for my truck, except they don't need replacing yet, and I don't have the money.

**clovis** · #10 10/08/09, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxtrapper

There are at least 3 AC Delco pads that I'm aware of for your HHR.

Yes, you can get AC Delco reman or new. Finding the remans is difficult. They may not exist for your 06 HHR yet.

Asking "what about ceramic" is about as broad a term as asking someone "what do you think of wood"? There are good ceramic brakes, there are junk ceramic brakes. Your oem pads are ceramic most likely.

Okay, I LOL at your post. I guess that was a pretty generic question, wasn't it?

FWIW, and I am guessing here...I am betting these are the same pads from the Chevy Cobalt....but I could be dead wrong on this.

travis91 · #11 10/08/09, 08:23 PM

i always use the "parts master" brand. there from the local auto parts store. its part of the auto value chain but the guy that owns it is a really good guy and says there good

blufford · #12 10/09/09, 08:25 AM

I found that semi-metalic holds up to the heat and heavy use the best.

Wis Bang · #13 10/09/09, 11:02 AM

Organic pads wear the quickest. Semi-Metalic wear longer but can be harder on the rotors.

I've found that the mid to upper price Bendix and Raybestos last longer than the cheaper versions.

I've had good life from both Semi-metalic and ceramic though useage matters. My daughters seem to wear the ceramics quicker [lead foot/brake late] though I've done well w/ them on a daily driver. I drive a stick and downshift or shift to neutral b/4 I brake unless it is avoiding a 'situation'. My driving style doesn't glaze Semi-metalics making them squeel.

Beeman · #14 10/09/09, 07:11 PM

High quality Raybestos,Bendix or Wagner depending on what's available in your area. Be sure to clean and lubricate all caliper mounting slides and hardware with the proper lubricant. I use Sil-Glide from NAPA for lubricant. Torque your wheels by hand with a torque wrench. If you remove the rotors be sure to clean the mounting surfaces where the rotor contacts the hub. If you have the rotors machined be sure to wash them thoroughly before installing. I scrub them with a brush and dishwashing soap and water. The small metal filings will embed themselves in your brake pads otherwise.

How Do I · #15 10/09/09, 10:53 PM

I'm like CF, I go with the regular pads and get around 30,000 miles out of mine. I take care of my own brakes to keep vehicle maintenance costs down to a minimum.

Sawmill Jim · #16 10/10/09, 08:20 AM

I have learned to get the better pads i used some cheep ones once they wear fast and squeak Every time they would squeak the wife would too .Rather buy the good ones and a set of rotors than all the racket inside and out . Life is better that way

Beeman · #17 10/10/09, 08:51 AM

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!

What makes that awful sound? Noise is generated by a vibration. The noise from brakes is generally created when there is looseness in the hardware or rust/dirt allowing the pads to move or vibrate.
Usually it's not the pads but the installation.

dngrous · #18 10/10/09, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beeman

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!

What makes that awful sound? Noise is generated by a vibration. The noise from brakes is generally created when there is looseness in the hardware or rust/dirt allowing the pads to move or vibrate.
Usually it's not the pads but the installation.

What this guy said.... I keep a wire brush handy, as well as a couple cans of brake cleaner during a brake job.
I've never had a problem with brake squeal, with the exception of when I rushed the job and didn't clean it up.

**Cabin Fever** · #19 10/10/09, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beeman

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!

What makes that awful sound? Noise is generated by a vibration. The noise from brakes is generally created when there is looseness in the hardware or rust/dirt allowing the pads to move or vibrate.
Usually it's not the pads but the installation.

The semi-metallic pads that I had a squeal problem with was probably not due to vibration. The pads didn't squeal at all during short trips and/or trips with infrequent brake use. But when I did driving in the city, where I had to stop every few blocks at stoplights and signs, etc, the brakes would start squealing. I attributed the squealing to "hot brake pads." In other words, after frequent brake use, the pads got hot and that's when the squealing started.

Besides, I don't mind swapping out organic pads every 30K. Driving in Minnesota snow and salt, the calipers get rusty and can tend to stick. Frequent pad replacement gives me a chance to do more frequent sanding and lubricating of rusty calipers.

Beeman · #20 10/10/09, 11:56 AM

Pads themselves don't squeak unless they vibrate. Now chances are that the heat buildup might have caused expansion of the pad retaining hardware or something else causing a vibration hence a squeal. The only noise I've gotten from a pad is a grind sound from too course of a material or inconsistency of the material. I have had quality pads where you could see hard spots or different colored spots in the face of the pad after use. Some type of incosistency when making the friction material. Using organic or soft pads does work. It might compromise optimum braking ability in certain situatiuons but most likely not noticeably. It will allow you to get more familiar with removing and replacing your brakes.
Everyone gets so focused on the pads they don't pay any attention to the pad retaing system and hardware. Most don't realize on some applications you actually have to clinch the pad to the caliper not just stick it in there.