Can someone please give me the 411 on Semi-Metallic vs. Ceramic brake pads? I've always wanted to try the ceramics because of what I've heard about stopping power, but I've also heard that they eat rotors for lunch. I don't know what their longevity is like in comparisson to semi-metallics though. I know one thing's for sure though, I'm tired of wiping my wheels down every 3 or 4 days to keep the brake dust from building. The semi's I've got on there now don't spray dust as badly as an Inifinit G35 sedan or BMW, but I'd rather not have to worry about it.

By the same token, if going ceramic means having rotors that wear down under spec minimal thickness with each pad change, then forget it.

Someone please drop some knowledge on the pros and cons of these, and feel free to make specific recommendations.

Thanks.

 

I'd use ceramic /shrug. Pretty sure the ceramic ones won't have a lot of break dust like the semi. I've never heard of ceramic eatting rotors tho.

 

get the greenstuff

 

OEM pads use a ceramic material. Semi-metallic are more prone to eating the rotors and brake dust. Ceramic ones should be the opposite.

 

i have semi-metal on now.. they are ok.. mine are sqeeking... even tho they are new.. with brake quiet..

 

Amen.

Less brake dust means longer pad life (duh), longer rotor life, and less mess. Ceramic is also less likely to squeak. Well, they are actually just as likely to squak, but the resonance frequency is high pitched to be out of the range of human hearing. As was mentioned, the most user-friendly OEM pads out there are ceramic because they are less hassle.

A good metallic substrate pad will grip harder and fade later, giving you better performance; but that is at the expense of rotor and pad life. A cheap metallic substrate pad (your bargain bin pad) will get out performed by the Ceramic while making dust a-plenty.

Metallic substrate pads are generally considered more "aggressive" than the ceramic substrate. If you are most concerned about the wheels, the suggestion for Greenstuff pads from EBC is a good one. These pads are fully organic and extremely non-corrosive. Although, even they will give more dust than the Redstuff pads from EBC, which are ceramic in nature.

 

i have the RED stuff ceramic pads. i like it, very low brake dust....

 

I have LS400 brakes, cross drilled/slotted rotors, with OEM sumitomo ceramic pads. 20,000 miles and still have a lot of life left. Not too much break dust either.

They were cheap too- $34 for the front pads

 

From what everyone else is saying, this must just be me. When I have used ceramic pads it always resulted in warped rotors, my SC, my Van and older 3 series BMW. I won't use them ever again, three strikes, your out. I use the MKIV TT oem pads and am extremely happy with them. Obviously they may not be a choice for you. Best of luck.

 

Are these Sumitomos OEM Toyota?

 

Green stuff ate away and warped my rotors very quick.