Front Brake Pads 89 Caprice Wagon

[Blt2Lst]

Any suggestions for front brake pads?
Should I go with:
Semi-Met
Ceramic
Organic
Carbon Met

Which would give the best braking performance for day to day driving without excessive rotor wear.

I do my own brakes so long wear and dust are not a major concern for me.

Also, I have been using stock rotors, would drilled and slotted rotors make a difference.?

Thanks for the input

Al

[Blue Bowtie]

Carbon metallics are excellent for stopping power. They actually work a little better when warm. They do tend to create a lot of dust, however. Rotor wear is not a great problem. Ceramics dust less, but also fade a bit more with heat. Organics would be at the bottom of my shopping list.

[silicon212]

Carbon Metallic, bar none. Nothing I've used works better, or as good, and I've used 'em all!

I will never go back. Blue Bowtie is right, they do create a lot of dust.

[kahjdh]

Organics are crap. Owned my tempo 5 years, all the auto store here sells for it are organic, about to do my 3rd set. They eat rotors too.

[Blt2Lst]

Thanks for the suggestions.
I think I will try the carbon mets.
Any suggestions on the rotors?
Drilled & slotted or stock?

Al

[silicon212]

Stock. Drilled and slotted will help with heat disbursement in racing situations, but they also decrease available braking surface - the pads don't stop air too well.

[PeteA216]

According to a GM engineer that came to our college a few months ago, the holes in the rotors aren't designed to keep the rotor cool, but are designed to act as a release for the gasses created by the rotor and pad during heavy, high speed braking. Thats also why most, if not all of the pads you buy now a-days have the slit cut down the middle of the pad. The quicker the gasses can escape, the better pad to rotor contact, thus better braking power. But for everyday use, I see drilled rotors as excessive.

[Blt2Lst]

Thanks for the info.

I LOVE THIS PLACE !!

[Blt2Lst]

What is the rule of thumb on resurfacing the rotors.
I replaced my rotors last brake job and do not feel any runout through the pedal about 25k miles later.
Can I get away with scuffing them with 180 emory paper or should i have them turned.

Thanks

Al

[silicon212]

Have them turned. Any time I've ever done the scuff job I've wound up with warped rotors. The $8/whatever charge is cheaper than new rotors, especially if you have rear discs like mine which are $70/each.

[randy78]

semi metallic ones eat rotors

organics are the softest and messiest and quietist too but dont take heat very well and can fade sometimes


carbon metallic is not the proper name/term

ceramic are the most heat resistant and are the hardest but i dont think youre supposed to use the stock rotors with them, im not sure on that though

i use semi metallic if i have trouble with organic or have nice wheels that i want to keep clean

check rotors for wear down replace before minimum thickness occurs

the min. thickness is cast on the rotor where the wheel studs are at on it

if they are gouged from the rivet heads then they are junk time for new ones


good luck

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by fastr68

carbon metallic is not the proper name/term

Carbon metallic is a proper name for a type of pad. They're made by Performance Friction.

[Blt2Lst]

I just installed PFC carbon metallic pads, new rotors and both calipers.
Man, what a diffenence those pads make. This land barge (wagon) never stopped so well. I will never go back to regular semi mets or organics. Well worth the extra $.
Thanks again for the input.

Al