Semi-metallic Brake Pads are quite effective for most cars, while their low pricing factor make them quite alluring for most motorists. Maybe , these are not as perfect as Ceramic pads, but they are not as expensive as Ceramics.

There is no denying of the fact that the use of disc brakes has revolutionized the braking system in automobiles, reducing the risk of road accidents to a great extent. No wonder most contemporary cars have disc brakes on the front wheels and drum brakes on rear wheels, while some have disc brakes on both and rear wheels.

The task of disc brake manifests in decelerating the vehicle in a safe and trouble-free way, bringing it to dead stop, if necessary. The process entails converting the kinetic energy due to friction between the brake pads and the rotor disc into thermal energy. Consequently, it generates heat and plenty of dust (known popularly as Brake Dust). Needless to say, the brake pads play a vital role here and so the material used for manufacturing the brake pad has to be tough enough to withstand the heat and at the same time help prolong the life of the rotor disc. In order to achieve high levels of safety, brake pads must also combine a constant friction value known as friction coefficient along with optimum mechanical strength and temperature resistance power.

Many cars come with factory assembled disc brakes having Organic Brake Pads that are made of Kevlar fiber, glasses, resins and rubber. This results in low rotor disk wear, quiet operation but high amount of brake dust.

Ceramic brake pads do better than Organic Brake Pads in many respects that include better high temperature braking, lower pad wear and reduced brake dust generation.

To be honest about it, Semi-metallic and metallic brake pads are suitable for most cars that are used on a daily basis in cities and suburbs. Ergo, these are also found suitable for high performance racing cars. Also, these pads demonstrate good braking power in low temperature, lower rotor disc wear but louder noise during operation. As for the type of material that goes for the Manufacture of these pads, carbon-fiber is often blended into these to change their optimum heat ranges, as well as friction and wear properties. At the same time, Semi-Metallic pads are cost effective and also contain fine metal fibers. However, we might as well take a sneak peek at some of the pros and cons of Semi-Metallic Brake Pads that are listed below

First of all, semi metallic brake pads are cheaper than Ceramic Brake pads. In fact, there are many brands and qualities that would suit your selection and pocket. Nevertheless, these have high static friction coefficient, provide excellent brake performance in both wet and dry conditions and are asbestos free.

Also, semi-metallic brake pads provide effective grip even in cold temperature. This is a key issue if you live in colder regions and need shorter driving trips.

Semi metallic brake pads may be cheap as compared to Ceramic Brake Pads, but not as durable as the latter. However, a set will last you for well over 30, 000 miles. Semi-metallic brake pads also generate too much brake dust and as a result, you get more dirty wheels to clean.

Semi-metallic brake pads create more noise than their Ceramic counterparts, due mostly to their frictional nature. However, people often ignore the issue in the face of lesser money spent on them.

To be precise, while Ceramic brake pads are ideally suited for small cars, Semi-metallic brake parts are best suited to larger vehicles such as pickups, minivans and SUVs.