Ceramic Brakes

Last year my car's brakes started making that sound that lets you know a replacement was needed soon. Since I own a Toyota Avalon, I wasn't in the market for anything performance oriented. I opted for the Centric Plain 120 Series Rotors and Posi Quiet Ceramic Pads for the front and rear. The rotors and pads are Original Equipment replacements that would perform as good as or better than the factory original. 

Are you looking for a different type of brake? Take a look at our slotted and drilled rotors for enhanced braking performance. Some are also cryogenically treated for improved durability. 

Centric Plain 120 Series Rotor

StopTech SportStopDrilled Rotor

Our pads range from Original Equipment replacements to performance oriented pads, such as StopTech's Street Performance Pads and Hawk's Performance Ceramic Pads. Depending on how aggressive the performance pads are, they will be dustier and noisier than your Original Equipment. However, they will enhance your vehicle's stopping power.   

Is it time for the brakes to be replaced on your vehicle? Read "Brake Pad or Rotor Inspection & Replacement" for assistance on getting your new brakes installed correctly.

Not everyone takes their car to the track or needs an aggressive pad for repeated heavy stops. If you're one of the millions of drivers looking for a street-friendly pad without noise or excessive dust, you may want to take a look at using a ceramic brake pad.

While having a lower amount of fade resistance compared to metal mixture pads, ceramic pads do more than an adequate job of stopping vehicles under panic braking and emergency maneuvers. Using ceramics means lower dust, less brake squeal, consistent pedal feel and less wear and tear on rotors.

No more expensive than a traditional pad, ceramic pads are perfect for an everyday driver or commuter car. Akebono's ProACT Ceramic Pads continue to be one of our best-selling ceramic pads and are available for countless makes and models.

Advantages of Akebono ProACT Ceramic Pads:

• Unrivaled 'initial effectiveness" with no required break-in period
• Ultra-quiet, positive and smooth braking performance
• High resistance to fade with fast recovery
• More consistent pedal feel for driver confidence

Akebono has positioned itself as a key resource for leading Original Equipment and brake suppliers in the automotive aftermarket. Key automotive O.E. customers include Audi, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen. Find the Akebono brake pad that's right for your vehicle!

When looking for new brake pads for your vehicle, it can quickly become confusing with multiple options from the same manufacturer being offered.  Let's try to clarify the differences by focusing on the pads available from Hawk Performance.

Hawk Performance Ceramic

Hawk HPS Street

Hawk HP Plus

Hawk Performance Ceramic Pads are the solution you're looking for when low dust and low noise are the priority. The stopping power will be slightly higher than the Original Equipment pad. They also feature a fade resistant, linear friction profile that allows your ABS brake system to work more effectively. Overall, these pads are going to deliver an Original Equipment type experience.

Hawk HPS Street brake pads use a more aggressive compound for high frequency stopping and/or performance driving. You'll experience more stopping power with a slight increase in dust and noise levels.  Hawk Performance HPS pads offer 20-40% more stopping power and higher resistance to brake fade than most Original Equipment or standard replacement pads. This is really a great all-around pad and I recommend it the most frequently.

Hawk HP Plus Race brake pads are targeted for the autocrosser and clients that do some track days with their vehicle. This is a street pad that delivers stopping power similar to what's found in a racecar. The trade off is more noise, dust and quicker wear. However, they'll withstand serious, repeated braking efforts.

Shop by vehicle to find the brake pad that best suits your driving style.

The biggest complaint most drivers have about their current brake pads is dust. We've all been there before with the black, greasy looking build-up on our wheels. The build-up occurs most dramatically in the front as that's where the majority of a vehicle's stopping power is generated.
 

All brake pads will produce dust as they wear, however there are some pad materials that create a less noticeable mark on the wheel. A newer form of friction material, called ceramic composite, will create a light-colored dust that's much less noticeable and is less likely to stick to your wheels. Ceramic pads are also quieter and easier on the brake rotors and can extend brake life beyond a semi-metallic pad. If you would like to make a switch to ceramic composite pads some good choices would be the Hawk Performance Ceramic, Centric Posi Quiet Ceramic, Satisfied Pro Ceramic VS, Akebono Euro Ceramic and Akebono ProACT Ceramic. 
 

Hawk Performance Ceramic

Centric Posi Quiet Ceramic

Satisfied Pro Ceramic VS

 

Akebono Euro Ceramic

Akebono ProACT Ceramic

A ceramic pad meets or exceeds all Original Equipment standards for stopping distance, but isn't usually an upgrade in actual stopping power. If you have a track vehicle or are specifically looking to increase braking power, a semi-metallic pad would be a better choice. Semi-metallic pads will sacrifice the noise, durability and cosmetic improvements of the ceramic composite to increase stopping power.

To learn more about how ceramic pads can help with brake-generated noise and dust, read "Why Ceramic Brake Pads?"

In a global economy, shoppers have more options than ever at their fingertips. From toasters to tires, products can be manufactured and shipped all over the world at a competitive price. And, when it comes to tires, how can you choose the most reliable and cost-effective brands? Let us help. 

Over our 32-year history, Tire Rack has developed close relationships with well over a dozen different tire manufacturers, including globally-respected brands like Michelin and Bridgestone to high quality but smaller companies such as Kumho and Yokohama. With every delivery to our warehouse and all shipments to our customers, tires are closely inspected for potential issues. Also, if an issue develops after the sale, we can work with you to get the issue resolved over the phone with the help of one of our friendly customer service representatives, via email or with the help of one of our independent Recommended Installers.

Regardless if you're looking for a new set of performance SUV tires, suspension parts, ceramic disc brake pads or more, we are sure to have what you want at the price you desire.

No one likes having to get down on their knees to scrub brake dust off of their alloy wheels. To make the chore less difficult, take a look at Griot's Garage Wheel Cleaner. Made from premium, biodegradable ingredients, the product is safe for you and the environment, while cleaning all types of wheels.

However, many enthusiasts and drivers are discovering the joy of low-dust ceramic brake pads. While most ceramic pads have a less initial "bite" compared to higher performance brake pads, ceramic pads produce a light colored dust that is much less noticeable and less likely to stick to the wheel. Ultimately, this leads to wheels maintaining a cleaner appearance longer.  

• Very low dust
• Improved braking over many inexpensive pads
• Stable friction output
• Extremely quiet
• Extended pad life
• Increased rotor life 

Read "Why Ceramic Brake Pads" to learn more about the benefits of ceramic brake pads.

With all the talk about horsepower, torque, 0-60 times and top speed, what often gets overlooked is the performance of a vehicle's braking system. Let's face it, how important is 600 bhp and a 0-60 in 2.9 seconds if your car takes a country mile to stop? This may be obvious to some, but ask yourself when was the last time you saw a commercial for a car or truck bragging about engine performance without ever mentioning the brakes?
 
Brake pads, referred to in the industry as friction material, are the least expensive component of the braking system, yet they offer the most impact on performance. Like tires, not all brake pads provide the same performance characteristics and it's important to know which products best fit the vehicle and the driver's needs.

Ceramic pads are designed for very low dust and noise, but compromise on braking force. Ceramic pads are O.E. on most domestic and Japanese coupes and sedans.  

Semi-metallic pads provide maximum braking force or bite but are louder and leave heavier dust on a car's wheels. These pads are commonly O.E. for performance European vehicles and the most aggressive semi-metallic pads are used in specialty applications such as cars used in racing events.

Composite friction material offers a balance between braking force and low dust/noise. Think of these pads as a happy medium over ceramic and semi-metallic.

Akebono ProACT Ceramic Pads

Hawk Blue 9012 Track Only Pads

Satisfied GranSport 6 Pads

Shop by vehicle to find the brake components that work best for your vehicle.

Every day I receive calls from motorsport enthusiasts keen to get back out on the track this summer season. Although wheels, tires, horsepower and suspension components are very important (and often times more fun), it is important to remember what is stopping your vehicle.

Paying close attention to your brakes will not only improve your lap times but more importantly keep you out of the grass. 

Using the one of the most sophisticated manufacturing processes available, Hawk Performance produces some of the finest brake pads on the market. In addition to their very popular line of Performance Ceramic and HPS Street Pads, Hawk carries several different ranges of race pads for every race and skill level. Considering ceramic brake pads for your vehicle? Read "Why Ceramic Brake Pads" to learn important characteristics about ceramic pads and how they can improve your vehicle's stopping power.

Shop by vehicle to see which brake components are best for your vehicle.

Grinding, squealing, long stopping distances? It could be time for new brake pads. Tire Rack can help with a wide array of pads and rotors for most vehicles.

Ceramics give the lowest noise and dust, but won't increase stopping power. The Akebono Pro Act Ceramic Pads are a great option in the ceramic line-up.  Available for many applications and attractively priced.

Semi-metallics will shorten the stopping distances and increase the initial bite. There are varying degrees of stopping power available. You can get a nice increase in capability without a dramatic change in noise or dust with the Hawk HPS. If you really want to step up the power with no regard for dust levels, the HPS from Hawk really delivers the goods. They are close to a track pad, but don't need the warm up of a true track pad, so you can use them on the street.

Tire Rack also carries track applications that you can't reasonably use on the street, but will let you late-brake into the corners and really shed off the speed while at the track.

View available brake pad options for your vehicle.

Tire Rack offers aftermarket replacement brakes for many vehicles including Acuras. You can improve stopping power, dusting and noise with great pads from Akebono, Satisfied and Hawk Performance.

For low dust and noise options:

A great direct replacement. Akebono Ceramic Technology (ACT) helps reduce noise, harshness and vibration.









Using a special ceramic material creates a quiet and smooth braking experience.








Hawk Performance Ceramic Pads


A low dusting ceramic formula with higher friction for quicker stops.






Options for better stopping power:

Akebono Street Performance Pads


High quality and long-lasting while providing stopping power. If you push your vehicle to the limit or like having the safety net of extra stopping power, then these pads are for you.







Satisfied GranSport 6 Pads


Using Race Grid Technology, these pads provide superior stopping, while maintaining low noise.







Hawk Performance HPS Street Brake Pads


Made in the U.S.A. This premium braking pad provides fast stops, quick initial bite and low dust and noise levels.

Not stopping as well as you would like? Hawk Performance Brakes has a brake pad to help improve your braking performance. Hawk makes disc brake pads for sedans, SUVs, light trucks and sports cars. Let's take a look and see which of the Hawk brakes may work best for you.

• HPS Street Brake Pads
  
  • Designed for high speed driving or repetitive heavy braking, providing advanced braking characteristics to enhance the driving experience.
  • A Performance Street brake pad
• HP Plus Race Brake Pads
  
  • Designed for autocross and track days providing racecar-like stopping power.
  • Will show more dust, noise and wear to achieve this additional stopping power.
  • An Autocross/Track brake pad.
• Performance Ceramic Brake Pads
  
  • Designed for ultra-low dust and noise while providing high friction levels
  • A Premium brake pad.
• LTS Truck/SUV Brake Pads
  
  • Designed to provide superior stopping power for full-sized light trucks, SUVs and vans while generating low noise and dust
  • A Performance Street brake pad
• HP Super Duty Brake Pads
  
  • Designed for severe duty applications frequently towing max capacity loads, providing maximum stopping power and high heat dissipation.

Hawk brake pads are available for some race applications as well. Check to see which track pads work well on your vehicle.

Also read: All About Performance Brake Pad Categories

Hawk Performance offers several performance levels of brake pads for Honda Civics. If you are a casual driver and do not push your car to its limits then you should take a strong look at the Hawk Performance Ceramic Brake Pad.

This pad will offer improved stopping power over the factory brake pads and since they are ceramic they will not produce any dark brake dust.

Some three years in development, the new Michelin Pilot Super Sport is the long-awaited replacement for the class-leading Pilot Sport PS2 that has been a popular Max Performance Summer tire option for enthusiasts since 2004.

Michelin’s target for the Pilot Super Sport is to maintain the PS2’s good level of road manners and fuel efficiency, improve handling and braking in dry and wet conditions, while also stretching treadwear on the road and at the track. 

Like its predecessor, the new Pilot Super Sport features side-by-side tread compounds across its asymmetric tread pattern. In the outboard third of the tread, Michelin uses a compound mixed with a special carbon black elastomer taken directly from the endurance racing tires used to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, that helps provide high levels of long-lasting dry grip. A different compound is used on the inboard two thirds of the tread, which focuses on providing traction in wet conditions. 

Michelin has further developed the behavior of the tire’s contact patch, equalizing footprint pressure to aid handling and stretch treadwear. Part of this comes from the internal architecture of the tire which uses a layer of the unique aramid fiber Twaron to control the centrifugal forces as the tire rolls at high speed.

The Pilot Super Sport has already been homologated by Ferrari as the Original Equipment tire on the stunning Ferrari 599 GTO, earning the 2010 Ferrari Technology Award along the way.

Since only select Ferrari sizes are currently available today, Michelin gave us the opportunity to preview the Pilot Super Sport’s dry and wet performance at the Dubai Autodrome in the United Arab Emirates.

With the Pilot Super Sport already established with Ferrari as an O.E. fitment, Michelin is also working with Porsche, BMW M and prestigious tuners to homologate the Pilot Super Sport on some of the world’s most potent sports and super cars. Michelin brought along their lead test drivers, responsible for tuning tires to suit the distinctive performance characters of each O.E. fitment. Their team provided insight into what it takes to develop a tire for each unique fitment and provided us with some exciting hot laps to show off the fruit of their labor. Watch for the Pilot Super Sport to appear on several other top sports cars in the months to come.

Finally it was time for us to get behind the wheel and drive the Pilot Super Sport for ourselves. First up was wet cornering, where we drove Audi TTs around a 200' diameter skidpad, comparing the traction of the Pilot Super Sport with a competitor. The Pilot Super Sport felt as if it provided some additional cornering grip, as well as more predictable break away and recovery characteristics.

We followed this with an ABS-assisted panic stop in both dry and wet conditions, using different cars and a different competitor tire. Here, the Pilot Super Sport provided a slightly shorter stopping distance in the dry and an equivalent distance in the wet.

Our favorite test was dry handling, using a 1.1 mile section of the circuit. We drove two Porsche 911 Carrera S, fitted with Pilot Super Sport and a competitor’s tires. We didn’t compare lap times, but were able to feel a difference from behind the wheel.

The Pilot Super Sport felt more responsive, and used its cornering power to turn down to the apex with authority. The massive Porsche ceramic brakes made easy work of the stopping duties. While we could easily engage the ABS with both tires, the Pilot Super Sport allowed for a harder application before triggering the anti-lock system. Also impressive was the overall handling balance of the car fitted with the Pilot Super Sport tires, bolstering driver confidence during cornering and allowing for a harder application of the throttle on corner exit. 

We installed our RaceLogic DriftBox data acquisition system in the car with Pilot Super Sport tires, and found the tire + vehicle combination was pulling over 1.0 lateral g-forces in several of the corners (shown in red).


Michelin also brought along a few of their favorite toys to show off the capabilities of the Pilot Super Sport. Their test drivers provided hot lap rides in an AC Schnitzer-tuned BMW M3, Audi R8, Ferrari 458 Italia, Gumpert Apollo, Koenigsegg Agera, Lamborghini Gallardo, Mercedes-Benz SLS, a 1,000 horsepower MKB P1000 Mercedes-Benz SL65, Porsche 911 Turbo, and more. The Pilot Super Sport proved stable, predictable and very capable of harnessing the power of these amazing cars.


Scheduled to be released to North America in a wide range of sizes in the spring of 2011, we’re looking forward to the opportunity to evaluate the Pilot Super Sport back at our Indiana headquarters on our Real World Road Ride and Performance Track Drive.

Stay tuned for a full test report coming in 2011. Until then, take a look at more photos from our trip to Dubai on our Facebook page.

If you are like me, you're probably really tired of cleaning your wheels a day after washing your car. While the brakes on my BMW are very good, they just make a mess of the wheels. I have found two things that really make a difference.

Number one is changing to a ceramic brake pad like Hawk Performance Ceramic or Akebono Euro Ceramic.  They are still going to give you the braking you need but you can go between car washes before you have to clean the wheels.

Secondly, I use Griot's Garage Paint Sealant to coat the wheels. The sealant really keeps the brake dust from adhereing to the wheels and makes washing them so much easier.

Meet your stopping needs with brakes and brake rotors available for your Acura. Don't worry about picking the wrong products. We check every order before we ship it out and offer lots of user reviews on the brake system products we sell. And our search results by vehicle will only generate a list of products that are specifically a fit for your vehicle.

Use our brake performance rating system too, to help you pick brakes that meet your needs. Ratings are provided in three categories: stopping power, low dust and noise. The more red dots you see the better stopping power, lower noise level and lower dust. Original Equipment (O.E.) replacement brake pads all the way up to all-out track pads are available.

Some of the most popular Acura brake pads available are:

• Akebono ProACT Ceramic Pads: Better stopping power with much lower noise and much lower dust ratings than O.E. brake pads. Suggesedt for street use.
• Hawk HPS Street Brake Pads: Much better Stopping power with lower noise and more dust. Suggested for performance street use.
• Hawk Performance Ceramic Brake Pads: Better stopping power with lower noise and lower dust ratings. Suggested for street use.

The process of cryogenically treating brake rotors can drastically improve the way a brake system performs. Cryogenically treated metal is cooled well below a zero-degree temperature, slowly returned to room temperature, and treated with heat to complete the process. Although you can't see the results, the metal is significantly altered and is able to stand up to abrasive wear. It's also much more durable. That means cryogenically treated brake rotors are denser and extremely smooth, both of which reduce wear and tear. And we all know how much our brake systems have to deal with.

At Tire Rack, the cryogenically treated rotors in our inventory come from Cryo-Stop. In addition to the cryogenic treatment, the Cryo-Stop rotors feature the company's Electrocoating finish to further protect the rotors against rust and corrosion.

"I bought a four-pack of Cryo-Stop rotors and high-grade ceramic pads. My OEM brakes were shuddering and squealing under moderate and light braking, respectively. The shudder went away when I swapped the fronts, and the squeal disappeared after changing the rear. Since then, it's been a smooth, silent and safe ride. Looks great, too. The black paint on the Cryo-Stop rotors is a nice touch, and I haven't seen any rust anywhere yet." — Tire Rack Consumer Review, Honda Accord, IL

Shop by vehicle to see if Cryo-Stop rotors are right for you.

Are your brakes a little tired? Looking for high performance pads for your sports car? Try the brake pads that I always use: Hawk Performance Ceramic Pads.

Hawk Performance is the Original Equipment recommended performance brake pad upgrade for Chevrolet Corvettes and is an accessory performance brake pad supplier for Mazda, Nissan and Hyundai. They also provide brake pads for NASCAR, SCCA and NHRA.

Let’s take a look at a couple solutions for the driving enthusiast.

Hawk Performance Ceramic Pads (Premium)

Hawk Performance HPS Street Brake Pads (Performance Street)

I have used both of these brake pads on my cars. The ceramic pads have improved stopping power, create low dust and are very quiet. This pad is very easy to live with. The HPS pad will offer improved stopping power over the ceramic, but will have a little more dust. I also noticed that both of these pad compounds had longer life than my stock pads; that was a nice surprise.

If you are looking to upgrade your Original Equipment semi-metallic or organic brake pads with a pad that offers smooth, quiet, braking with lower dust output, ceramic pads may just be the answer! Unless your vehicle was equipped with ceramic pads from the factory, you likely notice your wheels are covered with dust within a day or two after washing them - a complaint I hear all too often!

Ceramic pads are designed to deliver the same stopping power and pedal feel as Original Equipment pads, with less dust, lower noise, less vibration and less rotor wear. In addition, ceramic pads dissipate heat better for less brake fade and faster recovery during heavy braking. 

Tire Rack  offers ceramic pads from the following manufacturers:
 

Last weekend’s project was to replace the brakes on my Pontiac. The O.E. brake rotors and pads had served us well but it was time for something a little better. Over the winters, the rotors had rusted and didn't look as good with the new Elbrus wheels on the car.

The nice thing about brake systems (brake pad and brake rotor combination) at Tire Rack is that there is usually more than one option for your vehicle. For example, for my 2000 Pontiac there are nine different choices of front and rear brakes and seven different brake rotors available. That may seem overwhelming, but actually it is pretty easy to make a selection. Decide ahead of time what is important to you: low noise, stopping power, or low dust. Then select a performance category and use the red bubble brake pad grading scale nnext to the brake pads to pick the best pad. Whether they end up being ceramic disc brake pads or composite disc brake pads, pick the custom brake set-up that works best for your needs and driving style.

My goal for the brake system on the Pontiac was to achieve good, predictable stopping power with minimal noise and lower levels of dust. I selected the ATE PremiumOne Rotors with Hawk Performance Ceramic Pads front and rear. They look and stop much better with the new wheels!