# Brake pads & rotors **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [August 12, 2008, 6:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brake-pads-rotors/18058 "2008-08-12T06:46:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drchapple\_153148](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drchapple\_153148](https://community.cartalk.com/u/drchapple_153148)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 6:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brake-pads-rotors/18058/1 "2008-08-12T06:46:23Z")
Which is better to use when replacing brake pads , ceramic or semi-metallic. I was told ceramic was better because they made less dust to get on your wheels and didn’t wear into the rotor as quickly as semi-metallic. Also was told to wash new rotors b/4 installing because they had a coating on them to keep them from rusting when they were new. I was also told on a Avalon or Lexus is was best to use Toyota pads instead of generic pads. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 1:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brake-pads-rotors/18058/2 "2008-08-13T01:08:26Z")
Toyota doesn’t make brake pads or rotors, they buy them from other brake manufacturers. Most likely they buy from Brembo or Akebono. Both make ceramic pads and they would be the better choice. There are other pads and rotors that will be just as good, Wagner and EBC are very good brands. You will probably want to avoid the low cost chain auto parts store brands though. Be careful of some ceramic models, you want the ones closest to OEM. The “high performance” pads work very well under hard driving conditions but often don’t work as well when cold. This could make the first stop in the morning a bit long. ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brake-pads-rotors/18058/3 "2008-08-13T01:57:22Z")
I have never used ceramic. The rust preventive coating can be easily washed off with a can of brake clean but you don’t have to. If you do not expect to smell a bad odor and smoke coming off the rotors. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brake-pads-rotors/18058/4 "2008-08-13T02:01:10Z")
If the car comes with ceramic pads then replace with ceramic pads…if it comes with metalic pads then replace with metalic. ---
**Author:** ![drchapple\_153148](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drchapple\_153148](https://community.cartalk.com/u/drchapple_153148)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brake-pads-rotors/18058/5 "2008-08-13T17:18:25Z")
Thanks for your reply. The Toyota dealer wanted $450.00 to do the front and $250.00 for the rear. Said if I did them myself I should buy “their” pads & rotors. Can you tell me where I can get the pads you mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![caballero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@caballero](https://community.cartalk.com/u/caballero)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brake-pads-rotors/18058/6 "2008-08-13T18:41:11Z")
Whenever you put new pads on, have the rotors turned/resurfaced. Even the new ones that say one the box, “NO TURNING REQUIRED”. For some reason,all or another (99%) are warped ever it be so slight. So don’t wash them, turn them to true them up and get the film off. The only way you can tell they’re true is to do a scratch test on them on the brake lathe. Some require one pass of the lathe at 1/2 thousands and others require maybe 3 passes at 1/2 thousandths each. So its not much. It will make the difference between a good job or a great job, and if you don’t it will come back to haunt you 6 months from now. Now the pads, There are basically 3 types: low end mid grade high grade We always recommend the mid-grade because the low end will usually sqeak and make lots of the dust you mentioned. The high end last a long time because they wear out the rotor…Rotors with a deep lip on the edge are caused from the high grade pads or by changing the pads without having the rotor turned. Replacing a rotor isn’t a big deal unless it has a hub like come with trucks and heavy duty cars. Then you’re paying $40.00 for pads and $80.00 plus for rotors. When is it recommended to change pads? Seventy-five percent of the life of the pad is on the first half of the pad. When the pad reaches the 1/2 way point, wear is excessive because of the heat and worn rotor. We always used Wagner’s or Carquest’s mid grade pads on all the jobs around here. I would recommend filing the sharpe edges of the pads so slight before installing. The sharpe edges sometimes causes the pads to squeal similiar to rubbing the edge a glass with a wet finger…it resonates. Hope this helps. Rick