Brake Pad Selection Guide
If you've been shopping for brake pads on our store, you've probably noticed that we offer quite a few options. We completely understand that the level of choice we offer can make it a little difficult to make that final decision. To make it a little easier, we've put together this guide.
Below we'll cover most of the brake pads we offer in more detail. However, if you see a brand or compound not mentioned here, please feel free to contact us for more information.
We break our brake pads into three categories:
- OE Brake Pads - Standard factory replacement pads
- Performance Brake Pads - Aftermarket pads with compounds designed to give you more stopping power
- Racing Brake Pads - Extreme high-performance pads with compounds designed for use on track
This is a pretty basic overview, so lets get into a bit more detail.
OE Brake Pads
The brake pads you'll find in this category are typically just replacements for the pads that came equipped on your car. However, some of the compounds will also offer lower dust or slightly better wear characteristics depending on the compound used.
Textar is the most common OE replacement brake pad brand we install at our service shops and is a great pad option if all you're looking for is a good factory replacement brake pad.
Brembo OE pads are also another excellent replacement brake pad as well.
Akebono brake pads utilize a ceramic compound. This allows them to be very quiet with very low dust production as well.
Hudson Premium Ceramic OE replacement brake pads are for those looking for a low dust factory style pad. As their name suggests, these utilize a ceramic compound for very low dust production.
EBC Ultimax brake pads are another great factory replacement brake pad with a slight edge in the performance department. Expect above average lifespan with these as well.
Performance Brake Pads
The pads in this category are best used for high performance diving on the street or light track use. Most of the compounds in here will give you at least a 20-30% decrease in stopping distance. Several of these compounds also give you more initial bite as well.
EBC Redstuff pads utilize a ceramic compound for a great low dust, no noise performance brake pad. These will give you much better braking performance than OE pads while typically offering lower dust than most OE pads. If you're into driving a little harder on the street but also want extremely low dust, look no further than Redstuff pads.
EBC Greenstuff pads are focused on giving you more braking performance at the sacrifice of increased dust production. These will give you a better initial bite over Redstuff pads with no increase in noise. Please note that Greenstuff pads are intended for spirited street driving only and are not recommended for track use due to their low fade resistance.
EBC Yellowstuff pads are our recommendation for those that want the best possible performance on the street or for light track use. These also offer best in class initial bite for a performance brake pad even while cold. Please note that Yellowstuff pads do produce a significant amount of brake dust and can be noisy when cold. Also, while they perform great on track, they do require a 50-100 mile bed-in for optimal performance, so if you're going to be swapping pads during a track day, please plan accordingly.
Hawk HPS pads are very similar in performance to EBC Redstuff pads with decreased stopping distance over OE pads. Expect low dust production and silent operation from these as well. Recommended for spirited street driving only.
G-Loc GS-1 brake pads produce very little dust and very little noise, while maintaining excellent initial bite and torque for street use. GS-1 has been unmatched in the industry for disc/rotor friendliness as well as its longevity. This compound's excellent performance on the street provides incredible braking force without ABS intervention. We do not recommend using GS-1 brake pads for ANY track use.
Racing Brake Pads
The brake pads in this category are typically strictly for use on track. If you're thinking that you drive your car fast enough to use these pads on the street, please re-consider. Aside from the R6 brake pads, all of the brake pads in this category will require some heat to be put into them before they start to become efficient. We also do NOT recommended using most of these pads for daily use on the street due to elevated levels of dust and noise. In addition, some of the more extreme brake pad compounds in this category can be very rough on brake rotors and will require replacement of them more often.
EBC Bluestuff brake pads are an entry-level track-day and race pad that has good street manners and is actually R90-approved for street driving. If you're a fan of the EBC Yellowstuff brake pads, Bluestuff pads will feel very familiar, albeit with increased sharpness, intial bite and longevity. In addition, Bluestuff pads feature a faster bed-in period than Yellowstuff pads.
EBC RP-1 brake pads are a dedicated motorsport pad that pairs high-performance with unprecedented modulation and control, resulting in a track pad that feels uniquely different to the competition. This unique formula allows you to extract every last tenth from each and every braking zone. RP-1 brake pads are similar to the RP-X pads in most respects, albeit with a less aggressive bite.
EBC RP-X brake pads feature an ultra-high performance track and race compound designed for performance vehicles driven hard on track. We recommend these pads for dedicated race cars. RP-X has a very stable friction coefficient at even the most demanding temperatures, making it an excellent performer for all track driven vehicles. If you've used the EBC RP-1 pads before and are in the market for something with a more aggressive bite, these are the pads for you.
G-Loc R6 brake pads have been specifically engineered for Autocross applications. The advanced compound matrix of the R6 provides an excellent initial bite, high coefficient of friction at lower temperatures along with very progressive brake modulation and release characteristics. The R6™ compound is widely used for street use as well, but this compound will more than likely make noise on the street. R6 pads are NOT recommended for road racing (closed circuit) use in most applications.
G-Loc R8 brake pads utilize a high torque brake compound with a wide operating temperature range. The R8 is the first of G-Loc's extensive lineup of racing compounds. Good initial bite along with excellent modulation and release characteristics. Extremely high fade resistance and very rotor friendly. Perfect for track day use with any tire and can still be driven safely to and from the track.
G-Loc R10 brake pads have a much stronger initial bite and higher coefficient of friction than the R8. The R10 compound still maintains our smooth release, excellent modulation and rotor friendliness that have been engineered into all previous G-LOC™ compounds. The R10 compound leads the industry in disc/rotor friendliness. The R10™ has a broad temperature range that begins at 118°F and a fade resistance is in excess of 1475°F.
G-Loc R12 brake pads raise the bar even higher with an excellent initial bite, high and consistent torque, and outstanding fade resistance over and above the R10. The R12 has a temperature range of 173°F to 1860°F (78°C to 1015°C). The R12 continues G-Loc's excellent release and modulation that has been engineered into all previous G-Loc compounds. The R12 is slightly more disc/rotor aggressive than R10 but more disc/rotor friendly compared to the competition.
G-Loc R14 brake pads are engineered for endurance racing with lighter weight, lower horsepower cars in mind. R14 has solid initial bite, a little less modulation than the R10 or R12. R14 has great fade resistance with a temperature range of 210°F to 1400°F (98°C to 760°C). R14 is as rotor friendly as the R12 compound.
G-Loc R16 brake pads utilize an extremely aggressive initial bite, linear torque curve and excellent fade resistance compound. R16 has a temperature range of 255°F to 2000°F (123°C to 1093°C). The R16 maintains G-Loc's philosophy of modulation and release that has been the foundation of all other G-LOC™ R-Series compounds.
G-Loc R18 brake pads are the pinnacle compound of the R-Series compounds engineered by G-Loc. R18 has more initial bite, overall bite, and even more controllable torque. The R18 offers the absolute most linear torque curve. The thermal characteristics and coefficient of friction are of the highest offered by anyone in the braking industry. This revolutionary compound will lead the way in all major forms of racing (professionally and grassroots). R18 has a temperature range of 610°F to 2100°F+ (321°C to 1149°C+).