Are NAPA brake pads any good ?

[ron's power stroke]

Originally Posted by Dukernc Hey Mark, Just did a front brake rebuild on my 90' F150 and installed the premium NAPA SD pads along with the premium grade rotors. The combination works great! It stops on a dime and gives you change!! I also have the SD pads on my 99'. Just be sure that what ever pad you choose to use that you perform the "bedding" break-in process. FYI .. if your not familiar with the process.. BRAKE PAD BEDDING IN PROCEDURE Good Luck!! oops sorry..didnt see this post......

[big poppa]

Don't know about Napa pads but got Duralast (just checked) from Auto-Zone and seem to be holding up pretty good. Great price too. The Ford OEM seem to hold up very good also.

[whjco]

I had a set of NAPA ceramic pads and new rotors installed on my E350 several years ago. The pads were downright dangerous and didn't have any adhesion on the rotors! They'd just get hot and smoke but wouldn't even lock the wheels. After two weeks I removed them and installed OEM spec. Carquest pads and the stopping power increased about 800%!

[ron's power stroke]

Originally Posted by whjco

I had a set of NAPA ceramic pads and new rotors installed on my E350 several years ago. The pads were downright dangerous and didn't have any adhesion on the rotors! They'd just get hot and smoke but wouldn't even lock the wheels. After two weeks I removed them and installed OEM spec. Carquest pads and the stopping power increased about 800%!

Brake Tech - Brake Pad and Rotor Bed-In Procedures very inportant with expansive pads...

or the rotors where never turned or replaced when the pads went on...

[whjco]

Originally Posted by ron's power stroke

Brake Tech - Brake Pad and Rotor Bed-In Procedures

or the rotors where never turned or replaced when the pads went on...

Sorry to respectfully disagree but the rotors were also brand new and I put the pads through a thorough break-in period before I attempted towing with them. I've done my own brake work successfully for over 40 years and never had this problem before or since. NAPA agreed that the pads were defective and gave me a refund on them. The composite material on the pads was as hard as a rock and had little adhesion properties against the rotors.

[ron's power stroke]

then its not all pads..what Napa was saying is.. just that set you got was bad,,,,had mine over 50k so far...never a problem and not even half worn...thats good info though..thank you..

[tag187]

Originally Posted by whjco

I had a set of NAPA ceramic pads and new rotors installed on my E350 several years ago. The pads were downright dangerous and didn't have any adhesion on the rotors! They'd just get hot and smoke but wouldn't even lock the wheels. After two weeks I removed them and installed OEM spec. Carquest pads and the stopping power increased about 800%!

This kind of thing happens every once in awhile sometimes things slip by the QC guys (sad it was a set of brakes). That doesn't mean all in all they sell a bad product, just got a bad set that time. I Sure will watch and check our fleet trucks more often after a brake job from now on though.

[whjco]

Originally Posted by ron's power stroke

then its not all pads..what Napa was saying is.. just that set you got was bad,,,,had mine over 50k so far...never a problem and not even half worn...thats good info though..thank you..

Yeah Ron, but they didn't pay for the labor necessary to replace them nor for the hole in my seat cushion where my butt puckered a hole in it when I ran clean through an intersection at a red light with my loaded 9500# 24' car trailer in tow. I was 15 mph under the speed limit when the light changed and it just plain wouldn't stop! I was standing on the pedal and it wouldn't lock the rotors on the van, or engage the anti-lock, and the smoke was rolling off of the trailer tires since the trailer was doing most of the stopping. Later, I had another hill with a T-stop at the bottom and I even slowed down and geared down before starting down the hill. Even then, I had difficulty stopping and the smoke was rolling off of the van brakes. We were on our way to an antique car tour in NY (we're in Lexington, KY) at the time and I had to drive like I was on eggshells the rest of the trip out and back. After that kind of experience, I'm a little reluctant to try NAPA ceramics again.

Also, the practically brand-new rotors were warped from all the heating and NAPA wouldn't replace them, so I literally got burned on a new set of rotors. Yes, there was enough meat on the brand new rotors to turn them true but I didn't trust them to remain true after having experienced that much heat. AND I buy enough parts from NAPA that I'm on their fleet pricing plan. NAPA refunded the price of the pads but didn't compensate me for the damage to the rotors nor the replacement labor that they caused.

I feel that I've paid well for the right to be disappointed with NAPA's brake pads.

[cangim]

Originally Posted by whjco

Yeah Ron, but they didn't pay for the labor necessary to replace them nor for the hole in my seat cushion where my butt puckered a hole in it when I ran clean through an intersection at a red light with my loaded 9500# 24' car trailer in tow. I was 15 mph under the speed limit when the light changed and it just plain wouldn't stop! I was standing on the pedal and it wouldn't lock the rotors on the van, or engage the anti-lock, and the smoke was rolling off of the trailer tires since the trailer was doing most of the stopping. Later, I had another hill with a T-stop at the bottom and I even slowed down and geared down before starting down the hill. Even then, I had difficulty stopping and the smoke was rolling off of the van brakes. We were on our way to an antique car tour in NY (we're in Lexington, KY) at the time and I had to drive like I was on eggshells the rest of the trip out and back. After that kind of experience, I'm a little reluctant to try NAPA ceramics again.

Also, the practically brand-new rotors were warped from all the heating and NAPA wouldn't replace them, so I literally got burned on a new set of rotors. Yes, there was enough meat on the brand new rotors to turn them true but I didn't trust them to remain true after having experienced that much heat. AND I buy enough parts from NAPA that I'm on their fleet pricing plan. NAPA refunded the price of the pads but didn't compensate me for the damage to the rotors nor the replacement labor that they caused.

I feel that I've paid well for the right to be disappointed with NAPA's brake pads.

Yeah, if I had that happen I would be very reluctant to recommend anything as well. After the initial bed in time did the brakes feel weak? I would think that if it is pushing you that much through and intersection that they had to be very marginal to begin with in stopping power. Hopefully no harm done other than the crap rotors and brakes. I have been pushed through a stop sign before with a trailer. Totally changes your outlook when towing things.

[whjco]

Originally Posted by cangim

Yeah, if I had that happen I would be very reluctant to recommend anything as well. After the initial bed in time did the brakes feel weak? I would think that if it is pushing you that much through and intersection that they had to be very marginal to begin with in stopping power. Hopefully no harm done other than the crap rotors and brakes. I have been pushed through a stop sign before with a trailer. Totally changes your outlook when towing things.

I spent about 10 days breaking them in and they felt pretty good when we left on the trip. Most of the mileage was Interstate and I generally try to be pretty gentle on the brakes, particularly when I'm pulling the trailer. It was like they suddenly glazed on the panic stop and lost their adhesion on the rotor.

[Dukernc]

Ok,
From what I have read recently about bedding brakes it is very important that the rotors and pads be properly bedded. However. what is also very important is the proper bedding technique for the type of pads being used. OEM, metallic and or ceramic all have different characteristics and therefore require a different bedding process due to optimum operating temperatures and how the material reacts due to the operating temperature. I've attached another link that I found and at the bottom are two (2) additional links for bedding procedures based on the type of brake material (stock, performance) being used. Hope this helps.

StopTech : Balanced Brake Upgrades

[BrokenBit]

What's the concensus on ceramic pads vs. non-ceramic (conventional)? I'm due for rear brakes myself and was calling around for prices today, seems the ceramics are generally more expensive but one place had them on sale for less than the "regular" pads. I don't really know what the diff. is????