On another thread, someone suggested to "get rid of the original brakes and install ventilated rotors and ceramic high performance pads."

I asked my mechanic and he said not to waste my money.

I sure could use a second or third opinion...

Thanks,

Steve

1993 Ram3500 Van, 5.2L 8cyl EFI, 162,000 miles

 

The ceramic pads might have merit,

Drilled rotors on a van, do not

 

Seconded

 

Ceramic pads supposedly last longer. I'll stick with my semi-metallics for now, but hey you all let me know how that new technology works out for you.

Slotted or drilled rotors are for race cars and posers (street kiddies). Pointless.

 

Thanks everyone for setting me straight.

As you can probably tell, I don't do any mechanical repairs to the van. So now for the next novice questions:

Any recommendations for a good brand of brake pads that I can bring to my mechanic for installation?

Also: On the last brake job, my mechanic asked if I wanted long lasting pads or less expensive pads, which he explained wouldn't last as long. My guess it's a matter of pad thickness. What pad size should I buy?

Thanks again everyone for your expertise!

--Steve

 

The cheap organic pads just turn to dust but they won't wear your rotors as fast. I can't imagine using them on a 1 ton van, they wouldn't last more than a few months and they would turn your front fenders black.

Metallic pads need to warm up a bit to kick in. You'll feel them come on strong after a about a second into your braking. People also complain that they wear down the rotors much faster but I don't get it. I think you're more likely to go steel on steel with a bad pad or warp a rotor from a stuck caliper than actually wear the rotor down.

I haven't used ceramic yet.

When I buy brake parts from a parts store I always ask for the 2nd level of house brand be it pads or drums/rotors. The 1st (lowest) level will just put you in a cycle of constant repairs and break downs.

Steve

 

Although I haven't used organics yet, I've been told just the opposite, they create less dust and do not dirty up the front rims like semi-metallic and ceramics do.

 

I just stopped at a local NAPA store. The Ultra Premiums are $63 and are made in the US by Brake Parts Inc, IL. Those are the ones I'll use when the pads are ready to be replaced.

 

I'm so glad to see this thread.This might help. Simple physics. Friction creates heat and wear. I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee (sometimes poor stoppers). In that and all my previous cars, I used to replace rotors all the time because: Dirt, sand, common road particles accumulate between that flat surface of the rotor and the brake pads. Sooner than you think, you start seeing grooves in the rotor, and after a while you feel vibration when applying the brakes. The slots/grooves present in the aftermarket rotors do two very good things. They act as a knife, keeping those particles from accumulating (without wearing the pad) and they allow more air to flow between the rotor and the pad, thus working at a really lower temp, avoiding brake fade due to too much heat. I installed a set of "Dimpled slotted rotors" from BRAKEPERFORMANCE.COM about ten months ago and a set of DURALAST GOLD CERAMIC Brake pads. The Jeep now stops really good and evenly and the rotors face is as flat as new born skin. I can drive all day, stop and touch them, not getting my fingers burned. Hope this helps. Ahh, remember, the faster ordinary rotors wear out, the more times you'll visit your mechanic. Simple business.

 

You should never see grooves occur on the rotor driving on pavement. The only time that grooves occur is when you wait too long to change your pads and the pads run down and then the rivets dig into them.

The new cheap chinese junk rotors are known to be low quality steel and if you use those, you could certainly experience damage that I have never seen on any of my (40+) vehicles. Off road use could certainly be a reason for additional damage