When it comes to ensuring the safety of you and your family, no other automotive component plays as important a role as your brakes - and in particular, your brake pads. While a brake system utilizes a number of different components, the brake pads hold the responsibility of actually contacting the rotors and stopping your car.

As you probably know, brake pads wear down over time and eventually need to be replaced. To promote optimal safety, you must be sure to select the best possible replacement brake pads. Unfortunately, many people fail to understand how one brake pad differs from another. This article will take a closer look at three key distinguishing features of brake pads.

1. Material

Brake pads come in a variety of different materials, each of which presents its own unique set of performance attributes. The two most important variables are stopping power and longevity. The best all-around compromise in each of these categories comes from non-asbestos organic brake pads.

These brake pads consist of organic fibers held together by heavy-duty resin. Relatively soft and quiet, organic pads offer consistent braking results. That said, they tend to wear down at a quicker rate. Fortunately, organic brake pads carry a relatively low price tag compared to other varieties, which helps to offset the fact that they'll need to be replaced more frequently.

Semi-metallic brake pads offer improved stopping power and longevity, being harder and more durable than organic pads. Yet semi-metallic brakes can be harsher and noisier as well. Not only that, but they can also wear down the surface of your rotors over time. Finally, they may struggle to deliver consistent results when operating in very low temperatures.

Other more specialized types of brake pad materials include low-metallic NAO and ceramic. While these may be suitable for high-performance applications, most passenger vehicles will respond best to a well-chosen organic or semi-metallic pad.

2. Attachment Method

While spoken of as a single component, brake pads actually contain two distinct parts: the friction material and the backing plate. Friction material refers to the actual braking surface, as discussed above. This pad comes permanently attached to a stiff metal backing plate, which gives the pad stiffness and rigidity.

Manufacturers use a number of different methods to attach the friction pad to the backing plate. The simplest - and, often, least expensive - method involves attaching a pre-formed pad to the plate using adhesive. Unfortunately, such pads stand a much greater risk of experiencing the problem known as edge lift.

As its name implies, edge lift involves the edges of the friction pad separating from the backing plate. Over time, the entire friction pad may work loose in this way. To avoid this highly dangerous possibility, look for pads that feature molded, riveted, or mechanically locked attachment methods.

While more expensive, such attachment methods ensure that the friction pad remains securely attached to the backing plate for the entire lifespan of the pad. Many pads utilize a combination of these attachment methods for even greater strength and stability.

3. Quality Control

Cheap brake pads may look and feel like their more expensive counterparts, yet that doesn't mean that they'll perform the same way over time. The best brake pads undergo rigorous development tests. Such tests involve driving simulations as well as on-vehicle tests. Although time- and labor-intensive, such tests promote a high-quality product.

Quality control tests prove equally important when it comes to the manufactured pads. Reputable manufacturers put random pads from the production line through a rigorous battery of tests. Such tests fall into two main categories - destructive and non-destructive - both of which seek to quantify the pad's structural integrity.

Given the central importance held by a car's brakes, car owners shouldn't hesitate to pay more for high-quality brake pads. For more information about getting the best brakes for your needs, contact the experts at Midland Muffler and Brake.