What Are Brake Pads Made From?

The exact materials used to make brake pads vary by manufacturer, and manufacturers often keep their formulas a secret. Generally, brake pads are made from either a mixture of metallic shavings or nonmetallic, organic materials.

Identification

Most brake pads use a semi-metallic material that contains shavings of steel wool, copper and brass, which are held together with resin.

History

Brake pads were originally made from carbon and asbestos until asbestos was banned by the government for health reasons.

Types

Some vehicles are still designed for nonmetallic brake pads. The current nonmetallic pads are made with Kevlar instead of asbestos.

Warning

Metallic brakes have a higher chance of making grinding sounds because the metal shavings constantly grind against the steel brake rotors. Some third-party manufacturers claim to make pads that are quieter.

Prevention/Solution

Some brake pads are made with special shims that intentionally make grinding sounds as they wear down to warn the driver when to replace them.