Pads & Shoes

The Importance of High-Quality Brake Pads and Shoes

Few components in your vehicle impact your safety as much as the braking system. If one component fails, it can result in complete failure. Critical parts of the braking system are the brake pads and shoes.

Pads and shoes serve the same purpose — they help create the friction needed to slow and stop the vehicle — but the way they function differs. In a disc brake setup, the brake caliper squeezes the brake pads against the rotor to create friction. In a drum brake setup, wheel cylinders press the shoes outward against the brake drum to create friction.

Most modern vehicles have disc brakes on all four wheels, but some older vehicles and lower-cost models may have only front disc brakes and rear drum brakes. Some classic cars have drum brakes on all four wheels.

When your pads or shoes wear out, the friction material can lose effectiveness in slowing the vehicle. If you wear out all the friction material, you can create a metal-on-metal situation where the pad or shoe backing plate contacts the rotor or drum, causing damage. If you start hearing squealing or grinding when you press the brake pedal, this could be a sign of low brake pads and shoes.

Get Genuine Brake Pads and Shoes at AutoNation Parts

Because brake pads and shoes play such a huge role in stopping your vehicle, it’s critical you replace them at the first sign of excessive wear.

Fortunately, AutoNation Parts has you covered with its large selection of high-quality replacement pads and shoes in stock and ready to ship to your front door.