COSXJFAN

After searching high and low, I found that we don't have too much info on this subject. I need to know what material is going to have the absolute best stopping power. I don't care if they squeak some, I just want the best choice for pure stopping power. Not too concerned with long life, as I don't drive my Jeep that much, and I will be upgrading the brakes later, but need this fix now, so what do you guys think??

warrpath4x4

IMHO ceramic brake pads are the best you can get. they dissapate (sp) the heat faster so your rotors wont heat up and warp as easy. they are more expensive but sometimes cheap is just that.

COSXJFAN

Yep, I don't mind spending some extra cash for peace of mind!!

bigbadxj

If you want the best go with Brembo brakes. There is a reason why every race car use them.I also have heard alot of good stuff about EBC ceramic pads here is the first link I saw for them http://www.autoanything.com/brakes/20A50531A1.aspx

tcountry

I heard that semi-met pads stop better than ceramic pads, but they can make noise and wear fqaster

COSXJFAN

I heard just the opposite, so I need some clarification, if someone has it.

93gc40

Best brakes is dependant on cituation and vehicle. On a track used race car, high speed use, I agree with ceramic and something like a brembo multi piston caliper. But for your DD/weekend warrior off-roader semi-metalic should be more than enough. Under NORMAL use an XJ just does not generate the heat to warrant High Performance brakes. Upgrading makes sence, drums to discs and/or stepping up on the pads and shoes, maybe.

COSXJFAN

I have semi metallic now, and they aren't that great, so I was looking for something that would be an improvement over that. I'm not into the market for calipers just yet, I just want the best bang for the buck on brake pad material, that's all. Thanks guys!!

jaqattack02

I'd go with ceramics. They stop really well once they have a little heat in them. The biggest disadvantage to them is they can squeak some and tend to dust a lot. I had a set of the Axxis Ultimate ceramic pads on my Subaru WRX and they had loads of bite. Definitely weren't cheap though.

jd4x426

for offroad i would say ceramic they handle the heat alot better as everyone with semi metalic brakes has probably experienced brake fade which can be down right dangerous if your going down a steep off camber hill you need something that will hold they will make a little more noise and also wear faster but they work no doughbt about it IMHO ceramic is the way to go for offroad

warrpath4x4

from tirerack.com

We want our vehicle's brake system to offer smooth, quiet braking capabilities under a wide range of temperature and road conditions. We don't want brake-generated noise and dust annoying us during our daily driving.

To accommodate this, brake friction materials have evolved significantly over the years. They've gone from asbestos to organic to semi-metallic formulations. Each of these materials has proven to have advantages and disadvantages regarding environmental friendliness, wear, noise and stopping capability.

Asbestos pads caused health issues and organic compounds can't always meet a wide range of braking requirements. Unfortunately the steel strands used in semi-metallic pads to provide strength and conduct heat away from rotors also generate noise and are abrasive enough to increase rotor wear.

Since they were first used on a few original equipment applications in 1985, friction materials that contain ceramic formulations have become recognized for their desirable blend of traits. These pads use ceramic compounds and copper fibers in place of the semi-metallic pad's steel fibers. This allows the ceramic pads to handle high brake temperatures with less heat fade, provide faster recovery after the stop, and generate less dust and wear on both the pads and rotors. And from a comfort standpoint, ceramic compounds provide much quieter braking because the ceramic compound helps dampen noise by generating a frequency beyond the human hearing range.

Another characteristic that makes ceramic materials attractive is the absence of noticeable dust. All brake pads produce dust as they wear. The ingredients in ceramic compounds produce a light colored dust that is much less noticeable and less likely to stick to the wheels. Consequently, wheels and tires maintain a cleaner appearance longer.

Ceramic pads meet or exceed all original equipment standards for durability, stopping distance and noise. According to durability tests, ceramic compounds extend brake life compared to most other semi-metallic and organic materials and outlast other premium pad materials by a significant margin - with no sacrifice in noise control, pad life or braking performance.

This is quite an improvement over organic and semi-metallic brake materials that typically sacrifice pad life to reduce noise, or vice versa.