I put a cheap set of brake pads on my monte a month or so ago. Oh my gosh what a mistake. I can't go 300 miles without significant brake dust build up.

I am guessing ceramic pads have the least dust. What pads do you guys recommend? I don't race but I do want quality consistent stopping without quick dust buildup.

 

Definitely would reccomend against cheap pads, or going cheap on any safety critical component for that matter.

If dust is your main concern, just get some quality ceramic pads. They still dust, but it doesn't stick as much and it tends to be a lot lighter in color so it's nowhere near as noticeable. I'd also stay away from any 'high performance' marketed pads. The higher performance pads tend to trade more dust and noise for higher performance.

 

I have used the Wagner Thermo-Quiet pads with little to almost no dust for about the last 4 years. Great stopping power once they have warmed up...

 

I will check those out. Thanks.

 

I've used Bendix and other ceramic pads with success for good braking and reasonable/low dust.
I believe the key is to go with a known good name and ceramic. As Bumpin' said, don't cheap on safety parts. I try to avoid rotors and pads made in China (I had a few bad experiences with those).

And as stated earlier, if dust is a concern, stay away from "performance" rated pads. A friend of mine ran a set of Hawk Brake Pads on his '94 Formula, awesome, outstanding braking power (barely give it any brake pedal and it wants to stop strong). Dust was insane compared to what he had. Performance wise, probably the best pads him and I ever had on a car, but lots of clean up. There are better trade offs to get a reasonable solution to both issues.

 

I've always gone with AC Delco pads from the dealership and have never had a problem with brake dust.

 

Brakes are for sissy's just don't use them.... problem solved. LOL
I have used NAPA pads and they seem to have no problem with dust. I just don't want them Squeaking, The one Suv we have had to have new brakes. Wife had the garage change them and now they make noise. The wife can't stay off of them and they squeak a lot now. She asked why they do that, I told she was using them to much.

 

Now that's just plain funny! A fellar from my neighborhood used to race go carts. He had the pleasure of meeting Dale Sr. and asked him for any one piece of advice. Dale said "that pedal on the right, keep it mashed down hard. That pedal on the left, brake it off."

 

Back in the Day my daddy taught me drive the vehicles in all kinds of situations.
So I once drove Home a Straight Truck empty of course with no brakes some 600 miles used the gear shifter and stayed out of towns, I was no where close to a repair garage.
In 2008 my son graduated from College and he got a Job in Phoenix, AZ so we moved him and his Girl friend (now his wife) down there and he had a Penske truck with a trailer to haul is Monte along with.
So we are in Flagstaff, AZ and it's my turn to drive the rig there is a big Mountain to go down.
I think the sign said 7% grade.
We get to Phoenix and his girlfriend says I think the brake lights are bad on that truck.
I said why is that? She says well they never came on all the way down that Mountain. She was riding with my wife, behind me. My son was with me and he told her, he never touched them.
I said no they are fine I never used the brakes coming down the mountain.
I saw a truck use one of those runaway truck ramps once, and I don't want to have to do that.
I could tell stories all day long about driving but you see a lot of stuff when you got the miles I have driven, but I am an old dude too.

 

I have seen at truck in one of those sand traps too. It's gotta suck but it beats going off the side of a mountain.

​​​​​​Like you I take pride in letting the engine and transmission work for me both in braking and towing heavy loads. It's easier on the equipment.

Unfortunately even with minimal brake use these pads are making a mess. Hopefully I will change them and the oil in the SS this weekend. If it warms up some. 20's at night and 30's for the high make my shop very cold. Maybe one day I will insulate it. I have a kerosene heater but it doesn't help much.