VIDEO: Engineering Explained Covers Why You Should Never Use Cheap Brake Pads

Jason Fenske nails it in this video why you shouldn’t buy the cheap brake pads by testing five sets including NRS Galvanized Brake pads and OE brake pads. He answers the questions: What are the best brake pads? Are expensive brake pads better than cheaper brake pads? Are cheap brake pads dangerous? In this video, we’ll compare brake pads ranging from $20 and up, all for the front brake pads on the exact same vehicle. Performance testing will compare how the brake pads do when they experience high temperatures. Corrosion testing will determine how well the pads resist rust in harsh winter conditions. Shear testing will see how well the friction material is attached the backing plate. Finally, noise testing will determine which brake pads are the quietest. When you walk into a parts store, you’ll often see different tiers of brake pad prices. This video’s goal is to determine if you get what you’re paying for with those different brake pads. Five different pads will be tested. $20, $40, $60, NRS, and original equipment pads for the same car will all undergo the same tests described above, using industry standardized tests. Watch the video to see how differently priced brake pads perform!