Dodge Ram: Brake Pad Reviews

This article applies to the Dodge Ram (1994-present).

When in the market for brake pads these days, there are many manufacturers with several options to choose from. You can get a set of brake pads to fit your exact application for what you will be using your Dodge Ram for. Even for OE replacement pads, there are even numerous types to consider. The unfortunate part about having so many is that it makes it quite difficult to decide which one to go with. Combine this with the fact that trucks these days are used for many different purposes as well as being daily driven, and you could see how these decisions could then become quite daunting. Well, let's simplify this decision making process, or at the least lay out what makes all these pads so different.

Brake pads can be placed in four different categories:

1. OE Replacement - The "Not looking for any performance gain, just want to put what came on the truck back in it" brake pad.

2. Performance Gain - The "I desire more out of my braking system, but don't want it to feel like a race car" brake pad.

3. Severe Duty - The "I tow and haul things a lot and constantly overheat the brakes and want to stop this" brake pad.

4. Ceramic - The "I really want to have to stop cleaning my wheels all the time because of brake dust" brake pad.

Most brake pad manufacturers make an OE replacement. It's usually always the cheapest brake pad they offer and will stop your truck just fine. However, if you desire more out of your truck's stock braking system, you will have to look at what is offered and first come to the conclusion as to what you're looking to achieve. So as with any upgrade you are going to set out to do, the first step is to figure out what you are actually looking to achieve. Then it's just a matter of finding who can offer you a product that meets your needs.

Brake Pad Manufacturers and Pad Offerings

PowerStop

PowerStop seems to have the slimmest of offerings when it comes to brake pads. The prices are also the lowest across their product range. The downside to PowerStop is they offer very little in product information or what applications each of their pads would be best suited for. Due to this, you should keep looking at other options when it comes to brake pads. Recommended if you're looking for pads with good warranty.

Hawk Performance

Hawk Performance is a great brake pad company that is well known for manufacturing performance pads. They are carried by Summit Racing and AJ USA. This brand is recommended as an option if you are looking for a performance upgrade. The only thing that enthusiasts don't like is that they are very vague about the differences between their compounds. These pads are talked highly about in the forums as they can withstand a lot of heat. Recommended if you're looking for durable brake pads.

Wagner

Wagner Brakes is one of those companies that has been involved with the industry for quite some time now. They make a great OE replacement pad, but you should look elsewhere when it comes to performance pads. The benefit of a company like Wagner is that they are usually carried by local auto stores so that makes them fairly easy to get without having to wait. Recommended if you're looking for OEM replacement pads.

Bendix

Just like Wagner, Bendix has been in the industry for a long time providing brake pads and other parts. They have proven themselves by making great OE replacement pads, but they shouldn't be your first choice when looking for improving braking performance. They also will be carried at most auto parts stores which makes them fairly easy to get and can be purchased online at Summit Racing as well. Great, reliable company, but when it comes to brake pads that you are looking to get higher levels of performance out of, they just don't seem to offer anything. Recommended if you're looking for basic, reliable brake pads.

EBC Brakes

They have a multitude of different brake pad offerings that suit numerous different applications. They even offer three different compound levels for their Greenstuff organic pads. We don't think there's another company that even comes close to the amount of products they have to offer. They are also at the top of their game when it comes to the information on their products and what makes each one of them so different. As you can see, their prices span a large gap so they have something for every budget. Recommended if you're looking for a company with a wide variety of brake pads to choose from.

Related Discussion

• Best Brake Pads and Type - Dodgeforum.com