Best Brake Pads for the Ford F-150

By: Brendan Soriano / April 5, 2023 in Guides

When the average truck enthusiast thinks of performance, their mind likely drifts to modifications to bolster raw horsepower, torque, and off-road prowess. From programmers, exhaust systems, and cold air intakes to lift kits and oversized off-road tires, performance modifications are an excellent addition to any F-150; however, one critical area is commonly overlooked.

Your F-150’s brakes are one of the most vital systems on the chassis, bringing your ride to a timely stop to prevent impacts, accidents, and injury. However, factory brakes tend to become less responsive with more power and rotational mass. Luckily, a quick brake pad change can easily solve these issues!

Brake pads aren’t just a wear component of the brake system but a means of improving braking performance! In this article, we’re going over everything you should know about brake pads, including the different types and our top 5 expert recommendations for your F-150! Read on to learn how to get the most out of your F-150’s brakes.

Types of Brake Pads

There are several types of brake pads on the market, including conventional semi-metallic and performance-oriented ceramic. Let’s compare and contrast these two popular brake pad technologies, highlighting strengths, weaknesses, and which pads are best suited for select applications.

Ceramic Brake Pads

Ceramic brake pads are a relatively new entry in the braking market, with their mainstream use dating back to the 1980s. Rather than employing primarily metallic construction, ceramic brake pads feature a ceramic-based compound–similar to pottery. Most ceramic brake pads also feature embedded metallic fibers–usually copper–which improve heat dissipation and make for more efficient braking, even in high-stress scenarios.

Typically, ceramic brake pads offer reduced noise, longer service life, and minimal brake dust. Additionally, the dust created is far less toxic and abrasive than traditional metallic brake dust, which quickly oxidizes and turns brown. These pads are best used on applications that don’t require demanding performance, such as daily drivers and F-150s that don’t frequently tow, haul, or race.

Pros

Minimal brake dust
Reduced noise
Long life
Less wear on braking components

Cons

Typically more expensive than organic and semi-metallic brake pads

Semi-Metallic

Semi-metallic brake pads are an age-old technology that has existed for decades–and for a good reason! Semi-metallic brake pads are constructed from a mixture of 30–70 percent metals–like iron, copper, and steel– and heavy-duty fillers like graphite. Considering metal’s excellent heat dissipation properties, semi-metallic brake pads efficiently extract heat from the brake system and handle higher temperatures without fading, making them ideal for track use or regularly-worked pickups.

Pros

Excellent performance

Cons

Reduced lifespan
Increased noise
Increased dust production
Increase wear on brake components

How to Choose the Best Brake Pad

Now that we understand the general differences between brake pad styles, which is ideal for your F-150? Selecting the perfect brake pads boils down to your truck’s unique use, as no two persons perform the same tasks or have the same driving style.

Ceramic brake pads are likely the best option for those who use their F-150 primarily as a daily driver and rarely, if ever, tow, haul, or race. Ceramic brake pads produce minimal brake dust and noise, prolong the time between pad changes, and minimize the wear on your F-150’s surrounding brake components.

However, semi-metallic brake pads are best for those that routinely beat on their pickups. Whether you’re running massively oversized tires, routinely haul and tow, or frequently take your F-150 to the track, semi-metallic brake pads offer the best performance. If dust and noise are no concern, consider a set of semi-metallic brake pads.

Our Recommendations for the Ford F-150

We offer a broad inventory of brake pads at RealTruck, making narrowing your decision an endeavor! However, our experts have narrowed down five select brake pads best suited for the F-150.

Power Stop Z36 Truck and Tow Brake Pads

Power Stop Z37 Truck and Tow Brake Pads are premium, performance-oriented carbon-ceramic brake pads engineered for rigorous use and abuse. The durable carbon-ceramic compound offers excellent performance in demanding applications, whether towing, hauling, or navigating steep hills.

These pads feature noise-reducing stainless steel shims, powder-coated backing plates, and premium stainless steel hardware to prevent unnecessary corrosion, making future pad changes a breeze! All brake pads are chamfered and slotted, reducing noise levels for a comfortable driving experience.

Hawk SuperDuty Brake Pads

Hawk SuperDuty Brake Pads are no joke, engineered to provide maximum performance in even the most demanding applications. From towing and hauling to racing, Hawk’s ferro-carbon pad compound provides consistent performance, rapid deceleration, and minimal brake fade.

Hawk SuperDuty Brake Pads are ideal for those who routinely use and abuse their F-150s, engineered with military-grade performance and durability in mind. All pads are chamfered and slotted, minimizing noise for a quiet braking experience, even under load.

EBC Extra Duty Truck Brake Pads

You can’t beat EBC Extra Duty Truck Brake Pads for top-of-the-line braking performance even in the harshest conditions. EBC Extra Duty Truck Brake Pads are positioned at the top of EBC’s lineup, featuring a carbon granule-based extra duty pad material that maximizes stopping power while limiting noise and dust, even at temperatures above 1400 degrees Fahrenheit.

All extra-duty pads are bonded to their backing plates using unique NUCAP NRS hook technology that offers a 5X stronger bond than conventional brake pads. NUCAP insulator shims provide superior noise canceling, making for a quiet braking experience even while loaded. SuperDuty brake pads also offer the longest lifespan out of EBC’s entire lineup.

EBC YellowStuff Brake Pads

EBC YellowStuff Brake Pads are premium, aramid-fiber-based brake pads engineered for excellent performance on the street or strip. Outside of the pads’ 100–200 mile bed-in durations, YellowStuff pads are just as comfortable on the street as the strip, offering 30–40 percent better performance with less noise and dust than factory-equipped semi-metallic pads. YellowStuff pads perform superbly on the track, around town, or with a trailer on the hitch, making them an excellent all-around brake pad for your F-150.

There’s no need to warm up the YellowStuff brake pads either! The aramid-fiber compound functions equally well at all temperatures, gripping on a cold morning or after multiple track laps. All pads are chamfered and slotted, preventing excess noise.

Hawk Performance Ceramic Brake Pads

If you’re hunting for a set of sporty, daily-driver-centric brake pads for your F-150, consider Hawk Performance Ceramic Brake Pads. These brake pads utilize a durable ceramic compound, providing excellent braking performance while minimizing dust and noise. These pads are also incredibly easy on rotors and other brake parts, reducing rotor warping and excessive wear.