[arch]

Just out of curiosity are asbestos brakes any better or worse than others?

Was watching some car show the other day and they were talking about the great stopping power heat bleed off, etc...

Thought asbestos = bad? Especially all that brake dust everywhere.

[mitmaks]

its all crap wouldnt use it even just cause of health hazard, use good kevlar pads.

[jimfulco]

Back in the day, asbestos was almost universally used for brake linings (clutches, too). It worked well enough, although semi-metallic linings generally worked better. The dust hazard is why they started using other materials.

[yesgo]

You still get the dust with "non-asbestos" pads. It just hasn't been proven to cause any specific lung disease... yet. You still need to avoid the dust. Lots of warning labels... dont breathe dust, dont get on clothes, don't wear clothes home after work, dont eat food after handling, dont smoke while exposed to dust.... About the only thing they dont say is what it's made of... just what it's not. Semi-metallic/organic 'non-asbestos'. Real specific. Of course, you don't want to breathe in clay dust, ceramic dust, or any other dust either, so I guess it doesn't matter. Maybe it's better (less bad for you) than asbestos, maybe not.

Asbestos was also good for not wearing into the drums/rotors, and for keeping down on noise, I have heard. People are starting to use kevlar and ceramics for that now. I really dont know if asbestos was better at heat dissapation than 'non-asbestos', but it wouldn't surprise me.


Personally, I think 'non asbestos' is akin to Soilent Green
(But I'm not bitter)

[arch]

I guess what my point/question was, why are they still making them. Knowing that they have a high chance of causing cancer?

[yesgo]

I didn't think anybody made them anymore.
Who is making asbestos brakes still?

[arch]

I believe the ad was for satisfied brakes

[yesgo]

I think there are some government agencies and possibly some big insurance companies who would have something to say about them using asbestos. They must've mis-spoke on the show. I went to the Satisfied Brakes website. I couldn't find anything on asbestos. Just non-asbestos, semi-metallic, and non-organic.