What Are Brake Pad Shims?
Have you ever wondered why your car’s brakes are so quiet and efficient despite constant use? The secret lies in a small but mighty component known as the brake pad shim. This simple solution addresses the annoying problem of brake noise and ensures your vehicle’s braking system works seamlessly.
What Are Brake Pad Shims?
A brake pad shim is a thin layer of material that is placed between the brake pad and the caliper or between the brake pad and the caliper piston. Its primary functions are to reduce noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) in the braking system, and to improve braking performance.
What Are The Functions of Brake Pad Shims?
- Noise Reduction: Brake pad shims help dampen the high-frequency vibrations that can cause squealing or screeching noises during braking. They act as a barrier to reduce the transmission of these vibrations from the brake pad to the caliper.
- Vibration Control: By providing a cushioning effect, shims help minimize the vibrations that can occur when the brake pads contact the rotors. This helps in ensuring a smoother braking experience.
- Heat Management: Shims can also assist in managing heat generated during braking. Some shims are designed to act as heat insulators, protecting the caliper and other braking components from excessive heat, which can improve the overall performance and longevity of the brake system.
- Protection of Components: They help prevent direct metal-to-metal contact between the brake pad and the caliper, which can reduce wear and tear on these components.
What Are Brake Pad Shim Material?
Brake pad shims are commonly made from mainly three materials: cloth, rubber, and stainless steel. Each material has its advantages and disadvantages, making them suitable for different applications. Here are the distinctions between these three types of shims:
1. Cloth Brake Pad Shim
- Material Characteristics: Made from woven fiber materials, usually with a textured surface.
- Advantages:
- Excellent sound absorption, effectively reducing brake noise.
- Soft texture, allowing for better conformity between the brake pad and caliper during installation.
- Disadvantages:
- Poor high-temperature resistance, not suitable for prolonged use under high-temperature conditions.
- Applications: Commonly used in mid to low-end vehicles or in situations where brake noise reduction is prioritized, but the operating temperatures are relatively low.
2. Rubber Brake Pad Shim
- Material Characteristics: Made from special high-temperature-resistant rubber materials.
- Advantages:
- Good sound absorption, significantly reducing brake noise.
- Elasticity helps absorb and cushion vibrations during braking.
- Disadvantages:
- Slightly less durable than metal materials, prone to aging under high temperature and pressure.
- Applications: Suitable for mid to high-end vehicles where comfort and noise reduction are important.
3. Stainless Steel Brake Pad Shim
- Material Characteristics: Made from stainless steel, often with a coating to enhance corrosion resistance.
- Advantages:
- Excellent high-temperature resistance, maintaining performance under prolonged high-temperature conditions.
- Good wear resistance and durability, offering a long lifespan.
- Rigid structure, less prone to deformation.
- Disadvantages:
- Less effective at sound absorption compared to woven fabric and rubber, potentially resulting in higher brake noise in certain conditions.
- Applications: Commonly used in high-performance vehicles, heavy-duty vehicles, or brake systems that operate under high-temperature conditions for extended periods.
What Are Brake Pad Shims Prices?
Cloth Shims:
- Price Range: Generally lower compared to other types.
- Reason: The materials and manufacturing processes for woven fabric shims are less costly. These shims are often used in lower-end applications where cost is a significant factor.
- Typical Cost: $0.50 to $1.50 per shim, depending on the quality and specific requirements.
Rubber Shims:
- Price Range: Mid-range pricing.
- Reason: Rubber shims are more complex to produce due to the need for high-temperature resistant materials and precise manufacturing to ensure proper fit and performance.
- Typical Cost: $1.00 to $3.00 per shim, with variations depending on the rubber compound, thickness, and additional features such as coatings or embedded materials.
Stainless Steel Shims:
- Price Range: Generally higher than other types.
- Reason: Stainless steel shims require more expensive raw materials and involve more complex manufacturing processes, including precision stamping and sometimes additional coatings for enhanced performance.
- Typical Cost: $2.00 to $5.00 per shim, based on the grade of stainless steel, thickness, and any additional treatments or coatings applied to improve performance.
Brake Pad Shim Manufacturer and Supplier
GDST Auto Parts is a professional manufacturer specializing in producing brake pads for brake pad distributors. We have a wide range of brake pads for different car models and also have premium brake pad shims. With advanced production equipment and technology, we can produce the products according to international standards, which can guarantee safety and reliability.
Our advantages include:
- Factory direct sales: From our factory to you, eliminating middlemen and offering you more competitive prices.
- Wide product range: Covering a broad spectrum of vehicle models to meet different customers’ needs.
- Sample development: Develop products based on your samples to ensure a perfect match with your requirements.
- Low MOQ: Flexible order policies suitable for distributors of all sizes.
- OEM&ODM services: Providing personalized customization services according to your needs.
We always put our distributors in the first place. High-quality products and first-class service are our obligation. If you are looking for brake pads or shims, please feel free to contact us. Whether you need bulk purchasing or personalized products, GDST Auto Parts is always your reliable partner.
Contact us through the following:
- Phone: +8618555330281
- Email: rong@gdstautoparts.com
- Company Website: www.goldenstarintl.com
We look forward to working with you, growing together, and achieving success.
