Popular car maintenance and repair TikTok account Royalty Auto Service (@royaltyautoservice) recently shared a video discussing brake pads and why choosing the right kind matters.
Mechanic and auto shop owner Sherwood explains how quality brakes make a real difference, especially in emergencies. The video has racked up 97,000 views at the time of writing.
“We have had a ton of questions about what kind of brake pads we use,” Sherwood begins.
Two recommended brake brands
He says there are two types of brands they recommend for their customers, cautioning viewers to be “real particular” about their brake pad choice.
He recalls his own experience of trusting standard “silver,” “gold,” or “platinum” options from auto parts stores, thinking the higher price tag meant better performance.
“That’s not necessarily the case,” he explains, stressing the importance of paying for a certain brake pad based on performance.
Sherwood shares a moment from years ago when a parts store representative demonstrated the difference between budget and premium brake pads.
“Their inexpensive brake pad, 60 miles an hour to zero, compared to their high-end brake pad, 60 miles an hour to zero,” he recounted. “There was over 100 feet additional stopping distance on the inexpensive pad.”
For Sherwood, paying extra for the quality of this car part is well worth it, as it can be the difference between stopping safely or getting into an accident.
How Royalty approaches brakes
Discussing specific brands, Sherwood explains their shop’s approach.
For Asian and domestic vehicles, they trust Akebono brake pads, which he calls the “gold standard.” He emphasizes Akebono’s
“This is exactly what I use on all my Asian vehicles or domestic vehicles,” Sherwood states.
For European cars, they prefer Textar pads, which, according to Sherwood, are all made in Germany and tailored for European models.
“If you’ve got a Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, you name it… you can’t go wrong using a Textar,” he advises.
Sherwood also points out how advanced safety systems, like automated braking, rely on specific brake pad standards to function correctly.
“If you put an inexpensive brake pad on that car that doesn’t meet that standard. It’s not going to stop when you think it’s going to stop,” he warns, noting that these systems are calibrated for pads with specific friction levels.
The mechanic wraps up with a strong message about prioritizing safety over savings.
“We want that thing to stop as fast as humanly possible,” Sherwood concludes. “It’s worth the money.”
Viewers have their own thoughts
In the comments, users seemed to have other ideas about which brake pad brands are best.
“Why not just use OEM?” asked one user. “I find OEM are the stickiest.”
“Akebono I got were made in Korea for my Toyota,” remarked another. “Advics better.”
“I use Powerstop pads and rotors on all my personal cars and they are solid high performance products and cheaper than OEM,” offered a third.
@royaltyautoservice Did you guess correctly?! #brakes #brakejob #diy #mechanic #automotive #cartok #mechaniclife #viral #stitch #tips #fyp #foryou ♬ Pop beat BGM / long version(1283324) – nightbird_bgm
The Daily Dot reached out to Royalty Auto Service via TikTok comments and contact form.
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