Bendix explains brake shims and why they’re important

Brake shims are an important component in the braking system that help absorb vibration and reduce noise, leading to a quieter and more enjoyable driving experience.

Attached to the friction pad backing, brake shims provide a barrier between the brake pad and the caliper, helping to prevent small vibrations.

It’s important to recognise that some level of noise is inevitable when brakes are applied, given the friction that’s occurring between the pad and disc rotor. When the brake pad meets the rotor, coupling occurs and subsequently vibrations follow, building into noise.

A well-engineered braking system and accompanying hardware can minimise the noise, with high quality shims playing a part in this process. Using a clever multi-layered design and composition that includes varying grades of metal, viscoelastic polymers, elastomeric rubbers, fiberglass and bonding materials, brake shims provide dampening qualities.

Bendix brake pad shims for passenger cars are fibre impregnated, rubber shims designed and engineered to meet OE standards and to work within manufacturers’ tolerances, ensuring they continue to meet the original engineering ‘tune’ of the vehicle. This tune which is honed during vehicle NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) testing, aims to keep brake noise emissions to a range that falls outside human hearing, or at the very least to minimise it so it’s not audible in the cabin.

The benefits of Bendix’s brake pad shim formulation include:

• Reduced noise
• Increased durability
• Reduced heat transmission, improving braking performance

In Bendix’s high performance brake pad, the ‘Street Road Track’ pad, the shim is made from carbon steel with nitrate rubber coating on both sides. 

Given the extreme conditions this product is designed to endure, it is critical that our shims perform just as well under pressure as our pads.

Street Road and Track’s unique formulation delivers even quieter braking performance, while improving vibration installation and longevity.

Given the important role that brake shims play in reducing braking vibration and noise, as well as assisting braking performance through their heat suppression, it’s recommended to replace brake shims at the same time as the brake pads.

All Bendix brake pads come with our especially designed shims ensuring you get maximum longevity and performance out of your brake pads.

Learn more about out brake pad range here.

Want to upgrade to Bendix pads? Explore our list of stockists and installers.