Parts specialist NAPA has highlighted how it brake pads go far beyond the ECE Regulation 90 when it comes to product quality and how this can offer both drivers and garages significant benefits. 

ECE R90 calls for friction linings to be tested for speed sensitivity, fade, and hot/cold performance, along with other tests like shear strength. They must closely match the original equipment part, with a variation window of plus or minus 15%. 

The quality and performance of pads can differ greatly between brands due to the variation window and areas of production not governed by ECE R90, such as friction formulations. 

ECE Regulation 90 focuses solely on the safety-critical aspects of a brake pad, and NAPA has an in-house set of standards that go far beyond that. Each NAPA Brake Pad matches the OE as closely as possible, and testing goes above and beyond R90 in two distinct ways: 

Firstly, when testing the adhesive bond between the back plate and the friction material, R90 requires that the shear resistance is twice the force of the application. NAPA pads are tested to 4 times the braking force.  

Secondly, to receive R90 approval, a brake pad must pass a specific set of tests to ensure it is safe to use. These include four Dynamometer tests, three chemical and physical tests, and two vehicle tests.

NAPA conducts over 50 complementary and preventative tests on top of those required by R90. These include; 

• 8+ Krauss machine tests
• 9+ AK Master machine tests
• 11+ Chemical and physical tests
• 9+ System quality tests
• 15+ Vehicle tests
• 5+ Noise and vibration bench tests 

Product testing takes place in laboratories, dynamometers, and various testing grounds including; the Nardo proving ground in Italy, Applus Idiada in Spain, the Grossglockner Alpine Pass in Austria, and the Mojacar-Tabernas Desert in Spain. 

In 2023, NAPA saw 6,000 different raw materials tested, 300 different friction formulations evaluated, over 1,000 prototypes manufactured, and 3,500 dyno tests conducted, in all more than 2 million kilometres. 

NAPA Racing UK drivers Dan Rowbottom (BTCC) and Cam Richardson (MINI CHALLENGE) headed over to Spain this summer with NAPA’s technical partner, TechMate, to tour the production facility where NAPA Brake Pads are made. You can see highlights on the YouTube video. 

Reflecting its quality confidence, NAPA offers a 3-year/48,000-km warranty guarantee on brake parts. A dedicated cataloguing team also ensures that all NAPA products are accurately and comprehensively catalogued and cross-referenced, allowing customers to find the part they need in just a few clicks. 

Technical bulletins are available to address frequently asked questions, while an in-house technical team offers support and guidance.