Trade club pads are exactly that. Pads supplied to the trade so as to repair existing cars with assorted wear patterns on discs. OE pads are Original Equipement and are as per the original assembly line specification. The TC pads have a substantial chamfer on the leading and trailing edge so as to bed in better on esisting pads. The OE pads are straight edged with no chamfer. Whether the pad composition is the same or othertwise is another matter, however.
Personally, had no probs with the TC disc/pad kits as I tend to bed the pads and discs in genmtly before subjecting them to maximum braking effect in any event....
So can we explane why aftermarket/trade club pads are sold in the set with new discs? And why vx dealers ask if you have vented rear discs, as they take different pads to aftermarket items (oe in fact)
I can understand the chamfer being there to a point but it does seem ott. The pads will be well bedded in long before the bottom of the chamfer will be reached. Its a lazy way to do it, imho if the pads had direction arrows on them, effectively making them sided, then the chamfer would only be needed on the leading edge, as opposed to the trailing edge and only needs be be a fraction of its current size. But none of this explains why both Entwood and Kevin Woods pads squeal so loudly.
But regardless, we are missing the point somewhat,
Oe have superior performance. The whole dead spot of pedal travel where previously nothing happened has now gone. Replaced by progressive powerfull feel, i havent yet given them a proper work out though as they have only done 100 odd miles .
Having driven Kevins car and mine back to back i can honestly say i felt no difference between my brakes and his at the time, mine where worn his where new with the aftermarket. Mine did degenerate rapidly there after though.
Fitting oe to the rear as they should be with vented showed a better feel. This improvement didnt show when the aftermarket pads from the set where fitted. Def an improvement when oe fitted though.
And yes the compound is defo different, visually anyway. Less brass looking bits in the oe, this does not really show in the picture. Definately no "wood" in the oe compound anyway. :-)