Table of Contents
1. How Often Must Brake Pads Be Replaced?
2. Types Of Brake Pads And Their Advantages.
3. FAQs
1 How Often Must Brake Pads Be Replaced?
We ask a lot from brake pads since these are what allow braking to be done. If the brake pads are worn out you can expect little to no braking action with the brake pedal depressed. Instead, you may hear large screeching, squealing, or grinding noises coming from the brakes. The reason the brake pads need to be replaced every so often is that brakes work due to friction and friction is detrimental to brake pads as they generate immense heat along with high stresses which rapidly wear the brake pad material. If the brakes are applied very frequently then the heat generated has no time to vent which can cause even more rapid pad deterioration. This is why brake pads need to be replaced often.
The life expectancy of brake pads is dependent on many factors like driving style, type of vehicle, how much load you carry, type of driving condition like hilly or traffic, etc. Hence it is hard to put a handle on when you might need brake pad replacement. Make it a habit to regularly inspect the condition of your brake pads so that you can replace them before you face symptoms or complete failure of the brakes themselves. Regular inspections must be done every 15,000 km once new brake pads are installed.
If you are a highway-only or rural driver then you may need to replace your brake pads less often than those who live in the city. City driving involves more frequent stops at red lights, traffic, or just daily city commuting with frequent stopping and harder braking which tends to wear the brake pads more. Think stopping at red lights repeatedly, the brakes are applied very frequently. This can cook the brake rotor and cause the rotors and pads to wear off faster than say on a highway where the stops are less frequent and the brakes have longer to cool down.
There are a few things that you can do to ensure your brake pads and overall brake system components last much longer and you can read more about them in that article.
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2 Types Of Brake Pads And Their Advantages.
The hardest job in a disc brake system is that of the brake pads which are required to clamp onto rotors that spin at very high speeds. The force of rotation needs to be reversed which requires immense force and induces large stresses on the brake pads. The kinetic energy or the forward motion of the vehicle is almost entirely converted to heat energy at the brake pads due to the extreme frictional forces experienced while stopping the discs.
Now as the vehicle’s weight increases or the speed of the car increases, the forces multiply exponentially, or in simpler terms, the faster or heavier the car the harder the brake pads need to work to bring the car to a halt. Naturally, not all cars are the same or can go to the same speeds or be as heavy as a heavy-duty truck and so there need to be many different types of brake pads to accommodate such variances. The types of brake pads available include:
Semi-Metallic Brake Pads:
These are also referred to as Metallic brake pads as they contain a considerable amount of metal – 30 to 70%, along with a variety of different elements like steel wool, copper, graphite, iron, etc. Semi-metallic types of brake pads are most commonly found in commercial vehicles due to their effective braking capabilities while being cheaper than most other alternatives, lasting longer than organic pads, and also having good heat dissipation. However, they are harder on the brake rotors, create a lot of dust, lack performance when the temperature drops and are heavier than most counterparts.
Ceramic Brake Pads:
Ceramic materials are able to dissipate heat very well and are more wear-resistant meaning they last longer and the dust produced is limited which are all ideal characteristics for a brake pad. They are also lighter than most other types of brake pads of similar size. All these benefits come at a very premium price and are mostly suitable for high-performance racing vehicles.
Organic Brake Pads:
These were formerly made of asbestos but saw a complete termination evident from their pollutive and carcinogenic nature. Newer resin bonded organic brake pads, also called non-asbestos organic (NAO) brake pads are designed with pollution consideration in mind and they deliver on that concern. Modern organic brake pads are made of natural materials like glass and rubber and some are made of kevlar. These materials do not pollute as they wear and are easy to dispose of. The main drawback is that since they are made of softer organic materials they wear faster and cannot be used with performance or heavy-duty vehicles.
Low Metallic NAO Brake Pads:
These are organic brake pads with added metallic elements that strengthen the organic materials by adding to their durability and counter the low-temperature drawback of metallic brake pads. They tend to create a lot of dust and noise upon engagement.
3 FAQs
Q) Do front brake pads wear out faster?
You may have to replace the front brake pads more often than the rear ones simply because when braking, the vehicle tips forward, which means the load of the car is concentrated at the front, requiring the front brake pads to do the majority of the work. This is why many vehicles come with disc brakes on the front wheels and drum brakes on the rear wheels.
Q) How do you know if you need to replace the brake pads?
A few common symptoms of brake pad failure are:
- Loud screeching or grinding noises
- Reduced braking effect
- Vibration or pulsation while braking
- The brake warning light in on
Q) How to check brake pad thickness?
There are several ways of checking the brake pad thickness. The most effective and accurate way of measuring the pads is to remove the wheel and check each brake pad for wear. Using vernier calipers check the thickness of each pad at the outer and inner friction material surface. Subtract 5 mm (0.20 in) from the actual reading to compensate for backing plate thickness. If the final reading is more than 4 mm (0.15 in) then your brake pads are fine. Anything less than 4 mm warrants brake pad replacement. Also, the variation between the inner and outer surface of a single pad material thickness should not exceed 1.0 mm (1/16 in), or it can indicate caliper issues.
Q) Can I replace the brake pads myself?
Changing the brake pads is a pretty easy task that can be attempted by a newbie as well. The first few steps are the same as that for changing a tire. Safely jack up the car and remove the wheel. Now undo the bolts holding the caliper in place. These bolts are situated behind the brake rotor. Once undone, the caliper can be separated from the rotor. This exposes the brake pads, ready for replacement. Make sure to install all the hardware properly and also push the piston back into the caliper to accommodate the new thicker brake pads.