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It’s one of the top water cooler discussion topics when it comes to vehicle ownership; how long should my brake pads last? Or it’s the top brag; I got x kilometres out of my brake pads! Whether you’re an early or late replacer when it comes to brake pads (or linings as they’re often referred to), these costs are inevitable if you own and maintain a vehicle of any type.
How many kilometres do brake pads last?
The brake pads can last anywhere between 25,000 km to 150,000 km depending on whether you’re commuting, which involves a lot of stop and go traffic, or driving mainly on highways.
The short answer to this age-old question therefore is, ‘it depends’. Brake pads are unique maintenance items that only wear when the brake pedal is depressed. You can travel many thousands of kilometres on the open road and seldom use the brakes, whereas in long commutes with plenty of stop and start driving, you can wear a set of pads down to replacement level in a matter of months.
Factors affecting lifespan of brake pads
It’s not only the traffic around you that can affect brake pad life, there’s also the type of braking you do and the loads you carry. Here’s a list of things that can affect brake pad life.
- Heavy panic braking that occurs when drivers don’t anticipate traffic ahead can be the worst when it comes to shortening brake pad life.
- Another cause is a driver using their left foot to apply the brakes instead of the right one. Left-foot brakers can easily get in the nasty habit of letting that wrong foot rest on the brake pedal while their right foot is on the accelerator. Even the slightest amount of pressure on a moving vehicle’s brake pedal will cause accelerated wear of the brake pads.
- Carrying unnecessary weight such as seldom used cargo, sports-gear, or other weighty items will definitely affect how much life you get out of a set of brake pads. Clear the trunk.
- Disc brake callipers rely on exposed metal sliders to guide and apply the brake pads. If these get corroded and start to stick, they will hold the brake pads on when the pedal is released, greatly accelerating the wear.
How often should you change the brake pads?
It’s impossible to provide a distance/time interval for replacement based on the number of variables related to driving conditions and operator skills. But brakes should be inspected twice a year, possibly more often for vehicles in commercial use experiencing plenty of stop/start driving.
How to tell if brake pads need replacing?
There are a lot of ways to determine when it’s time to replace the brake pads.
- Not all automakers use a warning system for brake pad life. Those that do either use light metal tabs that would contact the brake rotor when the pads reached a specified low level; emanating an annoying squeal noise or employ electrical contacts built into the pads themselves that completed a power circuit when the pads were worn thus illuminating a dash warning light. Not all vehicles use either of these systems.
- A visual inspection is the best way to determine when replacement is needed.
- The brake pads will make a loud scraping, grinding noise when all of their wear material is gone and the metal backing plates of the pads come into contact with the rotors. The problem with relying on this audible warning is that as soon as that happens, the braking efficiency of the system is reduced to the point of being unsafe. So a driver should immediately head to the closest service facility, preferably by means of a tow truck for safety’s sake.
How to make brake pads last longer?
As we’ve mentioned above, the brake pads can last a few thousand to many thousands of kilometres. Here’s what you can do to make them last longer.
- First avoid panic and left-foot braking. Learn to anticipate traffic ahead of and around you to be able to apply the brakes gently and sparingly.
- Secondly, have the brakes inspected regularly and when a tech notices any excessive corrosion on the calliper sliders, or if they ‘stick’ in their travel off and onto the brake rotors have them properly cleaned and lubricated.
- And of course unload all the unnecessary weight in your vehicle.
Types of brake pads available
Brake pads for mainstream use come in three basic types; organic, ceramic, and semi-metallic.
Organic brake pads: which come standard on the majority of new vehicles, are made of a mixture of fibres and materials such as rubber, carbon compounds, glass or fibreglass, and Kevlar.
Ceramic brake pads: are made from material very similar to the type of ceramic used to make pottery, although the ceramics used in brake pads are denser and considerably more durable. Ceramic brake pads also have fine copper fibres embedded within them, to help increase their friction and heat conductivity.
Semi metallic brake pads: are between 30% and 70% metal, including copper, iron, steel, and other composite alloys. These various metals are combined with graphite lubricant and other fillers to complete the brake pad.
Depending on your vehicle type, its use, and your driving style, one of these types may provide better performance and lifespan. Check with your regular service provider for a recommendation.
And just because I like to brag at the water cooler, my domestic midsize front-wheel-drive crossover just passed 150K km and is on its original front brake pads. In the six years I’ve owned it, I’ve had the brakes serviced and lubricated annually and can count on one hand the number of panic stops it’s experienced.
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