When to Replace Your Brake Pads

How to Know When It’s Time For New Brake Pads

When it comes to your vehicle one of the most important things to keep you safe is your braking system. If you have bad brake pads, it affects your ability to stop and slow down quickly. It is important to get brake service when needed and to know when your brake pads may be worn down too much to be effective. Stanley Auto Group has full-service auto centers in Dallas, Brownfield, and Gilmer for your convenience.

How Your Brakes Work

Nearly all vehicles on the road today use disc brakes on the front and rear wheels. When you depress your brake pedal, the brake fluid in the system creates hydraulic pressure in the brake hoses and lines. This pressure then moves a piston in the brake caliper that is affixed to a wheel knuckle which is extended around a brake rotor.   
An inboard and outboard brake pad located on either side of the brake rotor is forced against the flat sides of the rotor itself. With pressure being applied to the rotor in this fashion, friction is generated against the rotor by the material on the pads. Then as the metal surfaces on the inside and outside of the rotor are squeezed by the pads, the force of the compression slows your vehicle down.
The materials used in the construction of the brake pads are designed to endure the pressure and friction necessary to slow a vehicle down. For most drivers, this means about 20,000-40,000 miles before the brake pads are rendered ineffective in slowing and stopping your vehicle. Knowing when it is time to replace your brake pads is a great start to keeping you and your passengers safe while on the road.

Brake Pads

All pads have a solid steel backing plate upon which friction materials are affixed. Your brake pads will have one of three typical materials as the pads for most vehicles, which include:

• Ceramic: Combines elements like porcelain and clay with copper fibers to keep your brakes quieter, and they have a long wear life and are resistant to rotor wear.
• Semi-metallic: A combination of metals like iron, steel, and copper mixed with non-metallic compounds like graphite and some fillers. These can be noisy, and they wear on your rotors more.
• Non-metallic or organic: Have a blend of synthetic materials like cellulose, aramid sintered glass, and other compounds in various quantities depending on which company manufactured them. These make for a quiet and relatively soft material, they aren’t hard on rotors, but they are short-lived.

Signs of Wear

• Pulling sideways: If pads are worn on one side, braking is uneven and may pull to one side.
• Pulsing in the pedal: You may feel the brake pedal pushing back repetitively when braking at higher speeds.
• Grooves in rotor: Visual inspection of the rotor shows grooves, deep grooves mean pads are worn out.
• Greater stopping distances: It takes longer to stop than usual.
• Grinding noises: Metal-on-metal or other grinding noises occur when driving which worsen with braking.
• Brake squeal: Some brake pads have special squeal tabs that alert you when pads are wearing out.