There are no clear-cut answer as to how many miles a vehicle should be driven before brake pads need to be replaced. There are a lot of factors involved in determining how long brakes should last.
Car and Truck Brake Wear Factors
There are a lot of factors involved in how long brake pads should last. Here’s a list of just some of the factors to consider that have an affect on brake wear.
- Type, make and model of the vehicle. Things like vehicle weight, quality of brakes and thickness of brakes pads are factors of brake wear.
- Driving conditions. Vehicles that are driven in a lot of stop and go traffic will need brakes more often than a vehicle that’s primarily driven on the highway.
- Driver’s habits. Some driver’s are harder on brakes than others. Sudden stops, down shifts, smooth stops, riding the brakes are some drivers habits that factor into brake wear.
- Quality of the brake pads. Cheaply made brake pads and type of brake pad materials used could be another factor.
The Importance of Routine Vehicle Maintenance
Adhering to a routine vehicle maintenance regiment is the best method of knowing when the brakes need to be replaced. Whenever a vehicle is brought in for maintenance work, a comprehensive inspection of the vehicle should be performed. Naturally a brake inspection should be part of the inspection.
When the tires are rotated as part of routine vehicle maintenance, the technician has a clear view of the brake pads. The technician should measure the thickness of the brake pads and let the vehicle owner know how much is left. If the brake pads thickness measures less than 3/32nds of an inch, the brake pads should be replaced.
Turning the Brake Rotors
As the brake pads are worn, they usually wear with the rotors. The rotors will often develop grooves and the rotors surface becomes rough. Turning or cutting the rotors will create a smooth surface on the rotors. When the rotors are turned, they're actually put on a lathe and resurfaced by taking metal away until they’re smooth. Replacing the brake pads without turning the rotors may cause the new pads to wear prematurely. A vibration when braking may also develop if the rotors aren’t turned and noise may develop when braking.
Replacing the Brake Rotors
There are specifications for rotors that only allows so much metal to be taken away by turning them. Once that limit is exceeded, the brake rotors need to be replaced. Letting the brake pads wear to long without replacing them may cause excessive damage to the rotors. Auto technicians call it metal to metal. The chances of having to replace the rotors versus turning them increase substantially when they’re metal to metal.
It’s important to know that brakes are not really maintenance items, just like the cars tires, the brake pads are wear items. If a noise occurs when braking, especially a metallic grinding noise, the brakes should be inspected ASAP. Some brake pads incorporate a wear sensor built into the pads that will create a noise when the brakes are worn. Make sure that every time the vehicle is brought in for maintenance that the brake pad thickness is measured.
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