How your brake pads work
How to know when to replace them
Final word
How your brake pads work
Brake pads are a critically component of your car’s braking system. If they are not working and/or are too worn out this can cause your brakes not to work as efficiently or even to fail completely. Without your brakes working correctly, you are at a great risk of a catastrophic accident that could cost you your life.
Your brake pads work by making contact with and applying pressure to your brake’s rotors. Your brake rotors are the visible discs that, when pressure is applied, slow your wheel down. Your brake pads apply this pressure to your brake rotors via friction. This happens thousands of times in the life of your brake pads before they become too worn.
There are three types of brake pads not including the special types used for trucks and motorcycles. These are organic brake pads, ceramic brake pads and metallic brake pads. The difference between these brake pads is obviously the material they are made of. They function the same but depending on the material, they might wear more quickly or make more noise. For example, organic brake pads wear faster because they are softer and made of plastic, but they also tend to make the least noise of any of the three types of pads.
How to know when to replace them
Because your brake pads are so important to your car’s function and overall safety, knowing when to get them replaced is just as important. There are several signs that will not take much to notice that the time has come to replace your vehicle’s brake pads.
The first of these signs is that you will hear noise such as squeaking or grinding coming from your car as you brake. The next is that you will notice your car is taking noticeably longer to come to a complete stop when braking. Another sign is that your car will vibrate when you are braking. Finally, the most obvious sign will be your brake pad indicator light will come on. If you experience any of these, be sure to get your car to a mechanic in order to replace your brake pads right away.
Final word
Your brakes can not function correctly without reliable brake pads. Without your brakes working correctly, you are risking your life every time that you get behind the wheel of your car. At the first sign that your brake pads are too worn or not working, get them looked at and replaced immediately. Telltale signs that your brake pads might be overworn include noise coming from your car when braking, vibration in the car when braking and your brake pad indicator light coming on.
