Brake pad replacement is an important part of car maintenance, but dishonest mechanics may tell you that you need to replace your brake pads more often than is necessary, while well-meaning friends looking to help you save a buck will tell you to limp bad brakes along, ultimately causing more damage to your car.
So how should you go about replacing brake pads? This guide will explain the following about brake pad replacement:
- How many brake pads there are on a car
- What causes brake pads to need replacement
- What brake pads are constructed out of
- How much rear brake pad replacement costs
- How often brake pads need replacing
- How long brake pad replacement takes
- Whether you can replace brake pads safely at home
- How to make brake pads last longer
- Why replacing brake pads is an important part of car maintenance
Replacing the brake pads is one of the most neglected aspects of car ownership, but it can also be one of the most expensive if it is ignored. Read on to find out how the brake pads function in a car and why it’s important to replace them when necessary.
What Are Brake Pads?
Brake pads are one aspect of a car’s braking system along with the brake calipers and rotors, and these pads are clamped down against the wheel of the car while braking in order to help slow it down. The first brake pads were invented by Bertha Benz of Mercedes-Benz in 1888.
Because the purpose of the brake pad is to convert friction into thermal energy, brake pads have to be constructed out of materials that are capable of becoming extremely hot over and over again without becoming brittle.
Brake pads are meant to take the brunt of the friction wear and tear from braking a moving vehicle, and as a result of this wear, brake pads are designed to be replaced periodically with fresh pads in order to maintain braking integrity.
If the brake pads are not replaced regularly, there can be damage caused to the rest of the braking system as it attempts to compensate for the lack of braking friction in the pads. This can cause the rotors to become scarred and the brake calipers to become warped. For this reason, brake pads should be replaced regularly before systemic damage occurs.
How Many Brake Pads Are There on a Car?
There are typically four brake pads on a car, two in the front and two in the rear. There are different brake pads used for front and rear because the brakes in the rear are usually auxiliary brakes, while the brakes in the front of the car are the ones responsible for most of the car’s stopping power since the weight of the car is thrown forward onto the front brakes.
While mechanics will often recommend that you get all of your brake pads replaced at once due to reduced labor costs and reduced inconvenience from having to make multiple repair appointments, when the brakes on the car begin to wear, it is most important to address the front brakes first.
If budget is a concern, be sure to replace the front brake pads at least if you can’t replace all four, and this should maintain the braking safety of your car until you can afford to get the rear brake pads replaced as well.
What Causes Brake Pads to Need Replacing?
There are several causes for brake pads to need replacement, such as:
- Simple wear and tear – brake pads are naturally worn down through the course of operating the car because each time they have used the friction involved in braking removes some of the brake pad’s outermost layer.
- Bad driver habits can also cause brake pads to wear down more quickly. Hitting the brakes at high speeds continuously can cause the brakes to wear faster than normal.
Besides bad driving habits and normal wear, material construction comes into play too. Brake pads that are made of cheaper materials usually need to be replaced more often than higher quality brake pads, and they are usually noisier when they start to wear thin too.
What Are Brake Pads Constructed Of?
Brake pads can be broken down into two major categories: metallic brake pads and ceramic brake pads. The majority of the cars on the road have metallic brake pads because they are economical and sturdy.
However, ceramic brake pads are quickly rising in popularity. These brake pads are used more often in performance vehicles and are popular on racing circuits, where the heavier weight of metallic brake pads counts against them. Ceramic brake pads are lightweight and offer braking power on a dime and are useful for cars with aggressive handlers.
Ceramic brake pads are more expensive than metallic brake pads, but they can be a good option for those drivers who find themselves going through metallic pads quickly because of the fast-paced, hard-braking way that they drive.
There are also semi-metallic brake pads that fall somewhere between metallic and ceramic brake pads, and these mid-range brake pads offer some advantages of both types. Regardless of which brake pad you buy, you’ll be buying a brake pad that is constructed out of materials designed to withstand high friction, high temperature environments for long periods of time.
How Much is Rear Brake Pad Replacement?
The average cost of replacing rear brake pads is $241. This includes the cost of both the brake pads themselves (which are relatively cheap) and the labor to install the brake pads, clean the brake system up, and bleed the brake system so that it works effectively again after being serviced.
When factoring the costs for getting your brake pads replaced by a mechanic, you should also factor in the costs of transport while your car is in the shop as well as any potential repairs the mechanic might find while the vehicle is being inspected.
One problem with not catching brake issues early enough is that this can sometimes cause damage to either the brake calipers or brake rotors, which can end up costing the driver additional money in repairs.
The smartest choice is to make sure and have a car repair emergency fund ready to go for when your car is in the shop. That way if it turns out that your car needs more extensive repair than you initially anticipated, you’ll still be able to afford the costs.
How Often Do Brake Pads Need Replaced?
How often brake pads need to be replaced depends on the mileage of the car and how the brakes are treated by the driver. Generally, brake pads should be replaced every fifty thousand miles.
However, people who are hard on their car breaks by flying around corners and accelerating into a brake will inevitably end up replacing their brake pads earlier than those who baby their cars a little.
The lifespan of brake pads depends on the type of brake material used too. Metallic brake pads wear more quickly and may not make it to fifty thousand miles, while carbon ceramic brakes can last practically the lifetime of the car.
Rather than wait for your brake light to come on in your car or your brakes to start squealing (at which point you may have already done more damage to the vehicle than necessary), simply get your mechanic to check the brake’s life whenever the oil is changed. That way, you always know about how many miles you have left before you need to arrange a replacement.
How Long Does Brake Pad Replacement Take?
Brake pad replacement usually takes around an hour, but if you’re planning on having your brake pads replaced at the shop, you should either make an appointment to sit and wait for your car, or you should arrange to drop the car off for an entire day.
The reason is that while the brake pad replacement itself may only take an hour, you’ll have to go into a queue of work orders that are processed on a first come, first serve basis. So while the job itself may only take an hour, your car may not make it up onto a lift until midday or early afternoon if you drop it off first thing in the morning.
Because of the chance that further repairs may be diagnosed and required, it’s best to be prepared to rent a car in case any repairs end up rolling over to the next day. This is more common than people think due to the fact that certain parts are on backorder or can only be shipped at certain times.
Patience is an important thing to remember when you’re arranging to get your brakes fixed. Being prepared for your car repair appointment ahead of time can help you avoid transport-related hassles later when your car is already tied up in the shop.
Can I Replace Brake Pads Myself?
Brake pads can be replaced by laymen who are not certified mechanics, and many non-mechanics change the oil in their own cars, replace their own brakes, and perform other maintenance as necessary. This is for a couple of different reasons:
- To save money: Fixing your own car can save you hundreds of dollars in repair costs. Many expensive repairs are expensive as a result of the cost of mechanical labor, rather than the cost of the parts themselves (which are often relatively cheap).
- To learn: Learning how machines and engines work is a vital skill that can be useful across several different areas of life, and performing simple repairs on automobiles is a lifelong self-reliance skill that can be passed down to the next generation.
- As a hobby: Many people enjoy learning how to perform car repairs not just as a way to save money, but also because they enjoy tinkering on machines and want to make improvements to their vehicles.
There are a few caveats to keep in mind when you consider working on your own car, however. Here are some of the drawbacks to home auto repair that might make you reconsider trying to replace the brake pads yourself:
- If you get stuck halfway, you’re out of a car. The best way to learn car maintenance is to actually work on your car, but if you only have one vehicle and you get stuck halfway through a repair, guess what? You’re now out of transport.
- Car repair can be dangerous, dirty work. You need to be very careful if you do any mechanical repairs yourself to avoid burns, cuts, and other injuries. It’s also important to wear proper safety gear and know-how to raise a car up to work beneath it safely.
- You can cause more trouble than you started with. Cars are intricate machines with thousands of moving parts, and if you start messing with your car without having a sound idea of what you’re doing, you run the risk of accidentally breaking something unrelated. DIY mechanics can inadvertently cause thousands of dollars of damage.
If you want to learn how to replace your own brake pads, it’s best to do a thorough reading of your owner’s manual and even better to watch someone else perform the brake pad replacement in front of you so you can observe and take notes.
By watching a person with more experience maintaining cars, you’ll not only have someone available you can ask questions if something is unclear, you’ll also learn the most efficient ways to attempt the brake pad replacement without having to make a bunch of mistakes to learn the most efficient way.
The brake system is delicate, and if you accidentally cause your vehicle to lose braking power, it can lead to mayhem at best and a tragedy at worst. If you’re at all unsure about performing repairs to the car yourself, getting a certified mechanic to replace the brake pads is your best bet for safety.
When Should I Get Brake Pads Replaced?
As noted before, brake pads should be replaced roughly every fifty thousand miles, but the answer to this question is: Whenever your mechanic tells you it’s time to get them replaced. This should ideally be before the brakes start to make any noise or act funny.
Once you start to hear a high-pitched squealing noise emanating from your car when you brake, that means you have reached the “squealers” in your brakes. These are strips designed to act as an auditory warning that your brake pads are starting to get thin.
At this point, you have about a thousand miles left before the brake pads will really need to be replaced, but the squealers are a good heads-up to let you know so you can make arrangements to get it done before any excess damage is caused.
Why It’s Important to Replace Brake Pads On Time
The most important reason you should replace brake pads before they get really bad is that by limping your car along on bad brakes, you’re not only causing more damage to the car that is just going to be more expensive to fix when you finally do manage to get it into the shop, you’re also taking your life into your hands.
When a car’s brakes get bad enough, they can lose contact altogether or lock up. Obviously, when you are moving in active traffic either scenario is a car wreck waiting to happen. What’s worse, if you get into an accident with another car as a result of maintenance neglect, you can be held liable by the other part in lawsuits and other legal troubles.
By getting your brake pads repaired on time, you’re not just saving money, you’re also potentially saving your own life and the life of someone else.
How to Make Brake Pads Last Longer
If you want to make your brake pads last longer, there’s a couple of different strategies you can take to pull it off. Here are a few solutions to make sure you have to replace your brake pads as little as possible:
- Buy ceramic pads. While these high-performance pads are more expensive, to begin with, they are designed to last significantly longer than metallic brake pads.
- Take your foot off the accelerator when coming to a stop. Let the car guide to a slower speed before braking rather than beginning to brake at top speed. This is the point of the brake that causes the most friction and wear to the brake pads.
- Don’t slam on the brakes. The more gently you use the brakes in daily commuting activities, the longer they’ll ultimately last.
Replacing Brake Pads is an Important Part of Car Maintenance
It’s easy to underestimate the importance of having good brakes on your car because a car will function for quite a while on shoddy or damaged brakes. Doing so is taking a dangerous gamble with your life and the lives of others though. For both safety and for the sake of your car’s performance, be sure to replace brake pads regularly and have the brake system inspect whenever you get an oil change to ensure that any problems are caught early. Do that, and you won’t have to worry about your brakes ever failing you.
