Automobile travel is one of the most common forms of transportation in our world today. With over one-billion cars on the road all around the world, one can easily perceive that cars have become an affordable way of getting from point A to B., But a driver who is new to car maintenance may have questions regarding how often they should be performing brake replacement on their car. The best way to determine how often this type of work should be performed is by mileage.
So, how long should car brakes last? Typically, car brake pads should last from 25,000 to 65,000 miles, and the brake rotors will last 30,000 to 70,000 miles, and calipers stay functional for 75,000 miles or more.
Many car owners have ventured into the exciting world of automotive maintenance and repairs. And who can blame them? It saves anyone a considerable amount of dough by simply buying the parts and replacing them on their own. Let’s take a look at the different types of brakes pads that exist because they will be replaced most often. To give us an idea of which pads last how long and which ones may be the better option to install on your vehicle, let’s chart it out.
Length of Time for Brakes
Below, I’ve broke down the brake types.
Brake Pad Type: Organic Ceramic Metallic
| Price | Lowest | Highest | Middle |
| Performance | Low | High | High |
| Noise | Middle | High | Low |
| Wear & Tear | Middle | High | Low |
As we can see from the chart, ceramic brake pads are the best option. They will typically cost more than the other two types of pads, but their performance quality easily compensates for the extra money that is spent on the better brake pads. The best way to look at spending the extra money is this: You might as well spend the extra money now, or it will end up costing more in the end anyway when you have to fork over more cash to replace the pads that are not as high quality.
There are variations in material between the three types of pads, along with the differences in quality and performance. These dissimilarities can be important facts when choosing which type of pads will be best for your car and your budget. But the braking system does not stop at the pads you choose; there are also other vital parts of the system that are just as important.
Within a disc brake system, you will have brake rotors and calipers outside of the pads themselves. These parts will also have an average life mileage, too, so it is best to be educated on how long these parts last because their life will actually be different from your pads.
Later in the article, we will briefly cover drum brake systems, as well, which are not as present in the automotive world as they used to be. But they’re important to cover because they do still exist and have a completely different type of system compared to disc brakes.
Brake Pads, Rotors, Calipers & More
Brake pads are always going to be the most often replaced part of your braking system. Rotors then come second and calipers third. As long as those pads are replaced regularly, you can get a lot of life out of the rotors and calipers, which will then not need to be replaced every time you do the pads.
A set of brake pads can be worn to the point of replacement at 30,000 miles on the low end. If you hear a squeaking sound when pressing the brake pedal, it is time. That sound lets you know. But not all brake pads are made alike. The type of pad you choose for your car will affect how often they need to be replaced.
Organic Brake Pads
These are sometimes called “non-asbestos brake pads,” and they are comprised of a composite, organic material that typically consists of glass, rubber, Kevlar and resins that can withstand high heat. One of the unfortunate aspects of organic pads is the brake dust. All pads to generate brake dust, yes, but organic pads create the most dust. In highly concentrated populations, this can pose more of an issue to the human condition as the dust can end up in the air and then enter the respiratory system.
The reason behind the alternate name for these pads (non-asbestos) is that brake pads used asbestos as part of the material in the past. Upon realizing the dangers of asbestos, brake pad manufacturers quickly changed the material to be safer. So, although it’s still not great to be breathing in the current material, the compounds currently used are indeed safer than the brake pad material of old.
This brings us back to the point of spending more money in the end on pads. These are the ones that will wear down quickest, but they are made of less pollutants. This may be seen as beneficial to some consumers to cut down on harm to the environment. This type of pad is also easier to dispose of, even if they are a little messier to replace than other types of pads. They do create more dust than other pads, even if the material is less harmful.
This particular type of brake pad is not for the vehicle that drives aggressively for high-performance purposes or the heavier trucks on the road. An organic brake pad is best suited for smaller vehicles that weigh less than other vehicles and don’t have to do a ton of sudden stopping. A car that’s used for every day purposes with low aggression will at least keep the organic pads in good shape for a while, but since they are on the low end of the spectrum for replacement, they will typically get close to needing to be swapped around 25,000 miles.
Metallic Brake Pads
Metallic brake pads are the most common pads you will find on the road today. Due to their mid-grade status in the brake pad world, consumers find these pads to be cost-effective and get the job done when it comes to stopping their cars. But are these brake pads just slabs of metal that stop your car?
It may seem like these pads are manufactured as just two pieces of metal for each rotor of the braking system, but the truth is just a tad bit more complex. Metallic brake pads, like organic, are comprised of a composite material that makes up the pad. This type of pad is made up of iron, copper, steel, and even graphite, all molded together to make each pad.
When it comes to the high-performance discussion, metallic brake pads are the choice. Their solid makeup and enhanced durability make them a great brake pad for aggressive driving or any sort of racing. When comparing them to other pads, these are the best choice for this purpose.
Unlike organic brake pads, metallic brakes pads are great for trucks and other heavy vehicles on the road. With their higher durability and solid composite, these pads are excellent for the bigger machines of the highway. They hold up longer against the friction compared to other pads, so they’re a great choice when it comes to stopping your larger mode of transportation.
Metallic brake pads can also have more of a negative impact on the brake rotors over time. Since the material is so durable, it can add to the wear and tear of the rotors over time. Rotors will stay in great shape for a lot of miles when the pads are changed regularly. Although this still holds true with metallic pads, it just means the rotors will need to be replaced slightly more often than with other pads.
As the second choice when it comes to the lasting power of brake pads, metallic will give you a decent amount of mileage compared to other pad options. A good set of metallic pads should last a driver at least 30,000 miles, but will typically last longer.
Ceramic Brake Pads
When it comes to those extra noise emissions caused by braking, ceramic rates the lowest. Extra sounds are typically non-existent when it comes to these pads, which can be seen as somewhat of an annoyance to some. Most brake pads to have what are called “indicators” that squeal when the pads have worn down. But these are important in letting you know when it is time to get some new pads installed.
This type of brake pad was invented semi-recently, being released in the 1980’s. When they were created, the inventors used a composite of highly durable ceramic and copper fibers that would allow for longer life and better stopping ability.
Reverting back to our discussion of high-performance and aggressive driving, ceramic brake pads are not the choice. Having a softer makeup than metallic pads, ceramic will wear down way quicker than a metal pad when being used for purposes like racing or off-roading. The same goes for heavy towing. When pulling a weighted load, the ceramic pads can wear down way quicker than a metallic pad, causing them to have to be replaced more frequently.
If your typical vehicle use is for every day driving, leisurely driving, to and from work, etc. then ceramic brake pads are the perfect choice. They provide low dust emissions, don’t create extra noise, and they will last. Brake pads that end up with a higher mileage life are typically ceramic pads. They are the option that is going to get you the most bang for your buck.
Ceramic pads also handle the heat from friction well and allow for a quicker “recovery” when preparing to stop again. They also leave your wheels cleaner without covering them in brake dust over time. A decent set of ceramic brake pads, like metallic, should last at least 30,000 miles, but should typically provide stopping ability for even more miles than that.
Important Additional Parts of the Braking System
We briefly mentioned the function of the brake pad being that each brake rotor has two of them, one on each side to clamp down on the rotor when the brake pedal is engaged by way of the brake caliper. These are also important to the braking system because without proper functionality of these parts, as well, the braking system may not function correctly.
The other moving parts of the braking system can be broken down and discussed to further inform the reader of how the brakes function on most vehicles with a disc brake system:
- Brake Rotors: This part of the braking
system is just as important as the pads themselves. Without something for the
pads to clamp down on, the car cannot stop. Also known as the “brake discs”
(hence the reason for being called a disc brake system) brake rotors are a
metallic, circular part that lives on the hub of each wheel. When installed
properly, the rotor provides the surface for the brake pads to create friction
when stopping the vehicle. And yes, there are multiple types of rotors:
- Drilled Rotors: Drilled rotors are just that, drilled. They have multiple holes across the surface that have been drilled into the metal. Although this may seem like a strange thing to do to the part of the car that helps you stop, these holes serve an important purpose. The first reason being heat. Braking is an action that utilizes friction to stop, friction causes heat, the heat needs to escape to prevent brake fade. Brake fade is when the heat wears down the parts, which will reduce the vehicle’s ability to stop.
The other reason for drilling the holes is gas and water buildup. Gas buildup is not as much of a concern with the advancements that have been made with newer parts, but water can easily build up and cause the rotors to become slicker. The holes allow for any buildup to be easily moved away from the surface of the rotor.
- Slotted Rotors: Similar to its cousin,
the drilled rotor, the slotted rotor, also uses modifications to the surface
material to avoid buildup from gas, water and heat. Slots are drilled into the
surface of each rotor to provide this added benefit. So, although they aren’t
holes drilled all the way through the metal, these “ditches” that have been
worked into the rotors provide the exact benefit they aim for. These rotors are
also perfect for performance driving. The aggressive nature of this type of
driving needs the right type of rotor for stopping power. The only downside is
that these rotors will wear through pads quicker than others.
- Drilled & Slotted: This type of rotor is a combination of drilled and slotted rotors. It combines the benefits of the other two types of rotors. Having a great initial bite when clamped down on, the surface of these rotors provides great friction for performance vehicle braking. These brake rotors are top of the line when it comes to performance vehicles. For racers and enthusiasts alike, this is the choice to go with if you want the best in brake performance. Even the typical driver who just wants to give their car the best in braking abilities find benefit in drilled & slotted rotors.
- Blank (Smooth): And we have our standard option, the blank rotor. Its smooth surface doesn’t have the same benefits as the prior options when it comes to high performance. But these rotors are perfectly fine for any standard use vehicle. Any car or truck coming out of the factory will always have smooth surface rotors. They provide an adequate surface to have the brake pads clamp down on. They are completely sufficient when it comes to giving your car a safe braking ability. Typical driving conditions are what smooth rotors are usually going to be used for.
- Brake Calipers: The brake calipers are an important element of any car’s braking system. There are four on a standard vehicle, and they function by squeezing the pads, clamping down on the rotor to create the necessary friction. Without the calipers, the brake pads have no way of squeezing the rotor to stop or slow down. There are two different types of calipers, as well.
- Floating (Sliding) Calipers: These calipers have a couple of pistons that allow them to perform their proper function. Both are located on the inboard side of the brake rotor. When a driver depresses the brake pad to slow down and top, the pistons will squeeze the pads to the rotor to create that necessary friction we’re beginning to know so well.
- Fixed Calipers: Implied by its name, the fixed caliper functions a little bit differently than the floating version. With the pistons of the caliper affixed on each side of the rotor, these calipers are typically a little more costly due to their high-performance abilities. Some versions of this caliper even have multiple pairs of pistons to enhance performance, sometimes having as many as six pairs total.
Drum Brakes
The other most common type of braking system is called a drum brake system. Although it is very different from the disc brake system and replacement is more difficult, the good news is that drum brakes do not need to be replaced nearly as often as disc brakes. In fact, with proper general vehicle maintenance and driving habits that do not involve aggressive driving or hard braking, drum brakes can last the entire life of your vehicle. And 99.9% of all vehicles today that have any sort of drum brakes will only have a set on each of the rear two wheels.
The two-piston system used within each “drum” uses force to push the brake pads (or shoes) outward against the interior of each drum to slow the vehicle to a stop. The shoes cause the necessary friction by pushing outward from within instead of clamping onto the rotor like a disc brake system.
Drum brakes contain more parts within each drum that get replaced if the car gets that high in mileage and the brakes end up wearing out enough. The brake shoes, interior springs, self-adjustor, and other hardware are replaced during a drum brake job. But a functioning set of drum brakes can last all the way up to 200,000 miles with proper care.
Paying for Brake Replacement vs. Performing Your Own Repairs
Everyone loves to save money. We all have financial responsibilities to uphold, so whenever we have those opportunities to save some cash, it is typically an easy choice to make. But what about car repairs? For someone completely new to automotive work, the task can seem quite daunting to jump into something completely new. But I am here to tell you that brake replacement is not an insurmountable job to accomplish. Typically.
Initially, a person will have to determine what kind of braking system their vehicle has. Most vehicles in this day and age have disc braking systems that are easy to work on. With a simple, straightforward mechanical makeup, you can typically take a closer look through or behind your vehicle’s wheels to determine if you have a disc brake system on your hands.
If you have a disc braking system, great! Your own personal car repairs are on the horizon and it will leave you feeling accomplished once complete. There are literally thousands of videos on YouTube (probably more) that will give you explicit instructions on how exactly to perform your repairs. The even better news is that if you do not have a disc braking system, you can still find tons of instructional videos on the internet to accommodate exactly what types of brakes you have.
For the drivers out there with disc brakes, we have gone over the key parts of the system that you will need to know. Another great benefit of the internet is that you can always check to make sure you know what the parts look like as well. With those regular replacements we talked about, you will typically only need to worry about changing the pads. That squeaking sound will begin, and then it’s time. Changing brake pads is a fairly simple task, just prepare to get your hands dirty a little.
If the pads have gone a few more miles than they are graded to last, not to worry. Yes, some extra money will need to be spent on rotors. But the fact is that rotors can be resurfaced instead of having to replace them. If the rotors aren’t completely shot, an auto parts store or mechanic can use a machine to resurface a rotor to make the surface like new. Even if the rotors are completely done and need to be replaced, the task is easily manageable. Once the caliper has been removed in order to slide out the brake pads, you can easily pop the rotor off the hub and take a look at its condition to determine what actions to take.
And speaking of calipers, also fairly simple to remove. You will typically find two bolts that hold the mechanism in place, and they are easy to find. The most difficult part about removing the brake calipers is usually going to be popping the two bolts lose. The longer the parts have been in place and the more miles on the car, the more difficult it can be to break the bolts lose. Rust can form and other buildup may occur, but special lubricants are made readily available at car parts stores for exact situations such as this.
Other Methods for Information
When it comes to other types of braking systems, there is always a solution. There is always a video, or tips, or help from parts stores and mechanics when they are willing to at least lend a helping hand. Some systems have disc brakes in the front of the car and drum brakes in the back. Great! Your front brakes will be a simple replacement. The rear may not be as easy as drum brake replacement is a little more tedious, but take special care and follow the instructions very closely. You will get your drum brakes removed in due time and have them switched out just fine.
Some systems are full drum brake systems. It will typically take extra time to perform the repairs, but it is still a manageable task. Get whatever help you may need so know the proper steps, don’t leave out anything, and make sure you have parts that are made to last. You don’t have to buy the most expensive, top of the line option for your brakes. But it is still a good rule of thumb to get your parts at a reputable parts store that will sell you adequate parts.
Taking your vehicle to a mechanic is also always going to be a viable option. It does cost more to do this, but a dependable mechanic can be hard to come by. Contrariwise, there are also some not-so-great mechanics that exist in the world. So, just take special care when choosing the person that will potentially perform your vehicle’s repairs. Referrals are the name of the game when it comes to picking a mechanic. A friend or family member with the right person for the job will always make choosing a mechanic easier.
Hitting the Road
We’ve covered a lot of information in this article, but the main objective is to leave you feeling informed because these can be important choices to make. Your vehicle’s braking system is one of the most important parts of your car or truck. It is the mechanism that slows your car down and allows you to stop; it keeps you safe and can quickly bring your car to a halt if you need to react fast.
There are different choices to makes when it comes to actual parts and replacing them. Our aim is to leave you feeling that you can make a confident choice when it comes to both. Because safety and security is the name of the game when it comes to hitting the road.