How Long Should Brake Pads Last?

“Why are my brakes already squealing? I only have 35,000 miles on my car, this shouldn’t be happening.”  Actually, even though it seems pretty early for your brakes to go out, 35,000 miles is not unheard of.  The normal range for brake pads to go bad is 30,000 to 70,000 miles. Just like most wearable parts, such as wheel hubs and starters, the length of time the part last depends on the many variables.

The main reason why some brake pads go bad faster than others is because of what the brake pads are made out of. Brake Pads come in four diverse types; Organic, Ceramic, Metallic, and Semimetallic.  Organic Brakes are made from bonded non-metallic fibers. They have the best stopping power, but this means that more of the pad is worn down during braking.  Thus, they are not the longest lasting pad and even though they are organic, you cannot buy them at Whole Foods.  Ceramic Pads are most often made out of fiberglass. They are half as heavy as other pads but more importantly they are stronger.  These pads last the longest but they cost the most.  Metallic Pads have basically become obsolete because of the emergence of organic and semimetallic pads.  So why did I bring them up? I guess I just like to waste your time.  Anyways, Semimetallic Pads is a hybrid of Metallic and Organic pads.  These do well with heat, last longer than organic, and are the type of pad found on most cars.

Other aspects also contribute to the lifespan of your brake pads.  A main cause of premature brake wear is hitting the brakes at high speeds.  For every 10 mph more you travel it takes a third more energy to stop.  So, stop tailgating me at really high speed to only stomp on your brakes before hitting me.  Not only is it pissing me off and dangerous, but it also decreases the lifespan of your brakes.  Another cause of going through brakes quicker is where you drive.  If you live in a mountainous area and your brakes have to work against gravity than they will wear quicker.  So, you may enjoy living in San Francisco but your brakes do not.  Size and weight of a vehicle also affects the brake wear in a vehicle.  The bigger and heavier the car the harder it is on brakes.

So, even though 35,000 miles is definitely in the low range it is still in the range.  To extend the life of your brake pads concentrate on gradually slowing down.  Let off the gas and let your car slowdown naturally before hitting the brakes.  If you have a manual focus on downshifting to slowdown instead of slamming on the brakes.

Why do Bigger Brakes Perform Better?

New car models all seem to have larger brakes each year but what makes that such a good thing? Performance enthusiasts always seem to change the brake calipers and brake disc on their cars to something different but why? The fact of the matter is that the brake system on a vehicle is one of the most important parts in the car. Even if a car has a blow engine it can still start rolling on a hill and if the brakes are gone it won’t be easy to stop.

The key to big brakes or just an overall great braking system is to match the system to what the vehicle is intended for.  The idea of larger brakes is that larger brake pads can be fitted and more contact can be made between the pad and the disc. Big discs are not the only factor in better stopping power, evenly spaced and properly positioned pistons for the calipers are a huge factor.

The disc is very important to the braking as it must be vented for proper cooling and slots can be added for even more. There is a down side to slotted or drilled rotors and that is when the drilling or slotting is done it reduces the surface area of the disc and thus lessens the cars ability to stop. Many times it will be seen on the road when some car owner bought the “upgrade discs” for their car and now it can’t stop as quickly.

The key to brake upgrades is to go larger and also add slotted or cross-drilled rotors to reduce brake fading over time. There is not really a cheap way to get better braking in a car so be sure before ordering a set of “upgraded” discs that there is a plan to do a complete brake system upgrade. Lastly don’t forget that the tires are the only part that touches the tarmac so if they are bad the brakes won’t help.