6 Ways To Extend The Life Of Your Brake Pads/Brake Shoes

Safety concerning cars might be related to many aspects and thanks to the improvement of technology, we have better and safer cars. But one of the most important aspects of them all is the brakes. The brakes are the ones that act as the first form of support to provide the driver with more control of the vehicle to avoid the collision and bring the car to a stop safely.

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Remember: “You can only go as fast as you can brake”

There are 2 types of brakes, which are Drum brakes and Disc brakes.

While a typical brake shoe in drum brakes look like this :

This is how a typical brake pad in disc brakes will look like :

Today we describe a few ways in which you can save money by increasing the life of your brake pads/shoes (will be referred to as brake pads from here)

Checkout What Should You Do When Your Car’s Brakes Fail

1. Do Not Over Speed

   

   You ever seen the warning: Speed thrills but kills? That applies to the brake pads as well. More speed causes more friction and more friction causes more heat and more heat ultimately causes more wear on the brakes. This basically means drive sensibly and do not drive at higher speeds than required. Unnecessary high-speed driving is bad for the brakes and you too. According to a study, coming to a full stop from 105 kmph rather than 85 kmph forces the brakes to dissipate 33% more energy.

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2. Avoid Accelerating While Braking
   

   

   Unless you are driving in a cross-country rally or participating in the World Rally Championship you don’t need to brake with your left foot. Under normal circumstances, braking with your left foot while your accelerating with your right foot does not affect the speed of the car, which causes unnecessary friction on the brakes and wears them down drastically, even when compared to normal braking. This causes extensive damage leading to quicker wear down of the brake pads.
   

3. Use Engine Braking
   

   

   This is a very good concept to be used by every driver not only to increase the life of the brake pads but also to have more control of the vehicle using engine braking. The method is very simple and all you have to do is release the clutch and the accelerator pedals. You need to keep in mind that the deceleration depends on the speed, inclination of the surface and the gear you are in. If in case the speed is still not reducing then you can slot into a gear lower and that does the trick. Make sure you have a safe distance between the objects in front since the deceleration will be slower if you use only engine braking. This reduces the impact on the brakes by a lot.

4. Allow Sufficient Stopping Distance
   

   

   Allowing enough stopping distance in front of your car is highly important. When you do not provide enough stopping distance between the object/vehicle in front, then you will have to apply more pressure on the brakes and be more aware since the time to react is lesser, which causes more stress on the brakes and yourself. On the contrary, if you allow more distance ahead, you can apply less or minimum pressure on the brakes which do not cause any harm and bring the car to a halt.

5. Avoid Overloading Your Vehicle
   

   

   No, we are not asking you to drop your friend or relative behind just because they are heavier than you but keep this in mind. The heavier your vehicle is, the more momentum it will attain while driving and the greater the force your brakes have to apply to stop it. You will likely notice the strain a heavy load puts on your brakes yourself, seeing that you have to press harder to stop within the same distance. It is not just the external load that adds weight but aftermarket stereo systems, body panels, wheels, and other customizations can make your car heavier as well.

6. Inspect the Brake Pads Regularly
   

   

   Like every other car part, regular maintenance plays a vital role. You might notice signs that your brakes are wearing down, such as hearing squealing or taking more time to stop your vehicle. It is important that you change brakes before they wear down to the rotors, causing grinding that can lead to even more serious and expensive damage. So, if you listen to squealing sounds or feel that the pressure on the brake lever has reduced or see a warning symbol on your speedometer, kindly get the brake pads checked to ensure your safety by having better braking performance.

Also, make sure you buy quality products even if it costs a little more because the only thing more important than your life is the life of your loved ones travelling with you.