You can think of brake discs as having taken over from brake shoes with the older drum braking systems. To be able to slow down your car and eventually stop, now cars feature a disc braking system. When you notice brake pads At 3mm, then this tells you that it’s time to replace brake pads.
Whenever the car’s wheel is moving, there is a spinning disc that is also rotating alongside the wheel. The role of the caliper is to add pressure onto the brake pad resulting in the brake pad coming into contact and pushing onto the brake disc.
This results in friction that causes the wheel to slow down in its spinning until eventually, it stops. This will take place when the driver presses the brake pedal.
There are several materials which brake pads are made from. These range from steel, shims, backing plates, rubberized coating, insulation coatings as well as friction materials. They are strong and durable materials which they need to be if they are going to serve their purpose. That said, they will not last forever.
To get your brake pads to last a good long while, you need to choose those that have a decent level of thickness. We will take a look at this later on in this post.
- Pad Thickness
- Brake Pad Lifespan
- Brake Linings
- Pad Worn Out
- Pad Glazing
- Brake Shoes Vs Brake Pads
- Frequently Asked Questions
Brake Pad Thickness
When the brake pads are in use, and you press on the brake pedal, they will rub against the rotating disc and will then result in a bit of wear and tear. Measuring the thickness of the brake pad means measuring the thickness of the material.
When the material of the brake pad wears down too far, it will not be able to do its job. This would mean that even while you press on the brake pedal, your vehicle would not slow down and stop at an optimum rate.
Regardless of whether you drive a Tesla or a Ford F150, manufacturers of brake pads will recommend a minimum thickness. You would be wise to heed their recommendations. Often you will find that brake pads at 3mm need replacing.
Sure you may find that you can get away with the pads wearing down to a thickness of about 2mm. But at this point, the metal parts will now be exposed. This will cause a squealing sound whenever you press down on the brake pedal.
Also, it is important to point out at this point that the more the brake pads wear down, the less able they are to deal with heat. This then makes them prone to breaking or cracking. Therefore in most cases, it is best to change brake pads at 3mm or 4mm.
Letting the brake pads wear down even further will also increase the chances of damaging the brake rotors. This is more expensive to replace than simply getting new brake pads.
Brake Pads At 3mm – The Ideal Brake Pad Thickness
So we’ve talked about replacing your brake pads at 3mm but what is the ideal thickness of new brake pads? In most cases brand new brake pads will come with a thickness of anywhere between 10mm and 12mm.
Brake pads at 3mm or 4mm will take around 50,000 miles of driving at which time you will need to replace the old brake pads with new ones. That said, how quickly the brake pads wear down will also depend on your style of driving.
If you drive fast and aggressively, the brake pads will wear down sooner. Note also that brake pads comprise different materials and some will wear down much faster than others.
Brake pads are easy to purchase from the local auto parts store. However, it is always a good idea to buy them and have them replaced in the same dealership where you bought your car.
Brake Pad Lifespan
The question that many drivers will have is how long can brake pads last. Depending on the quality of the brake pads, they can last anywhere from 30,000 miles to 70,000 miles. Some may even go as far as 100,000 miles.
Note also that this will depend on whether you are also taking your Rivian off-road.
Several factors cause such as huge disparity in range. The brake pads comprise a wide variety of materials. Furthermore, the brake rotors and accompanying braking components can also comprise different quality materials.
Combine all the factors then consider that heat also plays a huge factor in the life of brake pads and you can see where the difference in durability is coming from. Once you notice that the brake pads have worn down, you will need to take your vehicle to service appointments.
Brake Pads At 3mm – How You Can Make Brake Pads Last Longer
That said, you can make brake pads last longer through a few simple steps.
First off, note that brake pads are made from a variety of materials and each will have a different lifespan.
Organic brake pads are constructed out of nonmetallic fibers which are stuck together and compressed using resin. Drivers report that organic brake pads are much softer and quieter compared to other types of brake pads. That said, they also tend to wear down much faster.
Semi-metallic brake pads will have anywhere between 30% and 65% metal. They will also comprise steel wool, copper as well as other materials.
Semi-metallic brake pads are known to be highly durable. However, they also wear down the brake rotors much faster. They are also not the best choice for colder temperatures.
Ceramic brake pads are constructed from a mix of nonmetallic and non-organic materials including aramid fibers and fiberglass.
They are also lightweight compared to metallic and non-metallic brake pads. That said they are also much tougher and more durable. Moreover, they are expensive and about twice the price of the other types of brake pads.
Driving Style
Choosing the ideal brake pad is one thing, you also need to ensure that your driving style doesn’t contribute to the quickly wearing down of brake pads. You want it to take as long as possible to get brake pads at 3mm.
Driving fast for instance and then stopping your vehicle suddenly is one of the ways that you can avoid wearing down the brake pads.
You also want to consider the amount of weight that you carry and whether you plan to haul or tow loads. This increases the overall weight and pressure on the brakes and contributes to them wearing down even faster.
Finally, you need to ensure that you flush out the brake fluid every 25,000 miles or so. Then you will replace it with new brake fluid.
The reason for this is that the brake fluid may be low or could be contaminated which will affect its ability to function optimally. This will then translate to other braking components including the brake pads.
Brake Linings
The brake lining is a component that is bonded to the brake pads or brake shoes. Often this is done through riveting the brake lining in place.
If the brake lining is worn down too far, you may find that the brakes squeak, chatter, or squeal. The brake linings need to be replaced as soon as you notice that they have worn down.
Otherwise, those brakes in your Ford Taurus will continue to wear down until the rivets are exposed. These will then eat away at the rotors and the drum. The result is expensive repairs and replacements.
Often you will need to replace the brake linings as a unit. This is unlike earlier years when the lining would be put on the vehicle’s brake pads.
Whenever you are in the market for brand new braking components. you want to also check the different types of brake linings available. You will benefit from choosing linings that come with a lifetime warranty. This one will often be constructed from hard friction materials.
The materials will take a long time to wear down. As a result, you will do less frequent changing of the brakes. On the flip side.
This places the brake rotors at risk of wearing down much faster compared to if you were using the original types of brakes.
This is why it is also a good idea to choose the recommendations of the manufacturer when deciding on brake linings.
Brake Pad Worn Out
You must replace your brake pads as soon as you notice that they have worn down or as soon as you start to notice that the brakes are losing their effectiveness.
Theoretically, the brake pads will last around 70,000 miles. That said, bad driving habits will reduce the lifespan of the brake pads. And you may find that you need to replace the brake pads after 25,000 miles.
By adopting good driving habits, you will be able to not only prolong the life of your brake pads but also end up saving money. Let’s take a look at six habits that you need to avoid to prolong the life of your car’s brake pads.
Brake Pads At 3mm, Driving Tips #1: Not Flushing Brake Lines
Flushing the brake lines is one of the most crucial things that you need to do to ensure that the brake pads last a good long time. You will need to flush the brake pads for you to avoid air bubbles inside the brake fluid.
The air bubbles will take away the effectiveness of the entire braking system and take away the lubricating capabilities of the brake fluid. This then could result in more mechanical wear.
Brake fluid needs to be flushed about once after two years.
Brake Pads At 3mm, Driving Tips #2: A Failure To Use Lower Gears
Cars will move slowly when the lower gears engage. It’s always a good idea to take advantage and ensure that you moderate the speed of your vehicle as you move downhill without engaging the brakes.
Shifting down in gears to slow your car will reduce the rate at which the brake pads wear out.
It is a good idea to dive into lower gear whenever you’re driving downhill. Gears can be a good speed moderation tool, especially when driving manual cars as well as some automatic cars.
If you have a manual car, you may want to stick to third gear utmost when driving downhill. On the other hand, if you have an automatic car, it is a good idea to moderate the speed via gear usage. This is if the transmission has the option of first or second gears.
Often the automatic transmission vehicles will have lower gears together with the drive in case the driver wants to shift down.
Brake Pads At 3mm, Driving Tips #3: Maintaining Space With The Vehicle Ahead
If there is one thing that takes its toll on the brake pads, it’s driving fast. Drivers who drive fast will likely press on the brake pedal fast as well resulting in a sudden stop.
Keep this in mind whenever you get behind the wheel of that racy car in front of you.
That said, when the driver has kept a good distance between them and the vehicle ahead, they will often not have to brake suddenly and therefore are unlikely to experience rapid wearing down of the brake pads.
One thing to keep in mind is that maintaining a good distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you is great but it also minimizes the risk of an accident.
Brake Pads At 3mm, Driving Tips #4: Fast Driving
If you are one of those drivers who drive fast, then this will increase the chances of your brake pads wearing out quickly.
The brake pads will need to work extremely hard to bring a car that is traveling at a high speed to stop. This is when you compare when the vehicle was traveling at a slow speed.
By ensuring that you drive slowly, you will not put a strain on the brake pads. Furthermore, you are less likely to get into an accident by driving slowly.
Brake Pads At 3mm, Driving Tips #5: Wrapped Rotors And Calipers
If there is something wrong with other components of your braking system such as the brake calipers or the rotors, then the brake pads will wear out quicker.
If you suspect that the brake pads are wearing out faster than they should, take your vehicle to a mechanics’ shop and have the entire braking system checked.
You may need to get replacement parts for the components that are already faulty.
Brake Pads At 3mm, Driving Tips #6: Too Much Weight
When the car is heavy, it will need more momentum to get it up to speed but will also need more force to get it to stop. If you want to ensure that your braking system lasts a good long while, it’s a good idea to see that your vehicle doesn’t carry any excess weight.
All the cutter that is inside your vehicle which you will not need, should be taken out. If you tow a trailer, detach it when not in use.
Brake Pad Glazing
If you have done any reading on your vehicle’s braking system, then you’ve likely come across the terms brake pad glazing.
What is it? Well, this simply means that the friction material of the brake pads has started to crystallize due to excessive heat.
But this is just the first part. When brake pad glazing starts to occur, it will usually pass on to the brake pad rotor and the brake disc.
The result is an extremely smooth surface on the brake disc and brake pad which significantly reduces your car’s ability to stop when required. We the crystallization occurs on some sections of the brake disc more than others then you will notice vibrations in the brake pedal.
A closer look at the brake pad may also reveal cracks or fractures.
1. What Are The Causes
There’s too much heat that causes brake pad glazing. Your vehicle’s brake pads are built to work under a certain temperature range. When the brake pads get hot above the temperature range then crystallization starts to occur.
This results in dragging the brake or riding the brake thus the name. Driving the vehicle too fast and sudden braking could raise the brake pad temperature above the normal range resulting in brake pad glazing.
If one of the calipers is sticking then this could also result in drag which then could result in brake material that is overheating
2. What Can You Do About It
Many drivers will suggest many different ways to deal with brake pad glazing. That said, we should probably point out and note that once brake pad glazing occurs, the only option is to replace the affected components,
Consider adding brand new high-performance brake pads as a replacement. You should also start by determining what caused the brake pads to crystallize to ensure this problem doesn’t reoccur.
Some of the reasons why the brake pads could crystallize include:
- Poor driving habits. If you drive your car fast and brake suddenly, then this could raise the temperature of your brake pads high enough to cause crystallization.
- There could be issues with other components of your braking system. It is a good idea therefore to also inspect the rotor’s calipers as well as the fluid lines to find out where the issue could be coming from.
- Perhaps your lifestyle causes you to exert too much pressure on the brake pads. You could do a lot of towing or driving in harsh conditions. If this is the case then consider high-performance brake pads.
Brake Shoes Vs Brake Pads
The car’s brake shoes are not to be confused with components that extend the miles time of the braking system. Their role is to bring your car to a stop. Furthermore, some braking systems feature braking shoes as an enhancement for optimum performance.
Often brake shoes are mistaken for brake pads but they are not the same thing.
So what exactly are brake shoes, what is their function in the car, and what makes them different from the brake pads?
Brake Shoes
Sure both the brake pads and the brake shoes do the same thing – they stop your car. However, they are completely different from each other.
When it comes to the brake pads, they form part of the disc brakes. In this type of braking system, the brake pads come into contact with a rotating disc rotor and then stop the vehicle.
When the pads squeeze the disc rotor, they create the friction needed to stop the car.
The brake shoes on the other hand are a component of the drum braking system. These have a crescent shape and have a rough material situated on one side. It is this side that creates friction.
The brake shoes will then sit inside the brake drum. When you press the brake pedal, the brake shoes will be forced outwards which will then push against the inside part of the brake drum. This then results in the vehicle slowing down.
The drum braking system, which features the brake shoes is an older system and modern vehicles will feature the disc braking system.
Replacing Brake Shoes
Brake shoes are surprisingly more durable than brake pads. That said, this is not to say that they will not wear down eventually. To ensure that your drum braking system is working at its optimum, it’s a good idea to replace the brake shoes fairly regularly.
Some brake shoes will last you thousands of miles. That said, extreme road conditions and weather could cause them to wear out much faster. As soon as you notice that your car braking system is starting to become less effective, change the brake shoes immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much To Replace Brake Pads
It will cost you on average $150 to replace brake pads for each axle. However, depending on the materials and quality of the brake pads, these costs can go as high as $300 for each axle. The cheapest brake pads are the organic variety.
When To Replace Brake Pads mm
It is a good idea to change your brake pads once their thickness reached 3mm. When the brake pad is brand new, it will be around 10-12mm. As soon as they start coming close to 3mm, it is advisable to change them.
How Often To Change Brake Pads
Experts will advise changing the brake pads after 10000 to 20000 miles. This will keep the wear to a minimum. As far as the rotors are concerned, these can last a bit longer. The brake rotors need to be between 50,000 to 70,000 miles.
