Average brake pad life is somewhere around 25, to 65, miles. However, many people have heard of brake pads lasting more than 70, miles, even beyond the 80, mile threshold. You may have even experienced super- long brake pad wear yourself.
Brake pads wear out as part of their normal operation. Rear brake pads only perform about 25 percent of the braking effort. As such, rear pads are smaller than front pads. With that in mind, you can expect to replace the rear brake pads once for every two to three times you replace the front pads. The front brakes play a greater part in stopping the car than the rear ones, because braking throws the car weight forward on to the front wheels. Many cars therefore have disc brakes , which are generally more efficient, at the front and drum brakes at the rear.
Brake pads wear every time the brakes are applied. So, if the vehicle is often driven in stop-and-go traffic, the faster the pads wear out. This approach helps the vehicle stop in a shorter distance, but also increases rear brake wear dramatically.
This means the rear brakes will often wear out before the front brakes. How do you know when your rear brakes are bad? You'll drive safer and head off more expensive damage. Brake Light On. Squealing, Squeaking or Grinding Noises. Wobbling, Vibration or Scraping When Braking.
Leaking Fluid. Spongy or Soft Brake Pedal. Burning Smell While Driving. Do rear brakes wear out faster? The size and weight of the vehicle also have an impact on how fast the brake pads wear out. Another factor that has accelerated brake wear especially rear brake wear in certain late model vehicles is the change to electronic brake proportioning.
The proportioning valve that normally reduces hydraulic pressure to the rear brakes has been eliminated so the rear brakes will handle a higher percentage of the brake load and be more aggressive. The antilock brake system performs the job of brake proportioning by keeping an eye on how the rear brakes are behaving. If the rear brakes start to lock up when braking hard, the ABS system kicks in and cycles pressure to the rear wheels to prevent them from skidding.
This approach helps the vehicle stop in a shorter distance, but also increases rear brake wear dramatically. This means the rear brakes will often wear out before the front brakes. In vehicles with a conventional proportioning valve, the front brakes typically wear two to three times faster than the pads or shoes in the rear. Consequently, a vehicle may go through one or two sets of front pads before all four brakes need to be relined.
Ditto for the rear brakes on certain import vehicles that have electronic brake proportioning. If you had to pick an average mileage where most cars probably need brake work, it would be 50, to 60, miles. In reality, the brakes often need much more to restore them to like-new condition. If only the front pads are worn, and the rotors are in relatively good condition no pedal pulsations due to uneven wear or hard spots, no cracking or heat discoloration, and no severe rusting , the vehicle owner can usually get by with minimal repair expense.
Most shops will usually resurface the front rotors anyway to assure they are smooth and flat and to reduce the risk of a comeback due to a noise or pedal pulsation complaint. Rotors must be replaced if they are worn to minimum thickness specifications, or cannot be resurfaced without exceeding the minimum machine specifications.
Calipers usually need no attention the first time the pads are replaced as long as they are not leaking and there is no sign of sticking uneven wear between the inner and outer pads. Even so, the caliper bushings and mounts should be inspected for wear or corrosion and lubricated with brake grease to assure smooth operation. In the case of high-mileage calipers 80, miles or more or ones that are more than 10 years old, the calipers often have to be rebuilt or replaced because the seals are worn or leaking.
Same for the wheel cylinders on vehicles with rear drum brakes. Speaking of rear drum brakes, the condition of the springs and other hardware inside the drum is often overlooked when the shoes are replaced. Springs can weaken and corrode with age, and should be replaced on high-mileage vehicles to assure proper shoe operation and return. Like rotors, drums need to be inspected for wear, cracking or other problems such as bellmouthing, out-of-round or hard spots.
Drums can be resurfaced as long as the inside diameter does not exceed the maximum ID specifications. The brake hoses and steel lines should likewise pass inspection on the first brake job with no problems in most cases. But as the age of the vehicle goes up, so does the need for replacing these parts. Rubber hoses that are more than 10 years old may be brittle, cracked or leaking. Steel lines can also become badly corroded with age.
A failure of a brake hose or steel line can be dangerous because it results in a loss of brake pressure in that brake circuit. All vehicles have a tandem master cylinder that splits the brake system into two separate systems both front brakes, and both rear brakes, or diagonally paired brakes RF and LR and LF and RR.
For brake pads to work, they must be aligned evenly so that the entire pad is evenly squeezing the rotor. If you suspect your brake pads are wearing on one side only, bring your vehicle into a Firestone Complete Auto Care near you for a free brake inspection.
Our experts will assess what's causing the uneven brake wear, so you can get back on the road where you belong. It is not recommended to get your brake pads changed on one side only. While it may be tempting since only one side has worn down, replacing brake pads on just one side will only cause further uneven wear and could be dangerous.
When getting your brake pads replaced, it is typically best to replace either both front or both rear brake pads at the same time. Uneven brake pad wear can compromise your ability to stop and snowball into other brake problems. Schedule a brake service appointment at your nearest Firestone Complete Auto Care , and we'll get to the bottom of your brake troubles.
With expert service from our technicians, you can stop living with troublesome brakes, and start driving and stopping with confidence! Blog Categories Blog Home. Issues with the brake caliper The brake caliper's job is to push the brake pads against the rotors, thereby slowing the car's wheels and stopping the vehicle.
Misalignment in the brake pads For brake pads to work, they must be aligned evenly so that the entire pad is evenly squeezing the rotor.
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