The braking system requires special attention. The slightest problem with its components can cause serious road accidents. It is imperative to control them as rigorously as possible. Brake discs and pads are probably the most common parts to change in the braking system. What are their lifetimes? How do you know if it's time to change them? Should we use experts, or can we control and change them ourselves? Maintaining these parts is a headache for many people. This article is intended to be a help for all those who want to get more information.
What is the life span of the discs and brake pads?
Wear and tear on the discs and brake pads is inevitable. Your budget must therefore consider the expenses to replace them. The service life of brake pads and discs is not the same. In general, brake discs last three times longer than pads. The latter have a lifetime of between 30,000 and 45,000 km. The disc range is between 100 and 120 km. These figures are approximate and should never prevent you from checking your braking system frequently.
How to detect wear and tear?
It should be noted that the diagnosis to detect brake wear is accessible to everyone. This must be done on a regular basis. For cars equipped with drum brakes, simply pull the hand brake lever to check their condition. Adjust or replace the gaskets as soon as the car only locks above six notches. The most important action is to check the brake fluid level. However, to diagnose the state of wear, it is necessary to be equipped with appropriate measuring instruments. It is strongly recommended to go to the garage as soon as the brake pad wear indicator is low. And the same applies to the brake fluid level. For your information only, you can drive 2,500 to 3,000 km after the light turns on without damaging the discs.
Some tips to extend the life of your brakes
Brakes should be used less often, and emergency stops should be limited. To achieve this, adopt a quiet driving pace in the city. Practice eco-driving. Get used to using the degressive braking system, which consists of braking hard at the beginning and gradually releasing the pedal. Do not keep your feet on the brake pedals all the time. This will reduce the risk of warping the discs and sticking the pads (due to the high heat of the materials).