Car Brakes 101: Choosing the Right Brake Pads for Your Vehicle

by Gilgal Tyres Automotive Business

Brake pads and brake rotors wear out over time. How quick it wears out depends mostly on the brake material and your driving pattern. Experts recommend replacing the brake pads after every 50,000 miles, or 8 to 9 years of the daily commute.

Generally, if the brake looks worn out or loses its performance, you should take your vehicle to a service garage for an inspection and replacement. However, if you are planning to do it yourself, there are a few things you should remember while choosing the best set of brake pads for your vehicle. Let’s take a look.

Tips to choose the right brake pads

Choose between friction materials

All brakes have a mixture of soft and hard friction materials which work together in tandem. The friction material attaches to the backing plate either via adhesives or with high-strength rivets.

Bonded brakes will wear down to the backing plate, damaging the rotors or the drums. Riveted joints allow better resistance to wear and guarantee longevity. With wear, the rivets start to contact the rotors and give off a squealing sound. This acts as a warning sign for a car owner to identify that the brake pads need replacing.

Decide between brake pad types:

Brake pads are made out of different materials. You have to make sure that you are opting for something that is compatible with your car. You will find the manufacturer’s recommendation in the owner’s manual, or you can take your vehicle to a reputed vehicle service garages such as Gilgal Tyres for replacement. Additionally, they can also help you with the best set of cheap tyres in Manchester.

Some of the most common types of brake pad materials are –

Semi-Metallic –

These brake pads have 30% to 65% metal. They are composed of steel wool, copper, graphite and other friction modifiers. These pads are efficient at dissipating heat, and also leave fewer residues on your car wheels.

Non-Asbestos –

These pads are made of fibres, high-strength Kevlar, or a mix of silica and heat absorbent binding materials. Compared to semi-metallic brake pads, they wear out faster while leaving a lot of residues. However, they create less noise.

Ceramic –

Primarily composed of ceramic fibres, these brakes have a low decibel count and wear down slower than other types. Ceramic brake pads also offer better stopping power and cause less wear on brake discs. However, they are often more expensive than the other options. They are suitable for performance vehicles using sleeker car tyres in Manchester or any other part of the UK.

Review the entire system before replacing brake pads:

Before purchasing a set of high-quality brake pads, remember to check if the brake rotors are compatible with them in the first place. You will not get good performance if the quality of rotors and the master/slave cylinders are sub-par in comparison to the brake pads you are using.

Brake pads and rotors wear out with continuous usage. It is better to bring your vehicle to a service garage for the replacement. If you are doing it yourself, make sure to keep in mind the above-mentioned points and make the best choice for your car.