The Right Brake Pads Could Keep Your Vehicle Safe in an Emergency

Brake pads are often neglected until it's too late. This is certainly a mistake that people regret after their brakes fail to protect them during an incident on the road. To ensure that your car runs properly and efficiently, you must regularly maintain or replace the brake pads. Brake pads are one of the components that make up a car’s brake system. Obviously, the brake system enables the vehicle to stop. Brake pads are made of materials that allow for maximum friction while the car is being driven so that it can easily stop when necessary. When you’re driving and need to make a stop, you step on the brake pedal, which activates the entire braking system. Thermal energy created by heat leads to the necessary friction for slowing or stopping the vehicle.

How Often Should You Change Brake Pads?

Overall, your brake pads should be replaced after around 50,000 miles of distance traveled in your car. However, the exact number can vary anywhere from every 25,000 to 70,000 miles depending on certain factors. Those factors include the following:

• Your Driving Habits - Your driving habits determine how hard or light you push your brakes. This can affect how long the brake pads may last. If you press overly hard on your brakes regularly, you will have to change them more frequently than if you use light pressure to slow down before you stop.
• The Environment - Depending on the environment where you drive more often, you may need to change your brake pads sooner rather than later. Overall, the city is rougher on your brakes than driving in the country due to the necessity of braking more often. If you live in the mountains, you need to change your brake pads more often because the elevation your vehicle has to travel warrants braking more.
• Brake Pad Strength - The “hardness” of brake pads also determines how often you must replace them. Hard compounds last longer but have to be warm in order to work well. Soft compound brake pads work better when the vehicle travels slower.
• Materials - The materials that make up the brake pad also determine when they need replacing. Brake pads made of certain materials need to be heated to work optimally while others are better suited to operate in all different types of driving conditions.

Types of Brake Pads

There are a few specific types of brake pads you can buy. The following are the most common:

• Ceramic - This product is primarily made of ceramic fibers and other materials and occasionally includes a minute amount of metal as well. They are very durable but are pricier than other options of brake pads.
• Semi-Metallic - This is a type of brake pad that is the most common and is made of steel, copper or graphite. They require heat to work their best and need replacing more often.
• Non-Asbestos Organic - This is the variety of brake pads that are made up of resin, fibers and fillers. They are quiet but break down faster.
• Low-Metallic Non-Asbestos Organic - These brake pads are made of organic materials and around 10 to 30 percent of steel or copper. They are durable and good for braking.

The best way to get the right brake pads to prepare for a potential emergency on the road is to do your homework and know what each type has to offer. It can ensure that you get your money’s worth.