Buying a car is a big investment. It can seem like a lot of money, but if you’re buying something you plan on keeping for the long-term, it is worth spending the time and energy to maintain it and keep it last as long as possible.
Brakes are needed to slow or stop a moving vehicle and brake pads are one of the parts of the braking system that creates the friction to do so. They are crucial to driving safely as brake pads help prevent you from crashing into other cars or objects. Brake pads wear out over time and braking too hard can lead to them wearing out quickly.
This blog post will share 4 driving mistakes that wear out brake pads prematurely.
1. Driver Error
Driver error is the most common cause of abnormally fast brake wear. This usually happens when a driver uses his right foot to work the gas and his left to work the brake. This usually occurs if a driver tends to rest their left foot ever so slightly on the brake pedal, which engages the pedal, even if they aren’t pressing down on it. Even a small amount of pressure on the brake pedal is enough to cause the pads to contact the rotor while driving. This leads to rapid wear of the brake pads and can cause the rotors to “blue” over time.
2. Slide Pins
The slide pins are the metal pins that allow the brake caliper to move with each wheel. They are held in place by a spring and attached to a rocker arm, which connects to the brake pads. As the caliper slides back and forth, it uses pins to press against the pads. When these pins become corroded, they can cause the caliper to get stuck in a certain position. If that happens, this situation can lead to uneven brake pad wear.
3. Caliper Failure
Uneven brake pad wear can happen for a number of reasons. One possible cause is caliper failure. A caliper is the part of a vehicle brake system that houses the brake pads. Inside the caliper is a piston that presses on the brake pads when the driver applies pressure to the pedal. When the driver releases pressure, a seal inside pulls the piston away from the pad.
Some vehicles equipped with a brake drum seal. This seal make from rubber and provides a barrier between the brake drum and the wheel cylinder housing, which is used to create pressure for the brakes. The rubber in this seal can deteriorate over time, causing it to lose its ability to retract. The constant pressure created by the warped brake pad will cause it to wear faster than its neighboring pads.
4. Misalignment
Alignment is a crucial component of car maintenance that helps not only in better service from the tires but also enhances your driving experience. Anytime your brake pads are out of alignment, they will wear unevenly. You will notice this problem occurring within weeks or months after you install new brake pads that are not properly aligned. If you start experiencing braking issues after you just got them replaced. This is most likely due to the brake pads wearing unevenly because of misalignment.
NRS Brakes proactively help drivers maintain their brakes and keep them in good health. This is because our client’s safety is important to us. If you’d like to learn more about how to prevent early brake pad wear, please call us at 1-877-677-2725 to help you establish an affordable and efficient brake pad care routine.
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