The brake pad is also known as brake shoes depends on when and how you drive. The force is applied against a disc made of metal which is a rotor to stop your car. The life of a brake depends on many different factors. Driving fewer miles in a crowded area in Kenya will make you change your brakes more often. Driving more miles on an empty highway won’t have much use of brakes.
There is no exact schedule for brake replacement, so you need to depend on an experienced mechanic and your ears. When a car gets its tire rotated at least once every six months then is the right time to get the brakes checked by a professional. A mechanic can check the condition of clippers to spot wear inspect the thickness of pads.
A lot of cars have a sensor to spot issues with the brakes. The driver may hear a screeching sound when brakes are applied ( or brake released for some cars). Luxury cars have indicators as warning lights that alert drivers with a warning if the pads get in the worst condition. It's better to get regular inspections rather than rely on your car.
Drivers could hear squealing, squeaking, metal-on-metal grinding sounds, and other noises that indicate wear as every car doesn’t have sensors. Some noises which aren’t big of an issue can be gone by cleaning the brake. If a brake vibrates under light braking, it shows that the disc is worn. Panic braking makes pedal vibration normal if your car has an antilock braking system installed. If the steering wheel of your car pulls the car to the other side while braking you may have worn a pad.
When brakes take a longer time to stop your car this is a sign for a brake replacement. When you use your brake goes more down which is not usual this is due to brake linings wearing sooner than expected. If you have a low brake system or fluid a brake warning light sign may appear even while driving. This is due to an issue with the brake master cylinder or it can be a leak. This warning light is not the same as the parking brake warning light and ABS lose warning light.
Cars with front disc brakes and some have rear disc brakes but some cheaper cars have rear drum brakes. It's easier to just resurface the rotors and change the brake pads.
Many automakers have changed to rotors that are light in weight and set aside cash. When you replace discs you may also need to replace the rotors as the current ones may not have enough material to be used off resurfacing. Repair shops find it easier to put new rotors and new pads rather than the resurfacing rotors as it’s a time-consuming job that can be done by a skilled mechanic.
