The front brake pads do most of the work, causing them to wear faster and need replacement more often. When you step on the brakes, your car lurches forward, landing squarely on the front wheels. This is where most of your car's braking power comes from.
The front brakes play a greater role in slowing down your car because braking redistributes the weight of the vehicle to the front wheels. This is why vehicles who have a mix of disc and drum brake systems favour installation of disc systems for the front brakes and drum systems for the rear brakes.
Brake pads are the part of the whole system that usually need replacing first since they are made of a softer material than the discs, and therefore wear much quicker as they are essentially eroded away by the metal discs.
Rear brakes have more parts and are more difficult to service than disc brakes. However, they are less expensive to make and can easily use an emergency brake system. The rear brakes on your vehicle are just as crucial as the front brakes.
Changing all four sets of pads at the same time optimizes the vehicle's braking capacity. The brakes are the second most important safety feature of any car or truck after the driver. It's critical to keep them in top shape.
You can replace your brake pads in pairs (the front or the rear) at the same time or separately. If your front brake pads are in need of repair or replacement, your mechanic can fix this issue independently. It's also important to note that your front and rear brake pads wear at very different rates.
Generally, your brake pads should all wear at the same time, which makes for an easy replacement. Typically, you should have both your front brake pads replaced at the same time, and your rear pads replaced at the same time, to ensure proper braking power.
In most vehicles, the front brake pads will wear out faster than the rear ones because they handle more weight.
This is important to know if you are replacing your brakes yourself and need to buy the right parts. Are front or rear brakes more important? The front brakes are more important and you should pay more attention to your front brake pads and rotors, while definitely not neglecting your rear brakes.
That's weight transfer. And that weight is transferring onto the front of the car, pushing down with greater force on the front wheels, and thus, the front brakes. That means more wear. So it's much more likely that you'll need to be changing brake pads in the front before you need to change them in the rear.
Generally speaking, brake discs can last for upwards of 50,000 miles when properly maintained. By taking good care of your brake discs and driving sensibly, your brake discs could last up to 120,000 miles. Without regular maintenance, your car's brake discs could deteriorate at the 25,000 mile mark.
Generally, brake discs should last more than 50,000 miles on average, but a number of factors affect the lifespan. If you keep them well maintained and drive sensibly, you may be able to get up to 80,000 miles out of one set!
Brake Pads Lifespan
Generally, you can drive between 48,000 to 110,000 kilometres before changing your brake pads. Some pads, however, can last up to 160,000 kilometres. However, the lifespan varies significantly, depending on your driving habits and the type of brake pads.
Typically, front brakes will be more expensive to replace since they are bigger, whereas the rear brakes are simpler in design. However, if you are noticing a high price for your rear brake pad and rotor replacement, this is likely due to the labour cost, not the cost of the parts.
The rear brake is O.K. for situations where traction is poor, or for when your front tire blows, but for stopping on dry pavement, the front brake alone provides the maximum stopping power, both in theory and in practice. If you take the time to learn to use the front brake correctly, you will be a safer cyclist.
The average front brake pad replacement cost is between $115 and $300; this is about the same as the cost of rear brake pad replacement. The cost of replacing all four brake pads, including parts and labor, ranges between $230 and $600 for all four wheels.
Why is the front brake more powerful? It's simple; because the front of the bike dips down when you apply your brakes, there is more weight on the front of the bike and thus more traction on the front tire. The front tire is less likely to skid.
Most mechanics recommend replacing brake pads in the front or brake pads in the rear at the same time. If one brake pad on the front axle is replaced, then all brake pads on the front axle should be replaced.
Your front brake pads will also wear down faster than your rear pads. The front of your vehicle handles a lot more weight transfer as you brake, causing more wear. Over time heat and friction also contribute to brake pad wear. Which axle your brakes are on will also influence how much wear and tear your pads sustain.
Pulling to one side as you come to a stop is an indication that one side of the brakes are more worn than the other side. If you notice your car pulling to one side when you press the brake pedal, check that side's front tire and make sure that the brake pad isn't worn down.
Every car comes with two front brakes and two rear brakes. Older vehicles typically have drum brakes in both the front and rear. In contrast, modern cars tend to have either disc brakes on all four wheels or disc brakes in the front and drum brakes in the back.
When Should You Change Brake Pads And Rotors? On average, brake pads should be replaced every 25,000 to 65,000 miles, while rotors typically should be changed anywhere from 30,000 to 70,000 miles. However, the exact number can differ depending on driving conditions and styles.
As a general rule, you should get your brake pads replaced every 10,000 to 20,000 miles to keep wear to a minimum. When it comes to your rotors, you have a bit longer. Your rotors should be replaced between 50,000 and 70,000 miles to keep your brakes in peak health.