How and when to change brake pads: description, replacement features and recommendations

The safety of the driver and passengers depends on the condition of the pads. The car owner should know when to change the brake pads. Of course, the service life of these consumables largely depends on the quality, driving style and conditions. But to maintain the effectiveness of inhibition, they need to be closely monitored. Let's look at what affects the life of the shoes, how to replace them yourself.

Brake pad life

The wear rate of these elements largely depends on the material of which they are made, as well as on the quality of the friction linings, the condition of the cylinders of the brake system, the manner of driving. Experienced mechanics in car-care centers, as well as motorists know how long it is possible to exploit pads. Well, as for the resource, it is approximately determined by the mileage of the car. Through how many to change pads also it is possible to look in the documentation to the car. The wear of the lining also depends on the type of brake. For example, for disk systems, the average resource can be from 50 to 80 thousand kilometers.

Interestingly, for a drum brake, the resource is about the same, although the load on the rear axle is lower. The service life also depends on the conditions in which the car is used, from the driving style, and also on the driver's experience. If you accelerate intensively and often slow down, then this driving greatly reduces the resource. Often guys and girls who just got behind the wheel of their car, forget about the parking brake and can go with the included hand. This does not have the best effect on the resource of the brake system components. Not very well affects the condition of the shoes long braking on long descents. How often to change pads? It can be replaced according to the level of wear. But it is better to carry out the installation as recommended by the manufacturer of a specific car. In service books, this procedure should be performed on a run of 60 thousand kilometers. In practice, it turns out that on this run the pads can be either already worn out, or even in a normal technical condition.

Diagnose the condition

In the SRT, the diagnosis is carried out by measuring the thickness of the friction lining.

To do this, the car is installed on a flat floor. One side of the machine is lifted with a jack, or the machine is immediately put on a lift. Then the wheel is dismantled, and the thickness of the lining and disk is measured with the help of a caliper. If the thickness of the pads is less than 2 mm, then a replacement is necessary. Also during the diagnostics check the condition of the disc or drum. If the thickness is less than a certain level, then the part must also be replaced.

Diagnosis without STO and measuring instruments

To understand when to change the brake pads, you can do without a trip to the service. To understand that the time has come, and the lining has become useless by visual inspection. By the selected marks, you will easily understand that the friction pad is already very worn out. Also, experts recommend watching the level of brake fluid in the expansion tank. If it significantly decreased, the brake disc, or the shoe worn out and requires urgent replacement. Do not postpone the repair - it's your safety. You can check when to change brake pads and in another way.

To do this, it is necessary to accelerate the car to about 80 km / h, and then perform emergency braking. On the wear of the elements of the brake system will say beating on the pedals. But here all is still worn out disk. A signal about the urgent need to replace the consumables of the brake system can be a change in the braking process and the behavior of the pedal. For example, if the car brakes more sharply or slower than usual, it's worth thinking about. A characteristic dust with chips can form on the surface of the discs. If, in the process of reducing the speed, metal grinding of metal is clearly heard, then it is recommended to pay attention to the thickness of the installed cover and to the very presence of the friction layer.

Shoe status monitoring system

Many modern cars have electronic systems.

They take full care of the owner. Special sensors will inform the computer, after how many brake pads change, and he will display this information to the driver. On different models, they can simply show that wear is critical, and replacement is needed right now.

The device and principle of the sensor

The element is arranged very simply - in the overlay there is a soft core made of metal. If the wear level approaches critical, then it becomes the initiator of the closure. The instrument panel will receive a corresponding signal. But even if the sensor is installed, it is necessary to take into account one nuance. It does not always work correctly. Sometimes failures and false alarms occur. This situation is due to the fact that the brakes are often in contact with moisture. As a result, corrosion occurs. And because of her sensors fail. It is important to know when to change the brake pads on a visual inspection - so much safer.

Before replacing

When installing the pads, you should diagnose the status of all mechanisms and nodes in the system.

Be sure to check the condition of the brake disc. It is enough to measure its thickness with a caliper. Also, it is not superfluous to make sure that there are no damages on the surface of the disk, and the element itself is not deformed.

The replacement process

To change the pads in front, you will need a jack or any support with lifting function. A balloon wrench and a tool kit are also required. Next - hang out the front of the car, dismantle the wheel from the right side, take out the brake hose. Then squeeze the piston with a balloon wrench. Do not forget that the brake fluid level will increase. It is necessary to monitor the expansion tank.

Next, remove the caliper. To do this, unscrew the bolt and the mounting bracket. Then the replacement of the shoes is carried out. The entire mechanism is then assembled in reverse order.

How to change the rear brake pads

Here everything is not difficult - the algorithm is almost the same for different models and brands of cars. The machine is lifted by a jack and the necessary wheel is dismantled. Then turn the pins, remove the drum from the hub. This is best done by tapping the drum with a hammer.

Further, the spring and the shoe are disengaged, and the first spring is removed first. Only after that the bottom one. Then remove the front shoe and spacer with it. Then remove the clamping spring from the back, lower it. After this, pull the shoe lever out of the hole for the handbrake tip . Then from the hole pull the cotter pin, remove the washer and finger. Next, you install new shoes. The mechanism is assembled in the reverse order. For the installation of a clamping spring and shoe, use a lower spring. She clings to the hook. Then, the spring is tightened with a screwdriver and the hook is inserted into the hole on the shoe. Pistons to the center of the cylinder are moved, by removing the front and back covers with mounting blades. That's how to change the back pads - it's really easy. Even novices will cope with this.