How To Change Brake Pads On Chevy Blazer

Oil changes, tire rotations and brake pad replacements are all important pieces of vehicle maintenance. Most manufacturers recommend changing the oil and rotating the tires every three,000 to v,000 miles, but what about the restriction pads? It turns out that the answer to the question "when should I supercede my brake pads" is not as simple.

How Long Practise Brake Pads Last?

It'southward difficult to predict exactly how long brake pads terminal. Their life expectancy depends on several factors, including the type of brake pads you install, route conditions and driving habits. Some people demand to supersede their brake pads after 25,000 miles, but others await as long as 75,000 miles.

How Driving Weather Affect Brakes

Brake pads work by applying friction to the restriction rotor. As you press the brake pedal, you push button the pads down on the spinning rotor. This slows the spinning movement until it stops completely. If you press the brake oftentimes or similar to look until the last minute before using the brakes, you vesture away the pads quicker than someone who brakes gradually.

Driving in the city wears abroad brake pads faster than driving on the highway. Each time you stop at a stop sign or traffic low-cal, you lose a flake of the brake pad. Y'all're likewise more likely to restriction abruptly in the city, peculiarly if someone in front of y'all suddenly changes lanes. If you drive in the mountains or pull a trailer, you besides demand to replace your brake pads more than often. The extra pressure on the vehicle makes your brakes work harder.

Brake Pad Materials

The type of restriction pad you choose affects how often you lot accept to supplant them. Organic brake pads tend to wear away the quickest, especially if you drive at high speeds or similar to "ride the brake." However, they remain a popular selection because they're more affordable and less noisy than metal brakes. Ceramic or metallic brake pads tend to terminal longer than organic brake pads, just they cost more than money.

Signs of Worn Brake Pads

One of the near commons signs of worn brake pads is a squealing or scraping noise when y'all press the brake pedal. This happens because of an indicator built into the brake pad that makes dissonance when the pad wears away. If this progresses to a grinding sound, the pads may have worn abroad so much that the discs and calipers rub together.

You may discover other signs every bit you drive. If the steering wheel vibrates when you press the brake pedal, in that location may be a problem with the brake pads. This also happens when the rotors are warped, so it's a proficient idea to take this checked as presently as possible. Similarly, if the brake pedal goes all the way to the floor when you press information technology, information technology'due south time to audit the brakes.

How to Inspect Your Brakes

If you suspect your brake pads are wearing thin, you can visually inspect them. Await through the spokes of the wheel and locate the restriction pads sitting on pinnacle of the rotor, or brake disk. Minimum thickness of the pads should be at to the lowest degree 1-quarter inch. If information technology looks like less material is left, it's time to get them inspected.

You lot can also ask your mechanic to bank check the brakes each time you take the vehicle in for an oil change. Having a professional person inspect the brakes every few months makes information technology possible to catch potential problems. This too saves yous time since you can get the oil modify and brake pad replacement washed at the aforementioned time.

Brake Pad Replacement: DIY or Mechanic

If you don't have the time or want to save some money, y'all tin supersede your brakes on your ain even if your vehicle has an ABS brake organisation. Make certain you have the tools you need to remove the caliper and caliper bracket to access the restriction pads. Later taking out the old restriction pad, replace the retaining clips and insert the new pads. Then, reassemble the brakes.