How To Make Brakes Last Longer

Brakes, like tires, wear down with use. Although the brake pedal seems like a simple device, it’s controlling a complicated system. The brake pedal connects to a cylinder full of brake fluid that compresses when you press it down. This causes your brake pad to clamp against the wheel rotor, slowing your car; the harder you press, the stronger the braking. 

With so many moving parts, you can see how there are potential points of failure inside a brake system. The more miles you put on your vehicle, the more you brake, the more they wear down and the greater the risk of failure while driving. 

Get your brakes checked with every oil change to reduce the risks. But there are a few things that you can do as a driver to extend the lives of your brakes.

Here is what causes brake wear and how to prevent it. 

Tips to Make Your Brakes Last Longer

Avoid slamming on brakes 

Although this can’t always be avoided, increasing your stopping distance puts less force on the brake pads and helps them last longer. Slamming on the brakes wears down both pads and rotors faster and can strain other parts of your car.

Consider ceramic brake pads

Ceramic brake pads usually last the longest. They produce less corrosive brake dust, which can damage other parts of your car. Ceramic brake pads are also a softer material and are gentler on your brake rotors. But, of course, they tend to cost more. 

Increase stopping distance

Stopping distance refers to the distance between you and an object ahead, whether it is another vehicle, a stop sign or light, or something else. We can break stopping distance into three parts:

1. Perception distance: How far your vehicle travels while you notice the need to stop
2. Reaction distance: How far you travel while moving your foot to the brake.
3. Braking distance: How far the vehicle travels once brakes are applied.

Leaving more distance ahead allows more time to react to safely brake. Instead of braking hard, let your vehicle slow naturally (take your foot off the gas pedal!), and gently brake. The less you use your brakes, the less wear they’ll experience. 

Flushing brake fluid

Over thousands of miles, the hydraulic system that connects the brake pedal to the brakes will absorb more water. Why is this bad? Because brake fluid is resistant to the heat that’s generated from the friction during braking. Water lowers the fluid's boiling point, reducing heat resistance. As a result, the brake fluid can become corrosive and damage the rest of your braking system. Have your brake fluid flushed around every 25,000 miles. 

Don’t exceed your car’s payload capacity

Each vehicle has a payload capacity, which is the maximum weight it can carry. While it’s unlikely you’ll exceed this with everyday use (unless you’re hauling bricks), you might exceed the towing capacity, which is different but related to payload capacity. Check your owner's manual to find your payload and towing capacity. Extra weight makes it harder for your brakes to stop the vehicle. You don’t want your brakes failing while hauling a heavy load. 

What Makes Brakes Wear Down?

The main culprit here is heat from friction. Your car can move very fast when you drive, and when your brake pads press against the brake rotors, they’ll start to slow your vehicle. 

There’s still a lot of heat that’s generated when you brake, especially where the brake pad meets the rotor. This mainly wears down the pad and the rotor, and harder braking also stresses other brake components. Slowing down a fast-moving object is difficult, and the quicker you need to slow down, the more heat is generated. This is why it’s better to let your car coast to slow down before braking. 

How Do Stopping Distance and Braking Distance Affect Tires?

Earlier, we mentioned that increasing your stopping and braking distance helps preserve your brakes. This also affects your tires -- where rubber meets the road. 

A tire’s construction includes a thick outer layer, or tread, that grips the road so you can maintain traction while driving. Better traction translates to more control with your vehicle for a safer and more comfortable driving experience. Over thousands of miles, treads wear down. The more worn down your tire treads are, the harder it will be to slow down your car as you brake because your tires will slide against the asphalt.

Inspecting your tire treads regularly to avoid driving on worn-down tires that reduce braking power. When your tread depth gets within 2/32 of an inch, it’s time to replace your tires. The more pressure needed to stop your wheels, the more heat that’s generated. Ultimately, if your tires can’t grip the road, your braking system will have to work harder to slow down your car. 

ID 27260623 | Brake Lights | Brad Calkins | Dreamstime.com