Replacing your brake pads is something that you’re most likely going to have to do if you own a car for over four years. Brakes pads aren’t cheap to replace so if you can get an extra year or two out of them before needing to replace them, you should try. Here are a few tips that may help you do just that!
Don’t "two foot" your pedals
If you tend to tap your brake pedal with your left foot while still keeping your right foot on the accelerator, this is a bad habit. It leads to more “brake taps” which don’t’ really do anything to stop your car, and cause premature wear.
Slow your speed
When it comes to braking, full and complete stops from a high speed are absolutely the #1 cause of premature brake pad wear. Speed causes wear on brake pads exponentially – that is, coming to a full stop from 105 kph rather than 85 kph forces the brakes to dissipate 33% more energy.
Coast when you can
Consider paying more attention to the flow of traffic, and stopped or slowed-down cars that are ahead of you, and coast whenever you can to lower your speed – as opposed to braking.
Hills are a great example of this. If you’re riding your brakes down a hill, this can wear them out very quickly. Instead- don’t accelerate at all and lightly tap the brakes when necessary
Don’t hurry to stop
This advice will help you save on gas, as well as on brake wear and tear. Is there a red light or a stop sign coming up? Start coasting and slowing down!
There is absolutely no reason to step on the gas and “hurry up to stop” when the cars ahead of you are clearly not moving. All you’ll do is waste fuel – and when you do have to stop, you’ll put excessive wear and tear on your brake pads.
Consider a Brake Service
A brake service can extend the life of your brakes and save you money over time.
Have your regular mechanic inspect your brake fluid, and flush if necessary. Many shops offer a service to remove the wheels and disassemble the brakes and clean and lubricate all components- preventing just and excessive wear and tear.
