Get to know your brakes!

Continuing our series on lowering your overall cost of ownership, we now turn to the subject of brakes. Next to your tires, your brakes are the single most important component of your vehicle. If they’re not working, you’re not stopping. But yet, so many consumers place their safety in the hands of those that are not proper trained, lack the proper equipment or are more concerned about making a sale than providing a quality product. So I thought it would be fitting to spend some time on the topic of brakes, arming consumers with the accurate information they require to get the job done right the first time.

Inspection…
Make no mistake, proper and routine brake system inspections will save you time, money and maybe even your life. Too often, a brake inspection consists of a quick look, checking for pad thickness and rotor condition. This is not appropriate. A proper brake inspection consists of the entire brake system, not just the pads and rotors. This is why it is critical for you start with choosing a provider that highly trained and competent, rather than a provider that has special offer on “lifetime” brake pads. But we’ll come back to that later.

Depending on what your vehicle is in for (service or not) the various components of the brake system will be inspected in different orders. Either way, let’s start with the pads and rotors. A proper brake pad inspection consists of the removal of all the pads. Why? You cannot properly measure all the brake pads (four on the front) when they are in the calipers. You also cannot properly inspect the brake caliper piston. Not all the brake pads wear at the same rate. In fact, the inner pads (the ones that are hard to see) tend to wear faster than the outers. A common mistake of the amateur is to leave the pads in, measuring just the outside pads, which often have a much as 25% more than the inner. The result, the consumer gets bad information about how much longer they can drive on those pads. Back to the inspection; once all the pads are out, you use a gauge to measure all the pads from various areas to determine your lowest point. You take that number (measured in millimeters), let’s say 4.0mm which, on Honda pads, would be 40% remaining.

The brake rotors are just as important and require care when inspecting, along with proper consultation
with the driver as conditions such as warped brake rotors are not easily noticed during an inspection.
Many providers recommend a rotor resurfacing with every change of the brake pads. If this happens to
you, prior to the performing of the inspection, you should be concerned. Here’s why. Rotors take a lot
of abuse and will require resurfacing and eventually replacement. But rotors do not always require
attention. Again, inspection and consultation come first. Does your steering wheel vibrate when braking
under load or at higher speeds? If the answer is yes, the rotors are most likely warped from overheating, which is common in cities with traffic and hills such as San Francisco. Other reasons for resurfacing include; deep grooves from normal wear, pads worn beyond the service limit, light rust (not deep pits) as well as glaze, which is a byproduct of heat. It is worth noting that none of these conditions are related to the safety of the vehicle, but rather, impact how the brakes feel and sound. Every time a rake rotor is resurfaced, it gets thinner and warps easier, speeding up it’s replacement. This is why it is only performed when needed. A proper brake inspection will include a “run out”.
which is measurement of the rotor thickness. Brake rotors must be a certain thickness to resurface, otherwise, warping will come easy and cracking of the rotor is possible.
　
　
The brake master, booster, reservoir and lines all must be inspection during each brake inspection. Although brake pads and shoes that are worn beyond their service limit will diminish your braking ability, increasing stopping distance, a hydraulic failure due to a leaking brake master cylinder for
example, will often give you no prior warning, resulting in complete brake failure when applied.

Brake fluid…
Brake fluid is to be replaced every three years, regardless of mileage. This comes directly from the manufacturer. It is not to be flushed or replaced as part of brake pad or shoe renewal, despite what so called “experts” on the internet say. It is unnecessary and does nothing other than
increase your cost of ownership.

Replacement…
Replacement of the brake pads, rotors or any other component should be performed by a trained professional, not a shade tree mechanic who is between jobs. Additionally, high quality original equipment parts (O.E.M) should never be substituted for low quality replacement parts that will
cost you more in the long run.
Let’s look at the Midas example. If you go to their site or have seen their commercials, you probably know about their lifetime guarantee. Here is my question; why would want a lifetime guarantee on something that is supposed to wear out? You don’t. Here is what you are not told. The brake pads and shoes are made out of a material that is nearly as hard as stone and will most likely last a very, very long time. But because the material is of low quality and is as hard as it is, it damages the rotors and drums. Providing a solution for a customer does not hold much value if you create a larger problem in the process. Honda O.E.M pads are made of a ceramic material that is easy on the rotors while providing exceptional braking. And by the way, if you want to know when you are supposed to replace your brake pads and shoes, here is the answer according to Honda who built the vehicle.
Brake pads (front or rear) should be replaced at 2.9mm remaining or 29%. Brake shoes are replaced when the lowest point measures 0.9mm. Rotor replacement varies depending on model and year.