How many brake pads per tire?
4 Answers
Each tire requires 2 brake pads, meaning a total of 8 brake pads are needed per vehicle. Below are the replacement criteria for brake pads: 1. Mileage: Under normal driving conditions, front brake pads should be replaced approximately every 30,000-50,000 kilometers, while rear brake pads should be replaced every 60,000-100,000 kilometers. Once severe wear is detected, immediate replacement is necessary. 2. Wear level: Typically, new brake pads are about 1.5 centimeters thick. If the wear reaches one-third of the original thickness (less than 5 millimeters), it is recommended to replace them promptly. If a metallic scraping sound is heard during braking, this may indicate that the brake pads have worn down to their minimum thickness, causing the limit indicators on both sides of the pads to contact and scrape against the brake disc, producing unusual noises—this requires immediate replacement. If you notice that the brake pedal feels lighter than usual, or if braking becomes difficult or ineffective, it indicates severe wear and insufficient thickness of the brake pads, necessitating prompt replacement.
This is an interesting question, let me share my experience. Last week I went to the repair shop to replace brake pads, and the mechanic told me each wheel is equipped with two brake pads, clamped on both sides of the brake disc. Simply put, a four-wheel car needs a total of eight pads. During replacement, I noticed the front pads wear out much faster. The mechanic explained that during braking, weight shifts forward, putting more pressure on the front wheels, so front brake pads typically last only half as long as rear ones. Also learned a fun fact: some older cars use drum brakes for rear wheels, which means they have brake shoes instead of pads. Regular inspection is crucial, especially before long trips - it's best to check the remaining thickness.
As someone who frequently works on my own car, I've carefully observed the braking system. Each wheel indeed has two brake pads, which sandwich the brake disc like an Oreo cookie. In total, a regular sedan has eight brake pads. In terms of material, front wheels usually use metallic brake pads with high metal content for better heat dissipation but more noise; rear wheels may use ceramic pads for quieter operation. When replacing them, pay attention to distinguish between front and rear wheel models - even a slight size difference can prevent proper installation. Additionally, brake pads and discs should be inspected simultaneously. If the disc surface has grooves, simply replacing the pads is only a temporary fix. I recommend having a mechanic check the thickness every 20,000 kilometers.
Last time when I helped my dad replace the brake pads, I specifically researched and confirmed that each wheel has a two-pad design. The mechanic said this structure allows for more even distribution of braking force. Nowadays, new car models come with wear sensors on the brake pads that trigger a dashboard warning when reaching the alert line. Driving habits make a big difference too - people who frequently brake hard may need replacements twice as often. I've seen cases where pads lasted 150,000 km, but that was with exclusive highway driving. For safety, they should be replaced when thickness goes below 3mm.
