How to Check the Wear Degree of Brake Pads?
3 Answers
Right reverse parking with a wide right side is actually caused by turning the steering wheel too late during reversing. Below is relevant information about right reverse parking: Situations where the steering wheel is turned too late during right reverse parking: If the rear of the car is still far from the corner of the garage (not yet around 30CM), but the right front door handle has already landed on the extension line of the garage's right boundary or to the left, the steering wheel has been turned too late, making it easy to hit the left corner or boundary of the garage. Situations where the right side is too wide during right reverse parking: After most of the car body has entered the garage, if the rearview mirror shows a narrow left and wide right situation, you can turn the steering wheel to the right by 1/4 turn and straighten the direction when the car body is aligned. If the car body is parallel to the garage but the entire car body is biased to the left, without adjustment, it is very easy to hit the left front corner of the garage when exiting left. Therefore, you can first turn the steering wheel to the right by 1/4 turn, observe that the front wheels do not easily cross the line, and when the right side distance is about right, turn the steering wheel to the left by 1/4 turn. When the car body is parallel to the garage again, straighten the direction.
Checking brake pad wear is something I often do while driving, especially as a frequent long-distance driver. The simplest method is to observe the brake pad thickness through the wheel rim gaps: new pads are about 10mm thick, and they should be replaced when worn down to around 3mm – too thin and braking becomes ineffective. I also listen for sounds: if there's a sharp scraping noise when braking, that's the internal wear indicator warning you. Feel is equally important: if the brake pedal sinks deeper or requires more force, it might mean the pads are nearly gone. Additionally, regularly inspect the brake disc for wear; if it's uneven or has grooves, it accelerates pad wear. I recommend checking every 5,000 kilometers to avoid accelerated wear during rain or snow. Neglecting these can lead to brake failure and increased accident risks, so I always remind myself not to be lazy and seek professional inspection when necessary, just in case.
As a car enthusiast, I find it super convenient to check brake pad wear myself. Just shine a flashlight through the wheel gap to check thickness: 12mm when new, dangerous if below 4mm. I always feel the brake disc temperature - excessive heat means pads are wearing too fast, especially noticeable after mountain driving. Listening for unusual noises is key - slight scraping sounds indicate wear indicators at work. Don't neglect rear pads, they wear slower but are equally important. I use simple tools like calipers for measurement; frequent car modifiers note - performance pads wear faster during aggressive braking, so check them more often. Safety first, just spend a few minutes weekly to prevent accidents. Excessive wear may come from driving habits like sudden braking - adjusting them can extend pad life, saving money and ensuring peace of mind.
