What does it mean when brake pads reach the wear limit?
1 Answers
Brake pads reaching the wear limit means that the brake pads have reached their maximum allowable wear and need to be replaced promptly. Failure to do so may result in brake failure and damage to the brake discs. The following situations indicate the need for brake pad replacement: 1. Check the thickness: Typically, a brand-new set of brake pads is about 1.5cm thick. When the visible thickness is less than 0.5cm, it's time to prepare for replacement. Each brake pad also has raised indicators on both sides, which are about 2-3mm thick. This represents the minimum replacement thickness limit. If the brake pad thickness is level with these indicators, immediate replacement is required. 2. Listen for sounds: If you hear a metallic scraping or hissing sound when lightly applying the brakes, the brake pads must be replaced immediately. This indicates that the wear indicators are already grinding against the brake disc, showing the pads are beyond their limit. 3. Feel the resistance: If the brake pedal feels soft or requires deeper depression to achieve normal braking performance, or if the pedal position is noticeably lower during emergency braking, this suggests the brake pads have likely lost their friction capability. Replacement is crucial at this stage to prevent serious accidents.
