When should I replace brake discs?
What you need to know:
- If you do not have symptoms of thermostat failure, get a good mechanic to service the coolant fluid with three litres of concentrate Shell guard
Hello Paul, what is the role of brake discs, what is their average life span and how can I know that they are due for replacement? Johnson.
Hello Johnson, brake discs, also called brake rotors are an important part of your car’s brake system. They are made of cast iron or a mixture of other materials, depending on the design. When you apply the brakes, they are compressed or clamped against the discs, creating friction which slows or stops the car.
This creates a lot of heat and gradual wear. The average lifetime of brake discs varies depending on how you drive or your driving habits (aggressive braking, jack rabbit start stops and braking all the way downhill).
The size of your vehicle, how powerful the engine or how fast it drives will exert different braking frictional force and wear on your brake discs. This will determine how frequent or how soon you have to replace them. On average, with normal wear, new brake discs are replaced after 50,000kms or 100,000kms, depending on their quality and design.
There are signs and symptoms that can help you know when your brake discs are due for replacement. Physical damage of the brake discs such as warping and deep groves on the disc surface will affect brake pad grip and performance. Brake disc thinning or reduced disc width usually seen with a high ‘lip’ on the disc edge means the brake pads will take longer to engage or compress the disc. This increases your braking distance. Brake vibration when you apply brakes at higher speeds is a sign of uneven brake disc wear due to inconsistent surface wear or warping.
Noisy brakes are a sign of wear and the need to replace them immediately. High pitched squealing or squeaking is characteristic of brake disc and pad wear. Brake fluid level drop and brake fluid low warning light can be a sign of brake pad or disc wear.
On some car models, special brake wear sensors will activate a brake wear warning light on the instrument cluster. Do not ignore any of the above symptoms or signs as they indicate reduced brake performance or potential brake system failure. Often, brake disc replacement after wear should be done together with brake pad renewal as the wear and tear of one usually affects the other.
