Most car brakes are made up of three major components. The brake pads are responsible for creating friction that allows your vehicle to stop. The pads are held within the brake caliper, which uses hydraulic brake fluid to press the pads against the final component, the rotors. Your brake rotors are the discs that spin with your wheels and allow the friction between them and the pads to slow the whole vehicle down.
While all three of these components (pads, rotors, and calipers) need replacement eventually, pads and rotors specifically have important service intervals due to the nature of how they work.
Why do Brake Rotors Need Replacement?
With this constant friction coming at the expense of a small amount of both pad and rotor material, rotors start to lose their effectiveness over long periods of usage.
Brake rotors last a surprising amount of time in spite of how they operate, but eventually, they will need replacement eventually.
How Often Should I Replace My Rotors?
Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to brake rotor replacement intervals, as it varies on a range of factors.
One of the most important is how the brakes have been used over their lifespan. Those that brake later and more aggressively will find their brake rotors losing stopping power earlier, while those that brake slowly and gradually (or just drive less in general) will be able to use theirs for a longer period of time.
Another major factor is the brand and type of brake setup itself. Higher-priced or OEM-quality replacements will often last much longer than their cheap counterparts. This is especially true of performance options such as carbon-ceramic, which will see increased stopping power and lifespan along with their high price tag.
However, we do have a range of when you should be keeping an eye on the performance of your rotors as well as visually inspecting them from time to time. Most rotors will need to be replaced within 30,000-70,000 miles, dependent on the above factors.
The easiest way to know when its time for a brake job is mechanic recommendations. A trusted mechanic or dealer will often know when your brakes are past their prime and you should start considering a replacement.
Rotors and Pads or Just Rotors?
While it can be tempting to save the cash and just get a rotor or pad replacement by themselves, getting them done concurrently can provide benefits. Getting both new pads and rotors means that your rotors will not be warped or grooved by new pads, and will in turn last longer.
How to Know When I Need New Rotors?
Besides a mechanic recommendation, there are a few common signs of old rotors that you should be aware of. These symptoms often mean the rotor is grooved or warped, and will only be worsened by new pads without replacement.
- Vibrations when brakings
- Squealing noise when braking
- Pulsations from brake pedal
- Visible scratches or corrosion
- Smell of overheated brakes
Brake Service at Matson Point S
If your vehicle is in need of a brake service, trust it to Matson Point S in Riverton, Utah. Our friendly service advisors will help you find the right replacements for your vehicle, and our ASE-certified technicians will install them so you can have peace of mind in the safety of your brakes!
Call or schedule online with us today!