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Checking Brake Pads Without Removing the Wheels

  • Brakes-Tips/Guides

Generally, brake pads are good for about 50,000 km. Their real lifespan will depend on factors such as your driving style, where you tend to drive mostly, and the vehicle itself.

Brakes should be checked about every 16,000 km. Other instances would be when they start to make a noise such as squeaking, squealing, and grinding, or when they pull to one side. To check brake linings, usually you would need to jack the car up and remove the front wheels.

In this video, one of our Supa Quick influencers show you how to quickly measure the thickness of the pad linings without removing the wheels. Lining that is worn down to the steel backing will cause grinding and is a sure indicator to replace your brake pads without the need to measure.

What you need:

  1. Straw
  2. Marking pen
  3. Pair of scissors
  4. Ruler

Method

1. Slide the straw along the brake pads until it touches the brake base.

2. Mark the straw at the edge of the brake pads as close as you can to get as accurate a reading as possible.

3. Cut the straw where you have marked it.

4. Place the cut-off end of the straw next to your ruler and mark 5mm from the end.

5. Move the mark to 0mm on your ruler and take your final measurement.

6. If your brake pads are 4mm and less, consider replacing them.

If you're not sure, take your car to Supa Quick for further inspection. Our brake experts will check and perform the necessary task to get your car back to a safe condition for the road again.

Watch the video for these easy step-by-step instructions:

Disclaimer: This information is for educational or informational purposes only. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability, and accuracy of this information. The views expressed in this article are the views of the author and not necessarily the views of Supa Quick.

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