How Long Do Brake Pads Last on a Truck?

How Long Do Brakes Usually Last?

Are you wondering if you need to replace your brakes after a certain amount of time? Curious if they should be replaced based on mileage?

Although high quality brakes like those offered by 1A Auto are built to last between 30,000 and 50,000 miles, how long they’ll actually last depends on a number of factors.

According to 1A Auto’s president, Mike Green, how long brakes last is not dependent on mileage.

“No one can say, ‘Oh, your car has 60,000 miles on it. You need new brakes.’”

How driving condition, style and frequency impact brake life

The amount of time brakes last is more likely to be impacted by a driver’s driving condition, style and frequency.

Green explains that a car driven primarily on the highway may not need a brake replacement for about 100,000 miles, whereas a car that’s typically more “stop-and-go” may need new brakes after 20,000 miles.

“Have you ever seen those people driving down the road and their brakes are always on? Some of them might have problems. Some of them might be riding their brakes. They'll probably need brakes at 5,000 miles,” he said.

Other factors that can affect brake life include road conditions and vehicle weight.

Know the condition and quality of your brakes

One way to determine your brakes’ condition is to check the brake pads’ wear indicators. These tabs will grind into the brake rotors as the surface of the brake pads wear away. When the pads have worn, that grinding will create a “metal on metal” noise, which you’ll normally hear when the brakes are applied.

“As soon as you start hearing that squeaking noise, you know that's when you need to replace your pads,” Green said.

New brake pads are between three-eighths and ½ of an inch thick, but Green said that his worn pads that were about half of that thickness were still probably worth 10 or 15,000 miles.

In addition to the condition and quality of your brake pads, brake life is also affected by the condition of the rotors.

Another sign it’s time to replace your brakes is if you can see or feel deep grooves in your brake rotors, also caused by the brake pad wear tabs grinding into the rotors.

For more information about when to replace brakes and to shop for brake parts, check out our frequently asked brake questions.

Watch 1A Auto President Mike Green Show How to Check Your Brakes & Perform Bake Job:

What is the life expectancy of brake rotors and pads?

March 31, 2020

How long should rotors and pads last? We get this question a lot, and unfortunately there is no straight answer. There are many factors that impact the wear and deterioration of your rotors and pads, and the mileage is just one of them. It is not uncommon for a quality rotor to last 100,000km and for a breaking pad over 50,000km. However, the very same parts can fail much sooner under the following conditions:

Driving Style. Repeated aggressive braking can overheat the pads and lead to premature failure of rotors by warping or uneven wear.
Car Weight. It takes more effort to stop a heavy loaded vehicle, with rotors and pads working harder and wearing faster. Brakes are replaced and serviced more frequently in heavy trucking and towing applications.
Caliper Health. Seized or binding calipers create uneven pressure on the rotors, causing localized high wear, overheating, and warping.
Parking Location. Parking inside a garage protects the car from elements, preventing the rotors and pads from moisture and consequent corrosion while sitting.
Extended Car Storage. If the car sits, the rotors will rust. The friction between the pad and the rotor is the only thing that cleans and removes the rust from brake surface. Thus, the best way to keep your rotor surfaces clean is to use your car daily.
Type of Brake Pads and Rotors. Harder (long lasting) ceramic pads cause more wear to the rotor in comparison to softer semi-metallic pads. When it comes to rotors, Drilled & Slotted designs provide higher breaking power, however, they are more aggressive than the blank rotors, and would wear out your pads quicker.
Wheel and Rim Type. Open rim designs provide less protection to rotor and pads allowing more water, salt, and grit to get to your rotors, thus enhancing the wear and corrosion.
Age of Rotors and Pads. The older your rotors and pads, the greater their exposure to the elements and the greater their corrosive deterioration. Exposed raw metallic surfaces are prone to corrosion, and all rotors would eventually rust. This rotor and pad deterioration is not a linear progression, and it will accelerate with age.
Lack of Maintenance. Your braking components require annual check and service. Proper lubrication and cleaning must be done once a year. Meanwhile, many shops don't do it properly to save on installation time. As a result you get seized pins, uneven wear of pads, and gauged rotors.
Manufacturing Defects. Like any other product, rotors and pads can be defective and fail due to poor workmanship. Brake components are extremely important for your safety, and we advise to choose a reputable brand from AllRotors.com with our extended warranty coverage.