If a customer comes to your shop asking for brake pads that will last longer, what can you tell them or even sell them? If you look at any brake pad box, you will notice that there is never an exact mileage for how long they will last. How long they will last depends on many factors.
One factor is the driver, how they use their vehicle, and where they drive. A loaded vehicle driven in city traffic will wear out brakes quicker than an empty one doing highway driving.
The second factor is the vehicle. Vehicle weight, such as a pickup truck versus a small compact, and the surface area of the brake pad, can also determine the rate of wear. You and every brake pad company have zero control over these variables.
One very important way to get the most from a set of brake pads is the hardware and how the caliper is serviced. If the caliper can’t self-center or the pads are seized in the bracket, one pad will always wear faster than the others. You could have almost 0% material on one pad, while the opposite pad might have 75% of material remaining. Since you can’t replace just one brake pad, the unused friction material the customer paid for is wasted.
If the brakes are serviced with fresh hardware and the caliper guides and slides are inspected and returned to like new condition, you can promise the customer they will get the full life out of the new brake pads.
This video is sponsored by Centric Parts.
