Subaru Brake Pads Maintenance Explained
Nothing beats the convenience offered by cars – we’re obsessed with them, and for a good reason. The rush we get from the acceleration and the speed, from the turns and the feeling of swiftness is second to none, especially if you consider yourself a gearhead. And as with any other “machine”, it has thousands of small details and technicalities. An example of such a mechanism is the transmission, which now also has a functional automatic version. There are many brands on the market, but Subaru is an example of a top-quality brand, which you can see by its popularity here in Australia.
While the reliability and functionality of Subarus are well-known, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to improve them further. Subaru cars are all great right from the factory floor, but why not get more than that? Regularly maintaining it is also quite important, as maintenance is paramount to vehicles. A crucial part of maintaining your Subaru is checking its brake pads. After all, the brake pads ensure that you’re safe and sound on the road. With that in mind, I wrote this article intending to explain them in detail.
The System
The first thing I’ll explain is how the braking system works. As with any other instrument of the car, it’s a construction of many complicated individual parts. So I’ll go into what these parts are and what you should be mindful of.
The Parts
The three main parts of the system are rotors, callipers, and brake pads. When you add all of these parts up, they make up a brake disc.You might have also read online about brake drums, which are cheaper, but brake discs offer better performance and last longer.
To explain them, I’ll use a bottom-to-top approach from the instrument that directly connects to the wheel upwards. First are the rotors, which are considered the heart of the system. They sit behind the wheel assembly, and the brake pedal activates clamps on both sides of them. Next comes the most vital part – the brake pads, which directly press the rotor. The resulting friction between these two parts slows the vehicle down. The part that presses the pads against the rotors is the calliper.
Features and Value
If you want to change your Subaru brake pads, you need to focus on several factors to ensure you get the right one. First off is the car model, as not all brake pads Subaru can fit any model, make and year. Next, you want to check if they’re for the front of the back wheels. Lastly, you should check the diameter, height, thickness, etc.
Other technical features you can look out for are the safety-guaranteed label and the warranty. With the first one, you can feel comfortable knowing that the manufacturer has tested the parts and is sure of their performance. Meanwhile, the second one specifies how many kilometres they’ll serve you for without degrading in performance.
Maintenance and Benefits
As with any other part of the car, the brake pads can wear down, and you should replace them as soon as you notice signs of wear. Moreover, generally, you need to know how to inspect your vehicle for a regular check-up. But to be specific, there are several warning signs that your Subaru brake pads need to be changed, and you need to know them so that you can prepare for anything.
Warning Signs and Use
As previously mentioned, all brake pads come with a warranty that specifies how much they can endure. The three factors that might change this are where and how you drive, and the weight of your car. If you always make quick stops and put your brakes through a lot of stress, they’re not going to last long. Furthermore, if you’re driving in the city where there’ll be many stops, you’ll wear them out sooner when compared to driving on the motorway. Finally, heavier cars take a longer time to stop, so they use more braking power.
In terms of warning signs, the easiest to spot is the warning light on the dashboard. However, this sign can also mean that the handbrake is up or some other problem. The sure-tell signal for brake pad malfunction is a high-pitched noise when stopping. This noise is a result of the contact between the brakes and the rotor. Yet, you also need to know what isn’t a brake pad problem. For instance, if your wheel is shaking or vibrating, it’s probably due to the rotor being uneven, which can be a huge problem. On the other hand, if your car pulls on one side while braking, it’s definitely the callipers.
Advantages of Well-Maintained Brake Pads
The first and most significant advantage of regular brake pad maintenance is safety. Driving and traffic can be potentially dangerous, and as such, you must always be ready for any possibility and make sure you can react quickly. Still, no matter how fast your reaction time is, your car also needs to respond immediately. Another benefit is that you save money. The sooner you change any individual malfunctioning part, you ensure that the other parts of the brake assembly won’t get damaged. Therefore, you preserve the entire system with one fix. Finally, you’ll have a longer life span combined with better performance. Your goal with a car is to have the best experience possible, and I hope that after this article, you know that an essential part of that is the brake pads.
