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Brake noise is an unfortunate noise which many of us are familiar with. It generally begins once our brakes start to wear down as a signal, warning us that the brakes will most likely need to be replaced in the near future . How this works is that on the brake pads there's a special metal clip which only begins to make contact with your rotors after the brakes have been worn down to a certain level . It's usually right around when you have about one fourth of an inch or so left on your brake pads . Once this clip makes contact, it makes a noise that is pretty easily recognizable letting you know that you'll either need to take your car into your mechanic, or else replace the brake pads yourself.
So why does this noise sound horrible , like metal scraping against metal? That is because it actually is metal scraping against metal. The metal clip on the brake pad begins to make contact with the metal of the rotor and the sound erupts from within the wheel as the sound of grinding metal . This is often very distressing for people, especially if it's this is the first time you've heard that noise before . Many people make the mistake of thinking that their brake pads have already totally worn down and that the noise they hear is the sound of the metal of the brake system scraping against the metal rotor.
While this is a possibility , the most likely reason for the noise is that the brake system's early warning mechanism is at last beginning to make contact with the rotor when you step on the brakes and is telling you that you'll need to change your brakes in the near future . If you are concerned about the noise , one method of discerning what the noise is is by paying attention to it when you're not hitting your brakes. If there is still a noise of grinding metal even when you aren't hitting the brakes , that is because the metal clip wears down slower than the brake pads, and it's still slightly pressing against the rotor even when you're not actively braking . So if that is the case with what is happening with your car , then most probably the noise you are hearing from your wheels is from the early warning clip that is letting you know you need to replace your brake pads.
A lot of people ask the question, how much time do I have from the time the noise first began till the time I need to replace the brake pads ? Unfortunately, it is impossible to tell for sure . It really depends on your driving habits , how heavy the car is , and the brand of the brake pads you're using . For safety purposes , it is recommended that you replace your pads quickly once you begin to hear the noise. Replacing your brake pads is a somewhat simple process, as far as vehicle repairs go, and only a handful of tools are necessary . You can purchase new brake pads inexpensively at just about any local auto part's shop . If you have done repairs on vehicles in the past , and if you like to do repairs on your own car , why not consider saving some money by replacnig your own brake pads. However, if you do not feel comfortable servicing your own vehicle , especially in a place like the brakes, which can cause a hazardous or deadly situation if not replaced correctly , then definitely leave the work to the professionals to do .
