5 Factors That Accelerate Brake Wear
Stop-and-Go Traffic
Impact: 25,000-35,000 mile pad life (vs 60,000+ highway)
85% faster wear
Hilly Terrain
Impact: Constant braking downhill overheats components
65% faster wear
Winter Road Salt
Impact: Corrodes calipers and causes uneven pad wear
50% faster wear
Heavy Loads/Towing
Impact: Requires 2-3x more stopping force
70% faster wear
Aggressive Driving
Impact: Hard stops generate extreme heat
90% faster wear
When to Replace: The 3mm Rule
6mm+
Like New
50-70% life remaining
Next check in 6 months
3-5mm
Monitor Closely
30-50% life remaining
Plan replacement soon
Under 3mm
Immediate Action
Metal-on-metal risk
Replace within 1,000 miles
Pro Tip: We measure inner/outer pads separately - most shops only check the outer pad
The True Cost of Waiting Too Long
Replace at 3mm
$150-$300
Pad replacement only
Replace at 1mm
$300-$600
Pads + rotor resurfacing
Metal-on-Metal
$600-$1,200+
Full rotor & caliper damage
Don't Guess - Measure Precisely
Our mobile brake service includes digital pad thickness measurements with before/after photos
Receive digital wear report with your service