Disc brake pads now become more frequently used in trucks. These components have stable friction coefficient both in the beginning and in the end of braking; they are characterized by high response rate, therefore, they are perfect for stopping heavy vehicles. They have flat working surface that comes in direct contact with the disc when the pedal is pressed.

Types of disk brake pads for trucks

Depending on the axle:

• Front. On the average, they last 80,000 to 100,000 operational km.
• Rear. These last 70,000 to 110,000 km.

According to the material of manufacture:

• Semi-metallic. They contain 30 to 65% of metal. They are characterized by strength and durability. They are also quite noisy but efficient even during emergency braking.
• Low-metallic. On the average, they contain about 10-30% of metal. They are inexpensive, but more prone to abrasion and dust formation.

By presence of wear sensor:

• With a sensor. They indicate critical wear of the friction layer.
• Without a sensor. These require constant visual monitoring.

Malfunctions and their reasons

Same as in the case with brake pads for passenger cars, premature or uneven wear of the components in trucks is usually associated with malfunctions of the calipers, in particular, jamming of guides or pistons. The latter is caused by loss of integrity of protective dust boots, when the components are exposed to moisture and dirt.

If a piston is stuck in the extended position, the components will rub the surface of the disk during driving. This may lead to premature wear as well as overheating and burning.

Damages on the discs surface - chips, cracks and irregularities - are also dangerous for pads. They often occur due to overheating of the latter, for example, after too intensive use of the brake mechanism, or errors when driving downhill.

How to detect failures

Most of front and rear brake pads in modern trucks are equipped with wear sensors. They help to monitor the condition of these components by sending signals to the driver about the need to replace them, which is either a specific sound, or a corresponding signal on the dashboard.

However, despite presence of the sensor, it is recommended to measure thickness of the friction layer during each maintenance. The obtained values should coincide with those specified by the manufacturer in the technical documentation for the specific truck model.

The need for unscheduled diagnostics of the components may be indicated by:

• smell of burning in the cabin when braking;
• deviation from rectilinear direction;
• increased braking distance
• side-slipping when the brake pedal is released.

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