Are Brake Pads Supposed To Touch Rotors?Find Out

Whatever happens and under any circumstances, we must give our vehicle brakes all the attention that we should, by making sure that they are properly positioned and also held securely, as well ensuring that they are indeed connected to all other necessary components correctly.

Indeed, brake pads are supposed to be in contact with the rotors. This is particularly so with the rear rotors in whose case you would actually want to drag everything together. 

In such situations, any slight pressure on the brake pedal stops the car instantly without any dead spots.

Pro Tips -Why are my brake pads rubbing the rotors?

When the discs rub the rotors, the noise made is very irritating, slows you down and also lead to premature wear in both the brake pads and the rotor too. The commonest reason why discs rub is a bad caliper alignment, a malfunction that is easy to sort out.

The brake pads must rub the rotors so that enough friction can be generated to make the brake effective, which invariably causes quick and premature wear to brake parts, as well as the generation of an irritating noise too.

How close should brake pads be to the rotor?

The brake pads should be placed so that they lie snuggly in the rail but not so tight. If such a snug-fitting interest you, you can use a small quantity of copper grease to lubricate the moving parts for ease of their movement.

So, essentially, brake pads should be positioned only snuggly to the rotors but not placed to fit tightly with them.

In the actual sense, there should be no space between the pads and the rotors. As the brake pad is expected to rise up against the rotor at all times, the caliper is bound to increase the pressure when the piston extends.

How tight should disc brake pads fit?

Brake disc pads are supposed to fit as closely as possible in such a way that they will enable all the component parts to move freely and unhindered, but they must not fit tightly, even though there should be no space between them.

Should new brake pads be tight against rotors?

No, not very tight in such a manner that any free movement may be hindered. Of course, the rotors should be contacting the brake pads, particularly with the rear brakes, but you must ensure that they are not held together tightly, but are rather snuggly fitted.

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Do disc brakes rub when new?

Yes, in most cases they do, which creates a kind of irritating noise. However, with continued use, the abrasive coating is likely to wear off and the noise may abate. The process of brake pads rubbing and wearing themselves away when new is generally referred to as the ‘bedding process’.

How do you tell if your brake pads are rubbing?

It is very easy to actually know when your brake pads are rubbing if you know the signs or symptoms to look out for. These symptoms are:

(1). You will hear screeching, grinding, squealing, rubbing, and other eardrum-piercing noises, which are definite signs that your brake pads and shoes need inspection and attention.

(2). You may also receive vibrations and pulsations in the brake pedal or even the steering wheel too.

(3). There is also the likelihood of pressing the brake pedal farther down near to the floor of the car before it will engage and be sparingly effective.

How do I stop my brakes from rubbing?

To stop your brakes from rubbing,  you must first make sure that the caliper is not completely pushed in or you may have to clean it too. Any bad caliper alignment can cause your brakes to rub, but luckily, it is an issue that is easy to resolve. (Read Also: How long does unopened brake fluid last?Find Out Now)

Additionally, you can use Permatex Disc Brake Quiet, which is a chemical agent that eliminates squealing by dampening vibrations at the caliper/ brake interface. In addition to providing a tighter fit and allowing easier disassembly, this chemical also protects against corrosion of the brakes.

How do you keep rotors from warping?

If you plan to keep your rotors from warping, there are simple steps to take. These are:

(1). You should ensure that you install a high-quality brake rotor. Should your rotors be warped already, you should endeavour to get them replaced with new ones.

(2). Also, install new brake pads too.

(3). Make sure that you break in both the rotors and the brake pads.

(4). Make sure that you prevent your brake rotor from warping in the future.

(5). Find out all you can on the various types of brake rotors to choose from.

(6). Also, find out how and where to get these good rotors on DBC.

Frequently asked questions(FAQ)

Should brake pads be tight in the caliper?

No, they should not. It is only recommended that you make sure the caliper and the brake pads fit snuggly to each other,  but not so tight as to warrant the various components from wearing out prematurely or giving out very irritating noises. Ideally, there should not be any space or gap between them, and they can fit in together closely without actually being tight. (Read Also: Can brake rotors warp from sitting?)

Should new brakes rub?

Ideally, they shouldn’t, but somehow, since the pads are mostly coated with abrasive substances, which are actually protective to the brakes, rubbing together when they are new is a common complaint. Though with continued use, they are bound to smoothen out and stop producing any irritating noises. (Read Also: Is it okay to replace only one brake rotor?Find Out)

In addition, when your brakes rub, they tend to cause premature wear of the parts and also slow you down.  However, the pads are supposed to be contacting the rotors in the rear brake, and in some cases, you may actually even hear the pads touching the rotors. Otherwise, your brakes are not supposed to rub.

How long does it take for new brakes to break in?

To break in new brakes entails taking certain steps and repeating them a few more times. These include driving the vehicle for some minutes before parking it to cool off. (Read Also: Does Brake Cleaner Damage Plastic?)

ess should take not more than 45 minutes to an hour from start to finish. However, you should note that this time frame does not include the period you will take to drive to the highway or wherever you plan to break in the brakes, but just the time for the actual process.

What are the signs of a bad rotor?

It is as well that you should be able to detect if and when your vehicle rotor begins to have problems through certain basic symptoms. These are:

(1). Vibration. Whenever your rotor is warped or really worn out, the contact it should have with the brake pad is imperfect, which may manifest as a series of vibrations or tremors  in the brake pedal or even the steering wheel itself 

(2). Noise. You may hear the brakes becoming noisy by making squeaking or squealing sounds whenever you are braking. This is a sure sign of a bad rotor. (Read Also:Can You Come To A Stop In Any Gear?)

(3). You may observe the signs of visible damage in the brake system too.

(4). Your stopping distance may be either extended or disrupted,  one way or another.

What happens if you put new brake pads on bad rotors?

If you install new brake pads on old or worn-out rotors, there is a good chance that the brake pad will not properly connect to the surface of the rotor, which can disrupt the stopping power of the vehicle.

Any deep grooves that have developed in with the rotor may act as a hole puncher or even a shredder and thereby damage the brake pad material if it presses against it.

What does a warped rotor feel like?

When your rotor is warped, you are likely to feel a sort of vibration or tremor when you apply the brakes. Most importantly, warped rotors won’t work as smoothly as the new ones, which can be easily felt through vibrations in the brake pedal too.(Read Also: Can brake pads be too thick?Find Out)

These vibrations can also be felt in the steering wheel sometimes, although this is not as common as is feeling the vibration in the brake pedal when you try to apply the brakes.

Why do my brakes squeak if I just changed them?

The major cause for brakes still squeaking even after changing them is excessive dirt or dust which has gotten trapped between the caliper and the rotor.

If care is not taken, this extra dust will be trapped between the new pads and the rotor, and when it gets heated, it is capable of creating very annoying noises. (Read Also: Can brake drums be welded?Find Out)

Is bed brakes too late?

If you wish to brake hard from 60 to 15, you still do not want to brake too hard to the extent where the wheels can lock or the ABS system will engage. In this case,  you may start to feel some break fading towards the end, which is the seventh, eighth or ninth cycle

How much should a brake job cost

To get a complete brake job that includes rotors, brake pads, and possibly caliper replacement will cost between three hundred to eight hundred dollars.

However, depending on the make and model of your car, you may spend well above that.

There is also the cost of labor and other components that you may have to buy. In any case, this range will only give you a general idea of what to expect in terms of any complete brake job.(Read Also:Does Brake Cleaner Kill Wasps?)

can tire go bad quickly?

Rotors are brake components and we are all too aware of the stress and excessive temperatures that brakes undergo regularly. Though most parts of the vehicle braking system are designed to last with the use of high-end ingredients, they nevertheless still get damaged.

With regards to the rotors, the commonest cause of their problems is panic or emergency braking at high speeds, which may likely lead to premature rotor wear. In addition, the friction from the brake pad grabbing the rotors can also cause severe heat which may lead to sudden wearing of the rotors.

How much does it cost to replace all your four rotors?

To put it more clearly, let us consider all that this job will entail. For instance, brake rotor replacement costs between two hundred and four hundred dollars for only the needed parts, and a further one hundred and fifty dollars in labor.

This simply means that you are expected to spend close to about three hundred and fifty to five hundred dollars for any total brake rotor replacement job, which is quite a tidy sum. (Read Also:Should Brake Rotors Be Replaced In Pairs?)

Should I replace only one brake rotor?

Yes, you can, but on certain conditions. This condition is that, if you must replace one rotor without the other, it is just fine, but the brake pads must as a necessity be replaced on both sides and at the same time too.

Should you replace only brake pads on the side with the new rotor, you definitely run the risk of having the same problem on the opposite side soon enough.

So, replace only one rotor, if you wish, but replace both brake pads. That’s fair game, or what is generally referred to as ‘quid pro-quo’-what’s good for the goose, the gander cherishes too.

Are brake pads supposed to touch rotors – Conclusion

For one, it is not a problem if rotors touch. In fact, for any effective braking to take place, the rotors must contact, and that is why they should be made to fit in snuggly but not tightly. Brake discs are liable to make a sort of noise when new, which is mostly attributed to their abrasive coverings.

However, eventually, this noise will cease when they smoothen out. There are multiple ways through which you can tell when you have brake issues and not just that, you have been told what basic things you can do about them all by yourself, with or without any assistance. After all, isn’t this what they call DIY?