There is a big difference between the lifespan of commercial vehicle brake discs and passenger driven vehicle brake discs. Commercial vehicles spend a lot more time on the road and often carry heavier loads. Braking in this case, will be more intense and, often, brake repairs are frequent.
The specifications of the brake discs that need to be used on commercial vehicles have to be met to the point. These specifications include:
- Reduced wear and judder – materials used in the rotors have to be stronger and resistant to wear, heat and friction. You might wonder why these parts are not installed on passenger or light weight vehicles. The reason is that they are bigger and much heavier than standard models of brake discs. Reduced wear and judder is also successful because of its unpredictably low tolerance level.
- Withstands heat – the specialized materials used to manufacture these parts are technologically advanced. They can disperse heat caused by friction easier and more uniformly. Uniform dispersion also prevails the surface and shape from deforming and cracking under the high pressures.
- Works well under force – some commercial vehicles carry extremely heavy loads. Braking has to be enhanced because the momentum is much higher which it makes it more difficult to stop. The brake discs need to be strong enough to slow the vehicle down without cracking or breaking under the intense weight.
- Uniform wear – uneven wear is often caused by another component that is also uneven. It can also be caused by overloading the car. There are standard weights that the car can handle and anything over this limit could impact engine overload and uneven brake disc wear. The discs can always be skimmed but skimming could decrease the quality of the material and function.
Spotting problematic disks is easy and quick to notice. Here is a list of the different problems and what they look like:
- Blue discs – under high temperatures, the disc will become blue. Extremely high temperatures are caused by heavy stopping and constant usage of the brakes. The calliper should also be checked in case the problem lies there.
- Heat Checking – under stress pressure, heat and cold create a pattern that rests stretch marks. These appear when rapid cooling occurs.
- Cracks and Spots – these look patchy and uneven. They are caused by excessive heating. This can be avoided if you apply your brakes correctly without sudden stopping.
Brake discs need to be checked regularly in order to maintain safe braking. Commercial vehicles need to be maintained because of the pressure they experience. Plus the time spent on the road could decrease the quality of many components and engine parts.