This video is sponsored by Carlson Quality Brake Parts.
Sometimes, trying to save a little money can cost you a lot down the road. A perfect example of this is brake hardware.
It’s estimated that only one in five consumers change the brake hardware with every brake job. They might think they’re doing themselves a favor by saving a couple bucks. But here’s the problem: A new study shows that reusing old brake clips and other hardware prematurely wears the new pads and causes unwanted brake noise. Plus, out-of-spec hardware can diminish braking performance.
An independent automotive testing lab found that 100 percent of used brake clips that they tested failed to meet OEM specs at the time of the first brake job, which was at 35,000 to 40,000 miles. The lab also found that brakes squeaked when the test vehicles had new brake pads and used brake clips, but new clips virtually eliminated all the noise in the test sedan and lowered it by 45 percent in the test pickup truck.
Fortunately, the solution to all this is simple, and it’s cheap. The cost of replacing brake pads usually is hundreds of dollars, but the cost of extending the life of those brake pads with new hardware runs anywhere from 10 to 20 bucks. Do the math, and that’s a small price to protect a customer’s investment in new brake pads.
