Most brake jobs are pads and rotors. The pads are the friction material; the rotors are the discs they clamp. Pads usually start around 10–12 mm thick and we recommend replacing them at about 3 mm. Rotors are measured against the minimum thickness stamped on them and checked for rust, scoring and uneven wear.
Road salt is the other half of the story in Toronto. Caliper slide pins seize, pads stick in their brackets, and rear brakes often wear out from rust before they wear out from use. Steel brake lines rust along the underbody too, and a rusted line can leak or burst under hard braking.
We take the wheels off, measure everything and give you a quote that separates what needs doing now from what can wait. On cars with an electronic parking brake, we put it into service mode before any rear work.
Why it matters
Stopping distance
Worn pads, glazed rotors and old fluid all add distance before the car stops. You won't notice a few metres until the day you need them.
Grinding costs more
Once pads wear to the metal backing, they cut into the rotor. A pads-only job becomes pads, rotors and sometimes a caliper.
Salt damage hides
You can't see a seized caliper or a rusting brake line from the driver's seat. They show up when the wheels come off.
Signs it's time
- Squealing when you brake
- Grinding or scraping noise
- Pulsing pedal or shaking steering wheel when braking
- Car pulls to one side under braking
- Soft, low or spongy pedal
- Brake warning light, or a burning smell after driving
What's included
- Wheels off, pads and rotors measured
- Calipers, slide pins and hardware inspected
- Brake lines and hoses checked for rust and leaks
- Brake fluid condition test
- Slides cleaned and lubricated, new hardware where needed
- Pads and rotors replaced to spec
- Electronic parking brake service mode where fitted
- Road test after the work
How often
Check at every tire changeover
Pad life varies a lot with the car and how it's driven. Stop-and-go city driving wears brakes faster than highway kilometres. Brake fluid is usually due every two to three years.
