Main causes of brake fade
Experiencing fading brakes? Brake fade is a reduction (or total absence) of the stopping power of your brake system that occurs as a result of overheated brake pads. Simply put, it's when you push on pedal and the vehicle doesn't slow like you planned. No amount of additional foot pressure can make you stop quicker. While it is most commonly associated with race cars and heavy trucks that put high demands on the braking system, as you'll read below it can occur on any vehicle that uses friction based deceleration.
We created a PDF report on how to solve brake fade. Get it now.
It's a particularly significant issue compared to other system failures because once the driver has hit the brakes - they've already committed to the event and there isn't much time to correct when it goes awry. Brake fade manifests itself with a very firm yet ineffective brake pedal. So if you're reading this and your braking issue is not accompanied by a firm or hard brake pedal - you don't have brake fade. You will need to look deeper for your issue.
So how do you know if you have brake fade?
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- Your brake pedal is firm (soft pedal is a different condition)
- Your brakes are not effective.
- Pumping the brake pedal does not help
- Once the system has cooled, performance usually returns (although permanently at a reduced effective level as you'll read later!).
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How do you solve this?
Higher temperature range brake pads along with better cooling will help tremendously. In fact we've started to label our brake pads and fluids with the best temperature range. Look for this graphic on the pad to determine which one you need. A pad tagged with this temperature strip will work very well on the street and will perform acceptable in higher temperature conditions and fast stops. However it would not be recommended for track usage.
When we learned that 47.6% of our customers have shown an interest in learning more about Brake Fade, we did the research, talked to experts and wrote a great piece on Brake Fade. Do you want that free downloadable report on how to solve brake fade? This short PDF document is LOADED with tons of great info. Inside you'll learn everything I discovered about the real causes of Brake Fade and how it effects nearly everyone at some point. This short PDF document is LOADED with tons of great info but I want to make sure you don’t miss these 3 big "Brake Hacks"…
Brake Hack #1 - “Feel it” Section 1
I’ve been able to trace problems back to single components just by using this ONE simple hack. If ou experience brake fade, know what fade is and isn't...
Brake Hack #2 - “Know the temps” Page 3
This HACK is my favorite and my “go to” for knowing when to bleed, when to replace pads and when to replace rotors...
Brake Hack #3 - “Gazed or not Glazed?” Section 4
This HACK is huge. Do you tinker with perfectly working systems? Do you wait too long, trying to maximize value out of your brakes? Do you rely on your friends instead of professionals? Glazed donuts may be good, but glazed rotors are not...
Plus you’ll also learn…
- How to know when fluid is too hot
- What to do immediately when you over heat your brakes
- Why "just one more" day or session can cause a wreck
… and much, MUCH more!
PRO-TIP: You'll need to know your temps. Shop our temperature monitoring tools here:
RESTORE CONFIDENCE WHEN YOU HIT THE BRAKES
I've put together a comprehensive FREE PDF on how to eliminate brake fade forever on any car in any application. This expert level information is now available to you for FREE.
Here is what you will gain in the PDF.
- Why you get a hard pedal and how to prevent it. The number one issue people are experiencing is a hard pedal but the car is not stopping. I show you what causes this phenomenon and how to eliminate it.
- How just one wrong part causes havoc in your system. Huge issue and difficult to resolve unless you know where to look. I discuss each possible cause and how to get it fixed once and for all.
- "I pushed harder and harder, but it didn't stop." Familiar? This causes an instant rise in your anxiety so I address this issue head on and help you restore your confidence in getting slowed down in the shortest distance.
WHAT’S THE CATCH?
There isn’t one. I have talked to too many folks who have the wrong information. Get this FREE PDF and be faster and safer, with confidence of a Pro.
Get it here Brake-Fade-Solved-PDF.