Maintenance Log

Caesar: 2005 Honda CR-V

Tuesday 10:00 AM 05/22/12

Took Caesar into Joe Jake’s place to get the break squeal checked out. He took the wheels off and checked the roters and they were just as he left them. His conclusion was that  the break pads that he installed were of a harder rubber and thus were louder against the roter than the previous softer break pads had been. He also said that once the break pads wear in that the sound will go away. It turns out that even though the softer pads are quieter they wear down faster and so it is cheaper to go with the harder set even if it’s a little inconvenient. He said that the difference is a result of removing asbestos from the rubber.  Asbestos.com has this to say about asbestos in automobiles:

For many decades, asbestos has been used by the automotive industry in brake pads and linings, clutch facings, and gaskets. Millions of these products still remain onvehicles currently in use today, which poses a severe risk of asbestos exposure to current and former auto mechanics across the country.

Breathing in asbestos dust can lead to asbestosis, lung cancer, and pleural mesothelioma, an aggressive and painful cancer that attacks the lining of the lungs. Mechanics do not develop these diseases until 15 to 50 years after their initial exposure to asbestos, so they may not realize the extent of the damage to their health. They may also have the mistaken concept that asbestos has been banned.

Millions of cars and trucks still have asbestos-containing brakes and clutches, which were routinely used in older vehicles. Also, imports of asbestos brakes have increased 83 percent over the past decade. And while it may come as a shock to most people, some brakes and clutches in production today are, in fact, still made with asbestos, just in smaller quantities than older brakes.