"The Flintstones" fans may clearly recall how the Stone Age people in that TV animated series pressed their bare feet against the ground to make their vehicles stop. By virtue of cartoon magic, they were able to get out of their cars with their soles unscathed.

In our own era, we still use our feet to stop our vehicles, though not directly. We simply step on the brake pedal. If we were to use the same amount of force to push against the ground as we do on our brakes, we’d probably break our legs first long before the car stops.

It is therefore a boon to have braking systems that convert the push we apply on the brake pedal into a much greater force, allowing us to slow down our vehicles whenever we want. This means, however, that the car part that functions like the Flintstone feet is subjected to immense pressure. That car part is called a brake pad. As with the braking systems of many automobiles, the Honda braking system works by having two Honda brake pads push against the brake disc of each wheel. This rubbing action heats up the friction material bound to the metal plate of the brake pad. When this happens, a small amount of the material sticks to the disc. This increases the friction between the Honda brake pad and disc and ultimately dissipates the vehicle’s speed.

Because of its function, a Honda brake pad needs to be replaced once its friction material becomes too thin. Without this material, the metal plate of the pad tends to screech against the brake disc and eventually damages it. A damaged disc is at the very least costly to replace and at the most a threat to your life. This is because it compromises your control of the car and can lead to a lethal crash. Replace your Honda brake pad when necessary—unless you really want to know how the Flintstone feet feels like.

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