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Home > Brake Mechanics > Passenger Cars

Passenger Cars

As all motor vehicle owners know, the linings of brake pads and brake shoes on passenger automobiles wear out and require periodic replacement. From 1950 until the 1990's, most passenger car and truck brake linings contained high concentrations of chrysotile asbestos, a carcinogenic fiber which is potentially deadly when inhaled. The past presence of asbestos in brake lining materials has placed mechanics and their assistants at a high risk of developing mesothelioma and other debilitating respiratory conditions.

Asbestos Exposure and the Brake Shoe Replacement Process

Asbestos-containing brake shoes have two primary components, the brake shoe itself, a curved metal structure, and the brake lining, a pad of brown fuzzy material either bonded or riveted to the surface of the shoe. Prior to the 1990's, asbestos-containing brake linings could be purchased at most any automotive store, including Western Auto and NAPA Autoparts. Those who performed replacement brake work during this time period were likely exposed to airborne asbestos dust released into their workspace during the replacement process.

In order to replace a worn brake shoe, a mechanic must remove both the automobile's tire and the brake drum that contains the brake shoe in need of replacement. If the brake drum has rusted, its removal from the wheel shaft requires the use of tools such as a hammer and a puller. After the brake drum is successfully removed, a mechanic usually detaches the worn brake shoe from within the drum and, subsequently, uses an air hose to remove dust and debris from the surfaces of these parts. The use of a hammer and an air hose in the brake replacement process has been known to release loose asbestos dust into the breathing area of not only the mechanic performing replacement brake work, but also his assistants and any other individuals within the vicinity of the mechanic's workspace.

After the break drum is cleaned, if the worn brake lining is riveted to its metal shoe, the mechanic may find it necessary to use tools such as a punch and a hammer to remove the rivets from the old lining. If the replacement brake lining has not been manufactured with pre-made holes for brake rivets, the mechanic must drill holes into the new lining in order to properly affix the new lining to its shoe. Both of these processes are known to release microscopic asbestos dust into the mechanic's work area.

To complete the brake replacement process, the surface of a replacement brake lining must be sanded by using a bench grinder before it will properly fit back into its brake drum. Experts consider sanding and bench grinding of asbestos-containing brake linings to be the most significant source of asbestos exposure during the brake replacement process. Asbestos dust created from sanding and grinding brake parts has been known to linger in the air of a workspace for up to three to four days after the completion of replacement brake work.

Asbestos Exposure and Brake Pad Replacement


During the late 1970's, automobile manufacturers began to replace brake drums mechanisms with disc brakes. Unlike a brake shoe and drum, disc brakes operate through the use of two brake pads, which function by clamping down upon a brake rotor. While the structure of brake pads is different from that of brake shoes, the replacement process is quite similar for both types of braking systems. Resembling the replacement of a brake shoe, when replacing a brake pad, mechanics used an air house to clean dust and debris from the brake rotor. Brake pads also required the surface to be grinded or sanded down to size before they would properly fit over the disc brake's rotor.

The attorneys at Lipsitz & Ponterio, LLC have gathered a vast amount of information concerning asbestos-containing brake materials. Our clients understand the importance of securing legal representation as soon as possible after a diagnosis of mesothelioma or lung cancer. If you or a loved one has a past history of replacing brake shoes or brake pads and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer, we urge you to contact us regarding your legal rights.