FAQ

There is not. It is necessary to disassemble the brake to measure friction disc wear.

Friction discs must be changed once they have worn to 1/2 their original thickness.  This can be measured by evaluating the wear surface and non wear surface on the disc. 

There could be several causes - see reference pdf.

Reasons for Premature Friction Disc Wear

There are several causes that can result in shattered friction disc(s), including: 

• Improper hub placement (see installation and service instruction for the appropriate brake series). 
• Brakes have an older "square hub" design. In this case, the hub & discs can be replaced by newer "splined" parts, where the loads are better distributed. 
• Other potential causes could be shock loading, rapid instant reversing, excessive disc wear without changing discs or high-speed rotational burst (rotating friction discs in excess of 5000 rpm). 

Call Stearns product support to discuss the application.