Every time my car goes to the garage to have a service, the techies advise me that I should have more work done on it - the latest is that my brake discs are very worn.
It may well be the case, as the last set were put on many '000s of miles ago. But how can I tell? What should I look for? At the moment, they look shiny and nice... but that doesn't necessarily mean anything!
2006-07-04 22:32:01 · 14 answers · asked by SuperCharlie 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Are you having to press harder on your breaks?
Or are you having to pump the breaks when you need to stop?
Is your car squeaking when you slow down?
Better still get a second opinion, after all breaks are something you don't want to get wrong as it could be your life you take for the sake of your car.
2006-07-04 22:37:11 · answer #1 · answered by ooooh look @ me, lol 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You can only tell if you measure the thickness.
Kwik fit and Ats offer free brake checks. If you take it to both and you get the same answer, then it's probably worth getting the disks changed.
Brake pads normally last about 15,000 miles with normal use, but can wear down quicker. The disk will normally last 100,000 miles, but agin can be worn down quicker.
Usually the pads wear out first - replace the in pairs first a common sign of this is the steering wheel veering to left or right (depending on which one is worn out) when braking, and a grinding feeling on the brake pedal (may also be accompanied by grinding sound.
Once you're on worn out pads, you risk damaging your discs. Look for grooves or darker zones on the disc.
Take the car into another garage for a second opinion if you think the guy's trying to fleece you.
That happened to me! They made a noise when i applied the brakes. Now i'm no authority on mechanic (Anything but) But it looked to me as though they were OK. Asked a mechanic friend of mine (He doesn't make me pay for anymore than i have to, you know ... Honest mechanic) and he shown me what the problem was. It was the pads and they needed to be replaced. He did it for very little, cost me only 20 Euro.
I think you should be careful because you really don't want your brakes to let you down!!! But if you don't trust your mechanic ... Then do what i did! Check out a few garages until you find someone decent and then ... Stick with him! It took me months to find George (My mechanic) He loives 3 hours drive away from me but !!! He is a real good mechanic who doesn't believe in making money using/abusing customers.
The best wat to tell is to get a manual for the car which should tell you what tollerances are allowed. Haynes do manuals for most cars.
A visual check and a feel of the edges of the disks should be enough though. If the very edges of the disks are more than a few mm thicker than the face of the disks then it might be time to change them.
2006-07-04 23:16:22 · answer #2 · answered by matthew g 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The rotors are in the front, check to see if the width is less than an inch, if so replace them soon or else the metal will begin to crack as soon as the brake pads begin to run low. Check the rear, which are called the drums and look for any cracks as well as thickness. If the rotors cannot be "turned" anymore, that means they must both be replaced, never replace one and not the other. Turned means that there is a special machine that cuts each layer of metal on the rotor until there are no visible cracks. Also check the brake pads for wear and tear, if you hear a metal grinding sound when you break that means that the brake pads are gone and the rotors are being scratched by the metal part behind the brake pads. Also check to see if the brake pedal is jerking because that can be a cause of loss of brake fluid.
2006-07-04 22:43:56 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
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Firstly - don't touch your brake discs after a drive, they may be very hot!
If a disc is worn, there is a big step between the edge of the disc and the middle part where the brake pads grip it. Also, the surface could be deeply scored. If it is, this will cause the pads to wear out quickly.
I think you suspect that the techies are exaggerating the extent of your car problems in order to get more work. This can happen.
If it were me, I would go to an MOT/vehicle check centre and ask them an open question "how much life is left in these discs?"
2006-07-04 22:43:28 · answer #4 · answered by XT rider 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Did he say disc or pads?
Usually the pads wear out first - a common sign of this is the steering wheel veering to left or right (depending on which one is worn out) when braking, and a grinding feeling on the brake pedal (may also be accompanied by grinding sound.
Once you're on worn out pads, you risk damaging your discs. Look for grooves or darker zones on the disc.
Take the car into another garage for a second opinion if you think the guy's trying to fleece you.
2006-07-04 22:38:38 · answer #5 · answered by k² 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That happened to me! They made a noise when i applied the brakes. Now i'm no authority on mechanic (Anything but) But it looked to me as though they were OK. Asked a mechanic friend of mine (He doesn't make me pay for anymore than i have to, you know ... Honest mechanic) and he shown me what the problem was. It was the pads and they needed to be replaced. He did it for very little, cost me only 20 Euro.
I think you should be careful because you really don't want your brakes to let you down!!! But if you don't trust your mechanic ... Then do what i did! Check out a few garages until you find someone decent and then ... Stick with him! It took me months to find George (My mechanic) He loives 3 hours drive away from me but !!! He is a real good mechanic who doesn't believe in making money using/abusing customers.
Best wishes
2006-07-04 22:39:05 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can only tell if you measure the thickness.
Kwik fit and Ats offer free brake checks. If you take it to both and you get the same answer, then it's probably worth getting the disks changed.
Brake pads normally last about 15,000 miles with normal use, but can wear down quicker. The disk will normally last 100,000 miles, but agin can be worn down quicker.
2006-07-04 22:37:29 · answer #7 · answered by Boris 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have your vehicle inspected by a qualified professional. You (or anyone) can no more tell a rotor's thickness by looking at it than you(or anyone) can tell a tire's air pressure.
Rotor specifications are in tiny fractions of an inch (example: .620 minimum thickness), and require a micrometer to get an accurate reading. Have your repair facility give you a written estimate, INCLUDING measurements versus OEM specifications.
2006-07-05 20:26:01 · answer #8 · answered by d_cider1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best wat to tell is to get a manual for the car which should tell you what tollerances are allowed. Haynes do manuals for most cars.
A visual check and a feel of the edges of the disks should be enough though. If the very edges of the disks are more than a few mm thicker than the face of the disks then it might be time to change them.
2006-07-04 22:40:49 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you'll hear a squeeling sound when u apply the brakes. cuz wen the pads r worn out the warning metal comes into contact with the rotor and makes the sound.
2006-07-04 22:43:22 · answer #10 · answered by dannav 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋