Brake wear.

Sickboy · Post by **Sickboy** » Thu May 18, 2006 2:47 am

Is there an easy way to tell how much of your brake pads you have left without a trip to the garage?

Post by **GrandadMonkey** » Thu May 18, 2006 5:15 pm

Hi Sickboy, don't think much to your girlfriend! Had a good Christmas with her though, perhaps she didn't eat too much!

Joking apart, easy-peasy this one.

Assume you have alloy wheels? If so you should be able to see the brake calipers through the "spokes". The front brake calipers are at the front of the front wheels. the rear brake calipers are at the back of the rear wheels. The rear ones are easier to see (on my car anyway) so start there. Located in the calipers are the pads. You will see the metal backplate, and between that and the brake disc is the friction material. It'll probably be about 1/8" - 1/4" thick. Less than 1/16" and think about replacing them.

Same at the front, but they are harder to see. Focus a torch on them to see better. I believe they start life thicker than the rear ones (they do more work), but the principle is the same.

If by any chance you don't have alloy wheels then you're probably better to jack the car off and take off the wheels to see, but I can't imagine you are running around on steel wheels! Be careful if you jack the car up, support it well on firm ground - don't get crushed!

Of course you only see the outer pads this way. You could slide under the car to get a glimpse of the inner pads but they should wear fairly evenly each side of the disc, unless you've had sticking pistons in the calipers.

Good luck,

Ron

Sickboy · Post by **Sickboy** » Thu May 18, 2006 11:16 pm

Ron,thanks for the info.looks like I got some life left in them.
As to the negative remarks about my girlfriend(soon to be my wife)well there's not much action in Bermuda so you have to take what you can get,anyway she's a cheap date as long as you don't stray to far from a pump.

Post by **GrandadMonkey** » Thu May 18, 2006 11:52 pm

Hello again,

Glad to be of help.

Sorry about the negative comments about your missus to be. Hope she doesn't pass wind in bed and wake up feeling a bit flat in the morning.

Anyway, if your speed limit over there is just 35kph who needs brakes?

All the best mate,

Ron