Brakes

Some have screamer pads that make a sound, but you would or should know way before then when you have the car in for an oil change or tire rotation have them just peek at the brake pads and rotors.

There are other signs like pulsating pedal, pedals that go almost to the floor, longer braking time etc.

Elector

In My Humble Option:

Most accurate way is measure the amount of pad you have left. Many shop manuals will give something like thickness in mm's, while some shops will suggest replacement at 95% left. :-P

As for noise, the noise is generated when a scraper like device acts like a tunning fork when it comes in contact with your rotor. The idea is, any time you have bad noise from your brakes you will go to the shop, and in this case it's just a pad replacement. Don't wait till you get down to this scretching point, the device can mar the rotor forcing you to the have to turn them. If you do your own breaks you will know that you don't have to turn them every time you do a pad replacement, it reduces your rotor life, and cost time and money.

BTW, any 'weirdness' in your brakes is an indicator that you need to have them checked. Example: pulsation, softness, noise, etc....

hth,

tom @

Elector, I have a difference of opinion on your advice to Matt. You can have al- most worn out on the pads and not get any of the "other signs" as the signs are indeed symptoms of other problems. Pulsating pedal is one or both rotors OR drums in the rear having too much runout. The pedal going low is sometimes caused by your rear drums not self adjusting and needing lots of fluid to move them far enough out to hit the drums. In the snow belt, rusty adjusters can cause this or lack of adjusting (see PS below).

The "squealers" are not required; so there is no substitute for visual examination of the brakes. Most states require 2/32" for bonded for it to pass state inspect- ion. Most pads are bonded as opposed to rivets. This 2/32 (aka 1/16") is "about" the thickness of a penny. You can't stick the penny in there; so you have to visually compare. Pads with rivets should be replaced at about 5/32" or

so as the rivets will hit sooner than the metal backing of the pad.

chuck

ps: To adjust back brakes for cars w/ self adjusting drum brakes. Drive the car

Yes Chuck, that may also be the symptoms as you mention above for other than bad brakes. But grasshopper all the symptoms you named are brake problems none the less.

Your correct about the screamer pads (shims) not being required all over, I always have the mechanic look at my brakes when ever they make a noise out of the ordinary. (Dirty pads or rotors, stones caught in the calipers, etc.) The back drum brakes are not used as hard as the front brakes so you will find many times the backs last almost forever while the front brakes need to be replaced every two years on some cars and depending on driving habits.

Elector