My braking system dilemma...

[RodneyA]

on the 25th of April last year, i had my brake pads changed.

now a couple of days ago, i noticed the remaining level on my pads is extremely low and would require changing anytime now.
also, i have this shuddering when braking from high speeds.

popped past my local VW a few days ago, and they confirmed my 'maintenance plan' won't cover anything on my braking system (discs, brake pads and brake linings inclusive of labour) until i reach the 25th of this month (being 1 year/20000km, whichever comes first).

now my right hand side pads are starting to make a noise, sounds like metal to metal although there's still about 2-3mm left on the pads. why is that?

what should i do?... i have come up with the following would-be solutions:
1. should i go and buy performance brake pads in the interim, have them fitted and wait until the 25th to get discs and linings done?... this in mind is to avoid any damage.
2. should i drive like an old lady till the 25th, then get it all done under my 'maintenance plan'?

which of the above would you do taking into consideration the seriousness of the matter?


thanx,
FR

 

[lesinge2k]

when you say there is 2 to 3 mm of pad left, have you took the pad off and confirmed, or is this is what is visible through the wheel. If the latter, then there could be 2 to 3 mm left on the visible part, but the other part could be down to the backing plate. Do the discs have any blue areas? If they got blue, then the backing plate has created hot spots and you need new discs.

 

[2zeroalpha]

As above plus, is this something you want to take a chance on? If someone stacked their car into the back of me due to low brake pads I'd be pretty mad....
Check the pads properly and as you suggested, maybe go the performance pad route and get the rest later. I would be asking some searching questions of a plan that covers you for a year but fits pads that don't quite last...

 

[Poverty]

Ive done this, it looks like their is pad left, but its too late, the metal to metal sound is that the pads are gone and the discs will be scored.

I always thought the cupra had brake wear indicators like the cupra and r32, but no more shitty seat scrimping.

 

[Slimy]

Isn't 2-3mm of pad material enough to expose the rivets? So you might not be down to backing plate, but you could be braking on the rivets instead, which is just as bad. As lesinge2k said, might be worth taking at the pads off and having a look.

I don't know what brakes you have on your car, but I also believe there is one car that seems to use up inner pads quicker than outers. Is it the Brembo calipers I think? So I recommend you check both sides.

Not to be the one always asking silly questions, but how did you get through a set of pads in a year? If your driving style can chew through pads in twelve months, I reckon you'd gain anyway from some better pads on the front.

Poverty is unfortunately right though, there is a very good chance your discs have already been damaged. Run your finger across them, see if you can feel any ridges.

 

[OLDOILER]

on the 25th of April last year, i had my brake pads changed.

now a couple of days ago, i noticed the remaining level on my pads is extremely low and would require changing anytime now.
also, i have this shuddering when braking from high speeds.

which of the above would you do taking into consideration the seriousness of the matter?
thanx, FR

7mm including the backing plate IS min thickness front and rear [ you may have a stone embedded in the pad??] are the disc's scored?? And indicator only appear to be fitted to ONE pad and that is on the front?!?!@

 

[lesinge2k]

I don't know what brakes you have on your car, but I also believe there is one car that seems to use up inner pads quicker than outers. Is it the Brembo calipers I think? So I recommend you check both sides.

I think the side nearest the pot will wear quicker as this side receives more force when you apply the brakes. For multi pot calipers, the side that the brake hose is attached to tends to wear quicker as the pots closer to the hose receive the force earlier.

Not to be the one always asking silly questions, but how did you get through a set of pads in a year? If your driving style can chew through pads in twelve months, I reckon you'd gain anyway from some better pads on the front.

I used to get thru a set per year on my almera. It wasn't a performance car though so had bogo brakes and I did absolutely batter it The cupra brakes are lasting a lot longer mind. Think it is a combination of the size of them (they are much more efficient) and the fact that the car has so much power, I don't need to batter it so much.

Poverty is unfortunately right though, there is a very good chance your discs have already been damaged. Run your finger across them, see if you can feel any ridges.

When I wore down to the blacking plate I created blue spots on the disc. These are areas where the friction of the backing plate has heat treated areas of the disc, thus making these appear blue. They are also harder wearing and will ruin future braking with these discs. If they are blue, you need new discs.

You might get away with minor scoring, depends how deep it is. But it may be worth changing them anyway, depending on the price.

 

[Slimy]

I used to get thru a set per year on my almera. It wasn't a performance car though so had bogo brakes and I did absolutely batter it

That was kind of my point, if the driving style warrants new pads after a year, then I'd say the benefit of going to good pads is not just additional life, it's additional fun!

 

[Slimy]

I think the side nearest the pot will wear quicker as this side receives more force when you apply the brakes. For multi pot calipers, the side that the brake hose is attached to tends to wear quicker as the pots closer to the hose receive the force earlier.

I can't honestly remember which way round it was, so you're probably right with that. I still don't understand the reasoning behind it though, multi pot calipers shouldn't wear differently. I have them on my bike (as do most bike owners out there), and they don't wear unevenly.

What you're saying about the hose is correct, but the size of the pistons should be balanced to take care of that. Again, on the bike, it has two small pistons and two larger pistons, to ensure that all four pots apply the same pressure.

I've seen enough posts on here to realise there's something peculiar with the Brembo setup, so I'll just take it as an exception to the rule.

 

[lesinge2k]

I can't honestly remember which way round it was, so you're probably right with that. I still don't understand the reasoning behind it though, multi pot calipers shouldn't wear differently. I have them on my bike (as do most bike owners out there), and they don't wear unevenly.

What you're saying about the hose is correct, but the size of the pistons should be balanced to take care of that. Again, on the bike, it has two small pistons and two larger pistons, to ensure that all four pots apply the same pressure.

I've seen enough posts on here to realise there's something peculiar with the Brembo setup, so I'll just take it as an exception to the rule.

just realised we may be talking about slightly different things... I was referring to the outer pad wearing before the inner (or vice versa), rather than a single pad wearing at an angle.

The 4 pots on my FRP calipers are different sizes: the outer pad has a small and a large, and the inner also has a small and a large. The different sized pots makes sense with what you have said above. The smaller pot will apply less force, so will move slower, so if there is some sort of lag effect as the pressure pulse travels to the larger pot, they should push the pad at about the same time.

The inner pad (the side which has the hose) wears out quicker than the outer.

 

[RodneyA]

well i took the advice from you guys, made a trip to buy performance pads earlier HOWEVER on the way back..all the grinding noise of the sort was completely gone..huh??

 

[Slimy]

well i took the advice from you guys, made a trip to buy performance pads earlier HOWEVER on the way back..all the grinding noise of the sort was completely gone..huh??

in which case, oldoilers suggestion of a stone stuck in the pad is probably the right one!

It would still be worth taking the pads out and having a look at them, just to be on the safe side.

 

[2zeroalpha]

Agreed, I would definately check it out.

 

[Slimy]

just realised we may be talking about slightly different things... I was referring to the outer pad wearing before the inner (or vice versa), rather than a single pad wearing at an angle.

The 4 pots on my FRP calipers are different sizes: the outer pad has a small and a large, and the inner also has a small and a large. The different sized pots makes sense with what you have said above. The smaller pot will apply less force, so will move slower, so if there is some sort of lag effect as the pressure pulse travels to the larger pot, they should push the pad at about the same time.

The inner pad (the side which has the hose) wears out quicker than the outer.

We are talking about the same thing, IE one pad wearing out quicker than the other. My description is rather flawed as I don't have the FRP calipers, I only have my bike as guidance. On my bike, I have a hose coming in on one side, that loops via a metal pipe to the other side. I suspect your calipers are pretty much the same? Ignore my 'smaller piston' comment, that confused me as much as it did with you!

What you were saying is that the side with the hose on wears quicker than the other, which I know is what happens with the FRP calipers, but they shouldn't, and on my bike they don't.

I'm almost violently agreeing with you here, I just think it's a very peculiar design fault with these calipers, and if they had got it more balanced perhaps the brakes would be even better?

I must stop taking posts WAAAY off topic...

 

[lesinge2k]

We are talking about the same thing, IE one pad wearing out quicker than the other. My description is rather flawed as I don't have the FRP calipers, I only have my bike as guidance. On my bike, I have a hose coming in on one side, that loops via a metal pipe to the other side. I suspect your calipers are pretty much the same? Ignore my 'smaller piston' comment, that confused me as much as it did with you!

What you were saying is that the side with the hose on wears quicker than the other, which I know is what happens with the FRP calipers, but they shouldn't, and on my bike they don't.

I'm almost violently agreeing with you here, I just think it's a very peculiar design fault with these calipers, and if they had got it more balanced perhaps the brakes would be even better?

I must stop taking posts WAAAY off topic...

I just got a picture then of two blokes in a pub fighting over something they agree on...

 

[2zeroalpha]

Lots of posturing and slappy hands....