[Misha]

Had a service 15months ago, odo at the time was 79,048km.
Stated in service notes that front brakes where 4mm, and that front brakes and rotors need to be replaced next service in 6-8 months


Well that was 15 months ago, and I checked them myself today, odo at 88,650 . So the car has driven for an additional 9,600kms since then.

Am I measuring these brake pads correctly now at 4-6mm ?

Do you think the mechanic 15 months ago was telling me fibs ? or they measure them differently ?

Doesn't seem to add up. How have I done almost 10,000km since then, and the brake pads still have this amount of meat on them?


Side question. What depth can I safety run these pads down to before replacing ? is 2-3mm a reasonable depth to replace at ?

[Surferdude]

Pretty much every mechanic will have a different view on this.

My personal view is that once the pad
 material is below the backing plate thickness, it's time to think about replacement.
This is because heat build up increases with the loss of pad material.

However, having said that, it's more than a decade since I've been personally involved so I expect there has been significant improvements in brake products since then.

Looking forward to hearing what others have to say.

[The Gonz]

Not much to say on what might have been a very rough estimate by the mechanic but the next service says 'Monitor / reinspect', not necessarily replace.

[eye30]

As aside.
At a service was noted on sheet tyre depth was 3.0 mm and advise new tyres.
Note minimum legal limit is 1.6mm.

At next 12 months and only 5,000 miles, depth was recorded at 4.5mm.

So I appear to have regenerating tyres....

[Surferdude]

As aside.
At a service was noted on sheet tyre depth was 3.0 mm and advise new tyres.
Note minimum legal limit is 1.6mm.

At next 12 months and only 5,000 miles, depth was recorded at 4.5mm.

So I appear to have regenerating tyres....

Doing your bit for recycling. 👍

[Shambles]

Doing your bit for recycling. 👍

He did say he was enjoying his retyrement retirement

[eye30]

Doing your bit for recycling.

He did say he was enjoying his retyrement retirement

I am.

Rolling on 12 years in June.

[CraigB]

I can remember service saying at 30,000km's/3 years I'd need to replace front pads in 5000km's, seemed a bit early I thought but will monitor...another 60,000km's and 6 years later service said I still have 6mm left so I've only used 3mm of the OEM 9mm pads in nine years and 90,000km's

I should be able to achieve another 9 years I reckon

[TerryT]

Had a service 15months ago, odo at the time was 79,048km.
Stated in service notes that front brakes where 4mm, and that front brakes and rotors need to be replaced next service in 6-8 months

Well that was 15 months ago, and I checked them myself today, odo at 88,650 . So the car has driven for an additional 9,600kms since then.
Am I measuring these brake pads correctly now at 4-6mm ?

Do you think the mechanic 15 months ago was telling me fibs ? or they measure them differently ?
Doesn't seem to add up. How have I done almost 10,000km since then, and the brake pads still have this amount of meat on them?

Side question. What depth can I safety run these pads down to before replacing ? is 2-3mm a reasonable depth to replace at ?

How did I miss this thread?  Misha, you have measured your pad thickness the same way I measure mine.  Instead of a ruler I'd sometimes use the depth gauge rod of a vernier caliper...whichever tool was handiest at the time (or if I had my white lab coat on ).

I 'measured' your pads off my screen using your ruler and trying to allow for Parallex Error.  I got Photo #1 = 6mm.  Photo #2 = 5+mm.  Photo #3 = 5mm.  Photo #4 = 4.75mm(?).  So, all good. Presumably the four pads are all fronts so not sure why a mechanic about 9,600 km ago would have said they were all 4mm.

Pad wear pattern can be just as important as pad thickness.  When you match up your pads (inner with outer, for both calipers) are the pads the same thickness at the front edge and the back edge (and not say, tapered etc). They look okay on the screen.

Side answer: I've often heard/seen reported that you can go down to 2~3mm before needing to replace the pads but I haven't heard anyone recommend doing that.  I'm a bit closer to the rule-of-thumb that Surferdude mentioned i.e. replace when the pads are at the same thickness as the backing plate which is about 5mm, I believe.  It's a safe 'rule' to follow.

[CraigB]

I've often heard/seen reported that you can go down to 2~3mm before needing to replace the pads but I haven't heard anyone recommend doing that.  I'm a bit closer to the rule-of-thumb that Surferdude mentioned i.e. replace when the pads are at the same thickness as the backing plate which is about 5mm, I believe.  It's a safe 'rule' to follow.

2mm is what service are telling me here when need replacing.

[TerryT]

I've often heard/seen reported that you can go down to 2~3mm before needing to replace the pads but I haven't heard anyone recommend doing that.  I'm a bit closer to the rule-of-thumb that Surferdude mentioned i.e. replace when the pads are at the same thickness as the backing plate which is about 5mm, I believe.  It's a safe 'rule' to follow.

2mm is what service are telling me here when need replacing.

Mate, I understand that, and it is pretty close to what I said i.e. ... you can go down to 2~3mm before needing to replace the pads.

But "...before needing to replace" is the key for me on what is an essential safety item.  The point I was trying to make (maybe clumsily) was that why wait until your pads go down to that industry minimum thickness standard of 2(~3)mm when you can replace the pads earlier at about 5mm which, imo, gives you a better/safer braking package (for those unexpected extreme driving conditions?). 

If Service tells you "2mm", then 2mm it is...but with 'brakes' I go for peace of mind over 'minimums'.  That's the old fuddy-duddy in me.  

[Surferdude]

They're probably legal at 2mm but as I said earlier, the less pad material you have the less heat dissipation you get so brake fade on long downhill runs is more prevalent.

[PGN I30]

I've seen brake pads delaminate when they've been run too low, also most pads I've seen for sale for the GD have squeal shims on so will be noisy when they wear to a certain point.

[eye30]

Here in the UK, when the car has its yearly MOT the tester will check pad thickness and will fail if below industry minimum thickness.

They will include an advisory note on MOT certificate if nearing minimum.

[Misha]

Had a service 15months ago, odo at the time was 79,048km.
Stated in service notes that front brakes where 4mm, and that front brakes and rotors need to be replaced next service in 6-8 months

Well that was 15 months ago, and I checked them myself today, odo at 88,650 . So the car has driven for an additional 9,600kms since then.
Am I measuring these brake pads correctly now at 4-6mm ?

Do you think the mechanic 15 months ago was telling me fibs ? or they measure them differently ?
Doesn't seem to add up. How have I done almost 10,000km since then, and the brake pads still have this amount of meat on them?

Side question. What depth can I safety run these pads down to before replacing ? is 2-3mm a reasonable depth to replace at ?

How did I miss this thread?  Misha, you have measured your pad thickness the same way I measure mine.  Instead of a ruler I'd sometimes use the depth gauge rod of a vernier caliper...whichever tool was handiest at the time (or if I had my white lab coat on ).

I 'measured' your pads off my screen using your ruler and trying to allow for Parallex Error.  I got Photo #1 = 6mm.  Photo #2 = 5+mm.  Photo #3 = 5mm.  Photo #4 = 4.75mm(?).  So, all good. Presumably the four pads are all fronts so not sure why a mechanic about 9,600 km ago would have said they were all 4mm.

Pad wear pattern can be just as important as pad thickness.  When you match up your pads (inner with outer, for both calipers) are the pads the same thickness at the front edge and the back edge (and not say, tapered etc). They look okay on the screen.

Side answer: I've often heard/seen reported that you can go down to 2~3mm before needing to replace the pads but I haven't heard anyone recommend doing that.  I'm a bit closer to the rule-of-thumb that Surferdude mentioned i.e. replace when the pads are at the same thickness as the backing plate which is about 5mm, I believe.  It's a safe 'rule' to follow.

Yeah. it was very amusing measuring single digit mm's with a 1 meter metal ruler. But it was the only thing I had on me at the time. Given every time I want to work on mine, or the wife's(this car) car I have to go around to a mates place as can't really do much in a small ass apartment with no garage or space to work.


Front left outer : Front left inner :

Front right outer : Front right inner : Front right inner with apx right angle marker line : 



Yeah, even after cleaning up the brake pads and rotors, and lubing the pads/retainer clips up. It still squeals ever so slightly when braking. So I'm assuming its the unevenly worn pads and the rotors which need replacing.

Just waiting on the new rotors to get delivered this week sometime hopefully. Then I'll replace the pads and rotors when I get a chance sometime over the next couple of weeks.

  It's not that I'm trying to cheap out on safety..... just don't want to be throwing money away, if I can safely get more life out of them. 

Initially when I checked them I was freaking out, thinking OMG 10,000km ago they where at 4mm, that must mean they're less than 1mm now and completely unsafe for my wife to drive .....Then take them off only to realize wtf , these still have plenty of meat on them compared to what I was told last service.

[TerryT]

@ Misha.  Thanks for the clarifications. My replies are in bold type

Yeah. it was very amusing measuring single digit mm's with a 1 meter metal ruler. 
A 1 meter/metre ruler is a very b-i-g ruler for that job?  

Yeah, even after cleaning up the brake pads and rotors, and lubing the pads/retainer clips up. It still squeals ever so slightly when braking. So I'm assuming its the unevenly worn pads and the rotors which need replacing.
Disclaimer: It's very hard going off photos when considering parts of a millimetre but my reading of your ruler indicated a difference in thickness of 0.75mm between the left inner/outer pads, and a difference of 0.25mm between the right inner/outer pads.  My fading memory recalls that a difference of up to 0.5mm was okay.  So, based on all those imprecise factors, it would seem that your pads (esp the front left) are a little unevenly worn.

You're getting new pads anyway but as a fun exercise you could precisely see if you have any taper by using a vernier caliper, as shown in the picture below.

BTW, the backing plate on your front right inner looks a bit daggy, esp. compared to the others?  See photo below.

As we haven't heard/seen anything about your rotors I couldn't comment on whether they need replacing with the pads or not.  I'd be checking for any vibration/pulsation in the steering wheel and/or brake pedal; if the rotor thickness meets the specification; how much crazing/spider cracks or grooves there is on the rotor surface.

Mate, I was really hesitant to post these comments as they may give the impression that I'm passing myself off as some brake expert...I ain't!

Just waiting on the new rotors to get delivered this week sometime hopefully. Then I'll replace the pads and rotors....
My only suggestion is to carefully follow the instructions on how to bed in the green pads and rotors.  Your brakes will thank you.

... must mean [pads are] less than 1mm now and completely unsafe for my wife to drive.
I'd never tell my wife the pad thickness on her car, she'd gauge my love for her by how thick they are.  

[Misha]

Just waiting on the new rotors to get delivered this week sometime hopefully. Then I'll replace the pads and rotors....

My only suggestion is to carefully follow the instructions on how to bed in the green pads and rotors.  Your brakes will thank you.

Thankyou. I bedded in my brakes after. Then allowed them to cool well and true before driving again.

... must mean [pads are] less than 1mm now and completely unsafe for my wife to drive.

I'd never tell my wife the pad thickness on her car, she'd gauge my love for her by how thick they are.

After driving with my wife today ......... She needs ALL the brakes she can get . So it puts me at ease she'll have safe brakes

Mate, I was really hesitant to post these comments as they may give the impression that I'm passing myself off as some brake expert...I ain't!

It's fine. I appreciate any tips. This is my first brake change 

Old brake pads. Didn't get a chance to use a to measure the taper.




Old rotors




New rotors and pads, cleaned and greased the hardware clips, aswell as the caliper guide pins(silicon grease), one of which was a little stiff. So I assume the partially stiff caliper guide pin didn't help with the uneven pad wear.
Great news, no squeaking or squealing while braking now like it was before. Quiet af <3




Rear drum brake/shoes. Funnily enough is really hard to find a part number for, as my car make, model, year and month (Suzuki SX4 04/2008 sedan 2.0L) is supposed to have brake pad and rotor on the rear, not drum.

How much brake shoe pad material is safe to use? I measure around 2-3mm

[TerryT]

Misha.  Thanks for the update.  Well, it doesn't matter now about any taper of your old pads, you're on new pads, so all good.

Same story with your old front rotors.  Now new, so all good.  (BTW, your old rotors looked okay to me in the photos.  No visible cracks or spider crazing or grooving.  With questionable rotors we would run a fingernail down the rotor surface and if it didn't feel too notchy or ropey, it was good). 

So, someone has replaced your rear discs with drum brakes?  Sneaky! 

You asked: How much brake shoe pad material is safe to use?  I measure around 2-3mm.  I can only give you my recollection of when I had cars with rear drums.  From memory, new drum shoe linings were typically about 5mm thick and a typical minimum was 1mm before needing replacement.  But, like front pads, I followed a more conservative standard than industry minimums and I would replace before 2mm.  But that's just me, a fuddy-duddy. 

Rear brake shoes wear a lot slower than front pads so you have, imo, a bit of life in those shoes if they are closer to 3mm than 2mm.  BTW, are these shoes oem, at almost 90,000km?  If so, great wear rate.  If not, what mileage were they replaced?  That will give you a rough idea of the wear rate for your car with your driving habits. 

You said: Great news, no squeaking or squealing while braking now like it was before. Quiet af .  So, mission accomplished.

And, "after driving with my wife today. she needs all the brakes she can get."    She obviously doesn't read your posts.  My wife once overheard guys in the pits saying "You don't brake for corners until you see the face of God".  That was fun trip home for me a passenger.