Brake Pads & Discs

[Guest Galaxy03ww]

:huh: We have a June 03 registered Galaxy TDi 130 with 27,000 miles on the clock. Absolutely Fab vehicle and we've owned it for just over a year. Suddenly the brake light started to light up on odd occasions when going round corners or stopping suddenly so we immediately took it to the local dealer. They topped up the brake fluid. Now a month later it's happened again and so, straight back to the dealer. End result this time is to be told we need, not only new brake pads but also new discs, both front and rear!

 

Is this usual? Will we need to budget to replace new pads and discs every couple of years? Your words of wisdom would be appreciated!

[Andrew T]

The Same question has just appeared in the technical section posted by another member. Odd comments from members have suggested that pad life on Galaxies is particularly good, but otherwise 27K is not unreasonable. As far as the discs go it is possibly the dealer being fussy, since asbestos was removed from brake pads discs have to be replaced far more often than before but I would suggest at least 50K as a reasonable life.

[ninjakev]

Our Sept '03 TDI 130 has just gone through 30,000 miles and has 80% front pad wear and 90% rear pad wear according to the service just done.

 

Guess it has a lot to do with the way you drive and the types of journey you do.

[Topbloke]

just changed my front pads at 32k and its an auto so very little engine braking and always on the brakes in town , so i would expect arround 40k plus (depending on how you drive), my advice take to rapid fit, kwick fit etc as an free brake check and see what they say, and get them to show you (you dont need to know what you are looking at but it lets them know that you are not just an easy touch !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

[Guest Enzo]

Its usually pretty easy to do a visual check yourself, especially if the vehicle has alloys, as you can often do it without jacking it up or taking a wheel off.

 

With the front discs the maximum wear is 4mm, which I think is quite alot, as you would have a 2mm lip around the edge on either side of the disc.

 

If you have a 2mm lip round the edge of the discs, its should be very easy to see, or feel (making sure the brakes are cold first).

 

Most of the front discs are 25mm thick when new, so minimum thickness is 21mm, later vehicles have 26mm thick discs, so can wear to 22mm.

 

The rear discs are solid, so are quite skinny to start with at only 9mm, and the minimum thickness is 8mm, which is only 0.5mm per side of the disc.

 

Later VR6 and 4x4 had thicker 13.5mm discs, and the minimum thickness is 12mm.

Now a month later it's happened again

This time the light came on becasue of the brake pad wear indicator, which is basically a loop of wire burried in the brake pad, how soon the light comes on car vary, but there is often about 20% of pad material left.

[bigdaddy]

I was always told to change discs every 3rd change of the pads, or if there was serious disc scoring, thinning or corrosion.

 

I would get the free check at local kwik-fit, then you can see what needs done to your brakes.

 

Me? I would change the Pads and stop worring about it.

[Guest keef]

it seems to be fords policy to replace pads and disks these days