Anyone Know Pad Break Wear Limits

[Yaris Hilton]

"Sensors" (brake pad wear indicators) don't grind rotors, they make a little cyclic squeak that varies with the wheel rotation speed and is only heard when the car's going fairly slow with the brakes off. Put the brakes on and the squeak goes away. People who always drive with their windows shut and the stereo on never hear them, and when metal parts of the caliper hit the disk and grind, permanent damage has already been done. It's very unsafe to drive by that time. Last year I had to pay $500 for a brake job on my daughter's Echo because she'd let it go to that point and the only place I could get it fixed over the holiday was the pricey Goodyear tire store.

[40oz]

Originally Posted by Yaris Hilton

"Sensors" (brake pad wear indicators) don't grind rotors, they make a little cyclic squeak that varies with the wheel rotation speed and is only heard when the car's going fairly slow with the brakes off. Put the brakes on and the squeak goes away. People who always drive with their windows shut and the stereo on never hear them, and when metal parts of the caliper hit the disk and grind, permanent damage has already been done. It's very unsafe to drive by that time. Last year I had to pay $500 for a brake job on my daughter's Echo because she'd let it go to that point and the only place I could get it fixed over the holiday was the pricey Goodyear tire store.

Of course its unsafe to drive to the metal part. Whether people agree with me or not, I'm saying its okay to ride the pads untill you hear the sound. Let me tell you, before my sister got her camry she had a honda accord that had spueling brakes. The sound was very noticeable even with windows up and radio (not blasting though). Every time I met her I told her to do a brake job. Then it been a few months since I first heard that sound on my sisters car and still she hadn't taken it to a shop. When she came over to my place I just did it for her. Looked at the pad and was very close to metal but still some meat after a few months of squealing brakes.

I'm not saying take it that far by anymeans. I'm saying its safe enough to service it when you first hear the sound.

Again everyone has their own circumstances. Just sharing mine.

[IGGGY]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I think it's safe to say that the front disk brakes can wait to be changed until you hear the wear indicator. But the rear brakes are drum with no wear warning. How thin can the rear brakes safely go?