What was the average life of your car's brake pads?

carboy · 15th January 2011, 16:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

1.5mm is a lot. Probably caused by a stone chip or metal bit getting stuck between pad and disc. I'd expect the groove to be not too wide (maybe 0.5-1mm wide), so you can happily let it be (unless you can manage a change under warranty). Discs can be skimmed upto 2-2.5mm, before discarding them, so if you skim the whole disc now just for that groove, you'll shorten the life of the disc. OTOH, leaving that groove in place won't change braking efficiency.

To comment on the average life of disc brake pads, I changed the pads on my Swift today, after 52500km. Still a lot of material left, and one can compare between the new one and how much wear has happened. The new ones are TVS-Girling.

I had my car serviced by Carnation WOW today - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post2210499

When he was cleaning the front brake pads, I looked at them - it sort of looked like it had the same amount left as what your picture looks like when you changed it - he said I need to change before it crosses 3000 kms more (My Swift VXI-ABS has currently done 48000 kms & these are the original pads).

Few questions
- He said Carnation stocks 3 different brands - TVS, KBX & Rane & they cost different - he didn't know the price. Anyone knows what is the OEM brand & which brand should I use when I replace soon - I am looking for something which is lasting & good. Also thinking of going to a Bosch service center for this - so it may also be a Bosch brake pad if they are reasonably priced. Any idea of prices of different pads?

- I had earlier talked to Premji's in Thane on the phone about replacing brake pads & he had told me that while changing they also recommending disc cutting which costs Rs.300 extra. The carnation mechanic said that cutting would be required only if the some goes wrong & mine are fine.
So, SS-Traveller & other experts - what is cutting, does it need to be done, when?

- I know very little about car brakes. Why are there only brake pads in the front of the car & not in the back? How do the back ones work?

nitrous · 15th January 2011, 17:05

TVS-Girling pads last, but are not good.
KBX work very well. But, they have shorter life.
Well, I value my life a whole LOT more than that of some brake pads.
So, KBX would be my choice always.

Quote:

Originally Posted by carboy

- I know very little about car brakes. Why are there only brake pads in the front of the car & not in the back? How do the back ones work?

At the rear, there are 'shoes' that work in the drum brakes.

carboy · 22nd January 2011, 15:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by nitrous

TVS-Girling pads last, but are not good.
KBX work very well. But, they have shorter life.
Well, I value my life a whole LOT more than that of some brake pads.
So, KBX would be my choice always.

Do you know what are the OEM ones which come with Swift? And what's the life of a KBX - is it half of others or 3/4 or what? Any idea?

Quote:

Originally Posted by nitrous

At the rear, there are 'shoes' that work in the drum brakes.

Should I be changing these also at the same time I change my front pads? Is wear on the front & back similar?

rajivanoj · 22nd January 2011, 22:16

I think KBX is bought by Bosch, and it is renamed as Bosch. Rane is also good, i bought one from distributor, since i had bad experience with cheap taiwan import, i am satisfied with Rane, no screeching noise, good braking, but i have to wait to calculate its life.

Rane has Technical and financial collaboration with Nisshinbo Industries, Japan

DieselFan · 22nd January 2011, 22:43

I recently changed my Swift D front pads after 70000 kms of run. This is the first change. rear ones are still good for another 70K kms maybe.

carboy · 16th February 2011, 20:14

Changed my Swift pads today. I had phone Maruti *** yesterday asking for total cost of changing brake pads. They said it will cost around 2000 Rs. I then called Carnation. They said 1000 odd. I asked them what brand of pads they would use (I wanted TVS-Girling) - they kept transferring the phone to each other with no one knowing the brand of brake pads they use. Finally one guy said it's OM. He meant OEM, I think. Carnation has decent mechanics but their service advisors & others are totally without any clue. Finally, I went to a local parts shop & purchased TVS-Girling for 660Rs & gave a mechanic standing outside the shop Rs.100 to replace it. Anyway, my original brakes had done close to 50000kms & around 1500-2000 kms were still left.

MileCruncher · 17th February 2011, 13:18

You all seem to be getting very high pad life. On all my cars I have never gotten more than 20K. May be its because I brake quite a bit!

DieselFan · 17th February 2011, 13:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

You all seem to be getting very high pad life. On all my cars I have never gotten more than 20K. May be its because I brake quite a bit!

Use Engine braking to avoid brake and tyre wear. you would be surprised to get much higher brake as well as tyre life. My brakes came for 70000 kms and my potenza GIIIs are 30000 kms old and about 40% tread is still left.

carboy · 17th February 2011, 16:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselFan

Use Engine braking to avoid brake and tyre wear. you would be surprised to get much higher brake as well as tyre life. My brakes came for 70000 kms and my potenza GIIIs are 30000 kms old and about 40% tread is still left.

I don't use engine braking at all. But out of my 50000km, around 25000 must be highway driving, the other 25000 city driving.

Anyway how does braking affect tyre life?

Cesc · 17th February 2011, 16:16

^^ Harder you brake, greater the friction between road and tyre - higher the tread-wear on tyres. The more gradually you brake, lesser the friction and lesser the tread-wear. Brake pads, brake discs and tyres will all last longer with sensible gradual braking rather than sudden last minute braking.

tsk1979 · 17th February 2011, 17:15

My Safari front disk Pads which came with the vehicle lasted approx 45000kms. I do a lot of hill driving, so the life was short. Normally, for a highway run vehicle such as safari I would expect around 60-80000kms of life.

Mafia · 17th February 2011, 17:38

Whenever I wash my car, I have collection of black powder on the front wheels. When I checked up with the service station guys, they informed me that this a common phenomenon with the Beat. I have spotted a Fabia or two with the same issue. Should I be concerned or is it an acceptable explanation.

Godfather · 17th February 2011, 17:43

this might come as a shocker to all you guys here.

my endeavour A/T 4x4 has till date run 12500 kms and went in for the first brake pad change (front wheels only)
the reason being that since its an automatic the brakes usage is more.

the brake pads cost 4k.

ImmortalZ · 22nd February 2011, 11:37

My Civic AT's pads are still sitting pretty with plenty of life left at ~35k KM.

carboy · 22nd February 2011, 11:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godfather

this might come as a shocker to all you guys here.

my endeavour A/T 4x4 has till date run 12500 kms and went in for the first brake pad change (front wheels only)
the reason being that since its an automatic the brakes usage is more.

the brake pads cost 4k.

Even for an automatic, 12500 is way too less, I think.

22nd January 2011, 22:16	#109
rajivanoj BANNED Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Coimbatore Posts: 398 Thanked: 52 Times View My Garage	re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads? I think KBX is bought by Bosch, and it is renamed as Bosch. Rane is also good, i bought one from distributor, since i had bad experience with cheap taiwan import, i am satisfied with Rane, no screeching noise, good braking, but i have to wait to calculate its life. Rane has Technical and financial collaboration with Nisshinbo Industries, Japan
	() Thanks

22nd January 2011, 22:43	#110
DieselFan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,584 Thanked: 259 Times	re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads? I recently changed my Swift D front pads after 70000 kms of run. This is the first change. rear ones are still good for another 70K kms maybe.
	() Thanks

16th February 2011, 20:14	#111
carboy BANNED Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Kolhapur Posts: 1,717 Thanked: 1,901 Times	re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads? Changed my Swift pads today. I had phone Maruti *** yesterday asking for total cost of changing brake pads. They said it will cost around 2000 Rs. I then called Carnation. They said 1000 odd. I asked them what brand of pads they would use (I wanted TVS-Girling) - they kept transferring the phone to each other with no one knowing the brand of brake pads they use. Finally one guy said it's OM. He meant OEM, I think. Carnation has decent mechanics but their service advisors & others are totally without any clue. Finally, I went to a local parts shop & purchased TVS-Girling for 660Rs & gave a mechanic standing outside the shop Rs.100 to replace it. Anyway, my original brakes had done close to 50000kms & around 1500-2000 kms were still left.
	() Thanks

17th February 2011, 13:18	#112
MileCruncher Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: MH01 Posts: 4,235 Thanked: 592 Times View My Garage	re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads? You all seem to be getting very high pad life. On all my cars I have never gotten more than 20K. May be its because I brake quite a bit!
	(1) Thanks

17th February 2011, 16:16	#115
Cesc BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Philly, Gurgaon Posts: 651 Thanked: 286 Times	re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads? ^^ Harder you brake, greater the friction between road and tyre - higher the tread-wear on tyres. The more gradually you brake, lesser the friction and lesser the tread-wear. Brake pads, brake discs and tyres will all last longer with sensible gradual braking rather than sudden last minute braking. Last edited by Cesc : 17th February 2011 at 16:17.
	() Thanks

17th February 2011, 17:15	#116
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,826 Times View My Garage	re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads? My Safari front disk Pads which came with the vehicle lasted approx 45000kms. I do a lot of hill driving, so the life was short. Normally, for a highway run vehicle such as safari I would expect around 60-80000kms of life.
	() Thanks

17th February 2011, 17:38	#117
Mafia BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: BLR MCT Posts: 962 Thanked: 900 Times	re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads? Whenever I wash my car, I have collection of black powder on the front wheels. When I checked up with the service station guys, they informed me that this a common phenomenon with the Beat. I have spotted a Fabia or two with the same issue. Should I be concerned or is it an acceptable explanation.
	() Thanks

17th February 2011, 17:43	#118
Godfather Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bangalore / Atlanta Posts: 1,387 Thanked: 70 Times View My Garage	re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads? this might come as a shocker to all you guys here. my endeavour A/T 4x4 has till date run 12500 kms and went in for the first brake pad change (front wheels only) the reason being that since its an automatic the brakes usage is more. the brake pads cost 4k.
	() Thanks

22nd February 2011, 11:37	#119
ImmortalZ Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 2,179 Thanked: 488 Times View My Garage	re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads? My Civic AT's pads are still sitting pretty with plenty of life left at ~35k KM.
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