sbman
Supporting Vendor
A few weeks ago my brake pads reached the end of their life. One pad slightly scored the rotor, and since I had nice slotted rotors, I decided to put on a cheap set of pads with the scored rotor while I ordered and waited for a new one to replace it. I expected the scored rotor to make a little noise and for the pad to wear out faster than normal.
I put the pads on exceptionally fast, I think the whole job took about 40 minutes to put new pads, both sides. You can change the pads without even removing the calipers! When I got it together, the scored rotor and fresh pad did make a little bit of noise. I ignored it while I waited for new rotors and ordered up some Hawk Green pads to put on with the new rotors. The rotors were on back order due to manufacturing stoppages (Covid Related). So I waited.
Well... In the meantime the noise continued but really was not bad at all. Until a couple of days ago, when I was on the brakes lightly slowing down from an off ramp on the freeway and a big 'thunk' and a hard pull to the right. The noise had stopped and so had the braking from the front left wheel.
This is what I found:
Umm. That's an issue. How did that happen?
Is that what I think it is? How the hell did that pad get upside down? No way I did that. Huh? What?
OMG. That's the dumbest thing I've ever done working on a vehicle. I've done dozens of brake jobs. I only ignored the noise because I was expecting a bit of noise. In less than 2K miles, half the rotor was gone.
Literally cut the rotor in half with the pad upside down. So... the Moral of the story is, don't run your brake pads up side down.
I put the pads on exceptionally fast, I think the whole job took about 40 minutes to put new pads, both sides. You can change the pads without even removing the calipers! When I got it together, the scored rotor and fresh pad did make a little bit of noise. I ignored it while I waited for new rotors and ordered up some Hawk Green pads to put on with the new rotors. The rotors were on back order due to manufacturing stoppages (Covid Related). So I waited.
Well... In the meantime the noise continued but really was not bad at all. Until a couple of days ago, when I was on the brakes lightly slowing down from an off ramp on the freeway and a big 'thunk' and a hard pull to the right. The noise had stopped and so had the braking from the front left wheel.
This is what I found:
Umm. That's an issue. How did that happen?
Is that what I think it is? How the hell did that pad get upside down? No way I did that. Huh? What?
OMG. That's the dumbest thing I've ever done working on a vehicle. I've done dozens of brake jobs. I only ignored the noise because I was expecting a bit of noise. In less than 2K miles, half the rotor was gone.
Literally cut the rotor in half with the pad upside down. So... the Moral of the story is, don't run your brake pads up side down.