Thread: Pad wear?

Originally Posted by ATH

I went to my local Repco today about these but they said they weren't for the last of the Disco4s or something. So I got Bendix pads. Question I have now is the wear sensor something which is integral on OME pads but an addition necessary on after market stuff? Or can the sensor now on the vehicle be retained if the pads haven't worn down enough for it to send a signal?
Or have they flogged me the wrong pads..... website confirms these are correct though.
AlanH.

If the sensor hasn’t triggered you may be able to reuse it.
But more often than not they snap when removing from old pads due to becoming brittle with heat and age.

Mario can supply them

I am not sure what is happening but I had the icon show on a recent trip in the Pilbara which is full of magnetic dust. The warning did not go off even after washing down the vehicle and squirting water towards the brake pads. as we travelled home we were inundated by heavy rain so much so that the gutters were struggling to cope and hence the vehicle went through puddles of moving water on the edge of the road. Hey Presto the pad warning light no longer shows. Coincidence or could magnetic dust short out the sensor? Taking the wheel of and inspecting the sensor should give me the answer but thought it strange especially as the front sensor has been cut off and the wires soldered which was on another trip in a similar region.

Originally Posted by orville

I am not sure what is happening but I had the icon show on a recent trip in the Pilbara which is full of magnetic dust. The warning did not go off even after washing down the vehicle and squirting water towards the brake pads. as we travelled home we were inundated by heavy rain so much so that the gutters were struggling to cope and hence the vehicle went through puddles of moving water on the edge of the road. Hey Presto the pad warning light no longer shows. Coincidence or could magnetic dust short out the sensor? Taking the wheel of and inspecting the sensor should give me the answer but thought it strange especially as the front sensor has been cut off and the wires soldered which was on another trip in a similar region.

The sensor is short circuit when good and open circuit when worn. It is likely you had a connector issue and somehow the moisture restored the connection. A good indicator that the sensor and pads require replacement is that the light goes out when the brakes are applied as the sensor uses the rotor to complete the circuit.

When I get home I’ll post a pic of my rear pads at 120k.
These are the originals..

Got down to under 1mm of friction material on each pad.

Easy job to replace but the sensor cable is a nightmare if you have an aux tank to work around!

Originally Posted by Tombie

When I get home I’ll post a pic of my rear pads at 120k.
These are the originals..

Got down to under 1mm of friction material on each pad.

Easy job to replace but the sensor cable is a nightmare if you have an aux tank to work around!

Did you do the rotors?

Just thinking have to do mine soon,but doing the rotors on the rear is something i didn't really want to do due to the EPB set up.

Pads are easy as,front and rear,as are front rotors.

Originally Posted by scarry

Did you do the rotors?

Just thinking have to do mine soon,but doing the rotors on the rear is something i didn't really want to do due to the EPB set up.

Pads are easy as,front and rear,as are front rotors.

Yes I did...

Did it upon getting home from the Mine and finished at 4.40am.

Had a lovely chat to the local constabulary when he pulled me over wondering why I was driving around, face covered from falling mud etc.

The look on his face when I told him I was about to do 10
Hand brakies down the highway was priceless; but he understood.

The jobs really easy.

I have had 2 rear and 1 front set of pads and rotors replaced since May 2015 and the car has travelled 127,400 kms and a lot of that was towing a 21' 6" van weighing around 3.2 tonne when fully loaded. I thought that was excessive wear (not to mention the excessive cost of replacing the pads and rotors), and possibly that my Redarc Tow Pro electric brake controller is not working properly - I have it set at 4.5, but I think it will need to go up to 5.0 or even 6.0!
However after reading some of the other experiences on here - maybe it is not that unusual?

1. @ 61,300 kms - rear pads worn. Replaced pads and sensors, rotor inspected and refitted - parts were $510, labour was $300 (?)
2. @ 103,162 kms - rear pads worn. Replaced pads, disc and sensor - parts $540, labour $250.
3. @ 127,400 kms - front pads worn. Replaced pads, disc and sensor - parts $900, labour $400. (won't be going back there again!)

Petr

Dirt roads? And what pads and rotors are your fitting?