A couple of points on the 'visual health check'

[HotJambalaya]

Just got sent the link to the visual health check and they've raised a couple of points, mostly filler but I'm wondering about a couple of bits.

1) Front brake pads 70% worn. ok? so when are they usually changed? Seems very worn considering I only have 28k miles on the car?

2) Inside of the brake discs are rusty. The car has been standing for 2 months, so that should come off under normal driving or does that only apply to the outside? or is rust on the inside bad?


The rest is filler material: rear tyres 5mm, damaged rims, front tyres 7mm.

any opinions?

 

[emma9403]

Only thing I'm sure on the break discs, the rust should come off with some driving hope that helps

 

[redjules51]

Had a similar experience on a visual health check with MB Watford. Shock horror. Front brake pads 90% worn front discs near the limit etc etc.

I had them agreeing with me that the pads were 80% worn and discs were good for another year.

Scare tactics and don't be intimidated.

 

[meeeb]

1) Front brake pads 70% worn. ok? so when are they usually changed? Seems very worn considering I only have 28k miles on the car?

Depends how you use them. Driving styles differ and so some people's brake pads and discs will wear faster than others'.

 

[grober]

Since the banning of asbestos in brake pads - both pads and discs appear to wear at higher rates than in days gone by. 28K and 70 % worn is better than par for the course I would offer on a heavy automatic car. Some folks advocate renewing the pads when they reach approx 3mm thickness rather than wait till the wear warning lights come on.----Thinking being this exposes less of the brake piston/s which gives rise to wear due the "cocking sideways" forces of the piston in the caliper cylinder . How true this is I don't know. Technically a full pad inspection/service should involve removing the pads cleaning the caliper and regreasing the sliding surfaces to the caliper/piston even if the pads aren't renewed. The labour costs involved would indicate that at a certain wear point it may be more economical to renew the pads if they are out anyway.

 

[gaz_l]

Take the car out for a bit of a thrash and stamp on the brake pedal a few times (ensuring that the rear view mirror is clear, of course!). That'll get rid of the rust, trust me. I used to swap between a Fiat Barchetta (summer) and a Subaru Impreza (winter). The Impreza's discs would suffer badly from surface rust whilst it was laid up, and the first couple of brake applications were somewhat graunchy, but once it was cleared away we went.

As grober says, 70% after 28K miles doesn't sound too bad, that was similar to when I got the pads changed on my SLK, which is a lighter car. But, that did include a couple of track days and a visit to Bruntingthorpe which shags the brakes big time .

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[Bellow]

Since the banning of asbestos in brake pads - both pads and discs appear to wear at higher rates than in days gone by.

Full of crushed rock apparently.

Some folks advocate renewing the pads when they reach approx 3mm thickness rather than wait till the wear warning lights come on.----Thinking being this exposes less of the brake piston/s which gives rise to wear due the "cocking sideways" forces of the piston in the caliper cylinder . How true this is I don't know.

No truth in at all. The pad is restrained by the caliper not the piston.

1) Front brake pads 70% worn. ok? so when are they usually changed? Seems very worn considering I only have 28k miles on the car?

Perhaps you are heavier on brakes than you imagine yourself to be. Binning them with only 30% left is no big deal. The calipers will appreciate the clean up they will receive. Better than waiting until they are down to the metal - or delaminate.

 

[BTB 500]

IMO 30k miles on a set of pads doesn't sound too bad for a performance car like a C63.

 

[John]

Rusting on the contact surface of the brake disc should come off with wear.

Rusting inside the brake disc will not come off. Depending on how bad it is, you may need to replace.

I found recently with mine that I had to drill out the cross-drilled holes and in doing so - released a lot of rust material from within the vents. Mine are due to be changed as a result!

Have you got a lip on the discs and / or cracks round the holes?