YACT: Eck, brakes dying off again!

[Syringer]

So about a year ago..maybe 15,000 miles ago, my brakes started to make an incredibly horrid grinding type sound on the front right wheel. I then found out that the pads were somewhat worn out, but also that the rotors were warped by a relatively good amount..maybe 1-2 mm. And I figured since I was changing the front right brakes I might as well change the front left ones too, which I did..replaced the pads and got that rotor resurfaced too, and everything was like new.

Skip to today then, I get that same ugly grinding noise in my front left wheel. It seems to only happen when I'm stopping and I'm slowed to about 5 mph, not when I'm braking from anything higher than that..so I can pretty much drive it without much of a safety concern (I think).

What can cause brakes to fail though after only 15,000 miles?? I'm not THAT rough on them..and I've read on other Integra forums that guys can get 50-60,000 miles out of brakes before they need to be changed.

I haven't checked what's wrong with the car yet, but I'm assuming it'll be similar to last time..with pads needing to be replaced, and if my rotor is bad too, should I just get a new one, or will resurfacing work? I heard that you can only go so deep with resurfacing..and plus I think the place I take it too is closed on Sundays..

 

[GtPrOjEcTX]

mine are finally starting to sweak.

had car for 5 years, 50,000 miles, this will be first time replacing them..

 

[Syringer]

Sweak?

 

[Syringer]

..

 

[d33pt]

your rotors might be too thin now...so they would get warped easier..
have them checked to see if they are still in spec

 

[CrazyPerson]

better get it fixed

 

[oniq]

Do you like giving people brake jobs?

 

[Soybomb]

The shop will measure your rotors with a micrometer and determine if they need to be replaced or can be turned.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Sounds like you are hard on them...

 

[toph99]

my friend wore off a set of cheapo pads in 10k km's, so yes it's possible that you wore yours out already. Change your rotors, resurfacing is just a bandaid fix

 

[Ornery]

"...resurfacing is just a bandaid fix."

• 

Do brake rotor manufacturers use magic equipment to true these things up, or what?

 

[toph99]

Originally posted by: Ornery
"...resurfacing is just a bandaid fix."

• 

Do brake rotor manufacturers use magic equipment to true these things up, or what?

when a rotor warps, it's the whole disk itself. machining it to remove the warp doesn't fix the warp, it simply levels the rest of the surface to be true with the mating surface, and it will warp again. Getting new(better) rotors are the only fix

 

[Ornery]

I'd bale on it if it warped too, but in the 30 years I've been driving, I've never had a warped one. Of course these are 1" thick or more and have ventilation vanes.

 

[Syringer]

Hmm, so my rotors actually seem fine..not 100% smooth but definitely not like last time either.

I haven't taken off the brake pads yet, but I'd suspect they're kind of worn out..any other ideas?

 

[tnitsuj]

Originally posted by: Syringer
Hmm, so my rotors actually seem fine..not 100% smooth but definitely not like last time either.

I haven't taken off the brake pads yet, but I'd suspect they're kind of worn out..any other ideas?

He already answered your question.

1: Go Buy new quality brake pads and rotors. Either OEM or something good like Brembo. NO CHEAP AUTOZONE CRAP!!!

2. Install them. Make sure to use anti squel compound.

3. You should be fine, unless thier is something else wrong.

 

[Ornery]

Are inner and outer pads worn even? Maybe the caliper is sticking. Is the grinding sound caused by the rivits or a wear indicator?

 

[Turkish]

Originally posted by: tnitsuj

Originally posted by: Syringer
Hmm, so my rotors actually seem fine..not 100% smooth but definitely not like last time either.

I haven't taken off the brake pads yet, but I'd suspect they're kind of worn out..any other ideas?

He already answered your question.

1: Go Buy new quality brake pads and rotors. Either OEM or something good like Brembo. NO CHEAP AUTOZONE CRAP!!!

2. Install them. Make sure to use anti squel compound.

3. You should be fine, unless thier is something else wrong.

uhhh why should he get a brembo brakes if he is gonna ride it on the street? brembo is way too expensive for everyday-in the city driver....

 

[chin311]

yea, don't ever buy the cheap-o pads that are on sale @ discount auto for $9.99, always at least go one step up, all i've heard from ppl that buy the cheap pads is how noisy they are and then how short they last.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: chin311
yea, don't ever buy the cheap-o pads that are on sale @ discount auto for $9.99, always at least go one step up, all i've heard from ppl that buy the cheap pads is how noisy they are and then how short they last.

if you are hard on them. My Neon has the cheapest pads i can buy because i am easy on it. They howl every couple of days for a stop or 2, but never more than that. If you are constantly riding your brakes or slamming on them, they will go quickly.

 

[chin311]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: chin311
yea, don't ever buy the cheap-o pads that are on sale @ discount auto for $9.99, always at least go one step up, all i've heard from ppl that buy the cheap pads is how noisy they are and then how short they last.

if you are hard on them. My Neon has the cheapest pads i can buy because i am easy on it. They howl every couple of days for a stop or 2, but never more than that. If you are constantly riding your brakes or slamming on them, they will go quickly.

yea, as long as your easy on them i guess they might be OK. but i live around orlando fl, so its non stop STOP n GO traffic, so better pads come in handy

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: Ornery
Are inner and outer pads worn even? Maybe the caliper is sticking. Is the grinding sound caused by the rivits or a wear indicator?

I haven't checked my pads yet..I'll wait to do it with my dad. I'm too much of a chicken to try to take them off =/

 

[Syringer]

Okay, for anyone that cares, I checked my rotor again..being the n00b that I am I had only checked the outside of it, which was fine..but apparently the inside was pretty bad. I took it out to a shop, they told me that I needed a new one, so I did just that..along with a few pads that were pretty bad as well.

Car runs finely now

 

[Ornery]

How much for a rotor? At least you did it yourself, or will next time, right? Saves a lot of money for just a little work.

 

[Syringer]

My dad helped me with it..I think I'm up for the task next time!

And the pads were $50 for a set of four, rotor was $33.

 

[bunker]

You only replaced the one rotor?

You probably should've done both at once.