Brake recomendations

[Clipsed]

So when do you guys recommend to change the front pads, and the rear pads? I know the rear do not wear out as quickly, I was thinking every 10,000 for front and 15,000 for rear? Is this too soon? Reason I ask is because I am just about to hit the 10,000 mile marker.

[versabundus]

More like 30-35k for the front and 60-65k for the rear. Unless you drive with your foot on the brakes.

[XterraVersa]

Wait for the brake chirp. You will have ~ 300 miles before you cause damage to the rotor.

[Jemdawg]

Waaaaaaaaaaay too soon. Even though the pads are self adjusting, you will feel it when they are high on wear.

[Ever Victorious]

I'll give a different reccommendadtion for the front. 20k miles. Every newer car I've driven wears its front brakes out pretty quickly. I used to be able to get 30k+ out of a set on my Legacies, but starting with my '97 Saturn and everything newer than that, the pads were all horribly worn by 20k.

[kc5f]

FWIW, mine at 26,000 are doing fine. Then again, I'm pretty easy on cars, other than putting lots of miles on them!

[Clipsed]

cool thanks for the recommendations, was just curious, because I want to put on performance rotors and pads the first brake replacement.

[versa2nr]

Just a thought but, what do you really need performance rotors and pads on this thing for? I mean it doesn't really weigh that much as it is. You would probably actually see better results from replacing the brake lines with the braided steel ones and going with a quality brake fluid. The performance pads wear a lot faster than the ones you have on there and unless you are autocrossing your versa the drilled rotors are pretty much a decorative item. Daily driving doesn't build up enough friction or generate enough heat to warrant these rotors. I say if you want a worthwhile upgrade, upgrade to a wider track tire and a lighter rim provided you havent done so already.

I don't mean to sound like I am ragging on you or anything, I guess I couldn't justify the rotors and pads especially since you won't really notice any difference in your stopping ability unless you are track racing. But It is after all your ride. Make it your own.

[BenzTech Gone Versa]

yeah anywhere after 14,000 miles.rears are drums/shoes on my "V".those shoes go every other brake job.

[BBISHOPPCM]

My fronty had 40,000 miles on the brakes and they were still meaty. My grandmother went 70,000 miles on the front and rear brakes on her 1993 Hyundai Excel. My 1970 pontiac tempest had four-wheel drum brakes which were all original @ 75,000 miles (in 2004). My mothers' 2002 Mercedes Benz went through a set every 10,000 miles... it's all dependent on the vehicle, and driving style. Theoretically, one could drive a vehicle for 500,000 miles non-stop and never have to replace the brakes...

[mahout]

Never mind the mileage advice.Check the pad thickness - thats the grey friction 'pad' on the steel backplate - every 5000 miles at least, whenever you rotate tires, or peer thru the wheel spokes to gage the thickness of the pad. When the thickness drops to 1/8" then replace the pads. Do not wait until you get squeal; often then you will have to have the rotors resurfaced - and you may want to anyway - or worse, replaced. Actual visual inspection is best and always check both inside and outside surfaces on each ends of the axle. There are liquids you can pick up in puddles or slush that can disintegrate the pad material; usually the disintegration is not at the edge so you don't see it as easily unless you actually remove the pad.Most good competition pads don't wear faster but longer because street use is much less wearing than track use. If you go to a comp pad like Performance Friction get the softer compound version to avoid squeal and hard stopping effort. Brakes are one of the vital inspections that car guys know to do regularly.Brake pad life depends a lot on your driving: stop & go wears faster than interstate; track use wears faster than anything. Normally the versa fronts are good for 50k, rears over 100 but thats surburban, not urban driving. But maybe you aren't 'normal' so check your pads regularly, typically once a week to once a month for visual checks, every 3 months inspection or more often when thickness gets down to 1/4".cheers.

[Ever Victorious]

My fronty had 40,000 miles on the brakes and they were still meaty. My grandmother went 70,000 miles on the front and rear brakes on her 1993 Hyundai Excel. My 1970 pontiac tempest had four-wheel drum brakes which were all original @ 75,000 miles (in 2004). My mothers' 2002 Mercedes Benz went through a set every 10,000 miles... it's all dependent on the vehicle, and driving style. Theoretically, one could drive a vehicle for 500,000 miles non-stop and never have to replace the brakes...

Non stop being the key. Anyone feel like filling up a car in motion?

at 42,000 miles on the Tucson, we gone through one set of pads and had the rotors resurfaced. The second set of pads are now going out, and the rotors are warped. This time they can't be resurfaced. I'm going to check out some aftermarket (yes, slotted) rotors to see if the material they're made of is any better. If they last 60k between warpings instead of 40k, I'll be ahead of the game.

[versa2nr]

Just keep in mind your wear is going to come from either the brake pad or the rotor. A harder compound pad will wear down a rotor faster requiring you to have your rotors "turned" (ground down) to keep them from warping. Or a softer pad means you will go through pads faster.