You think your brakes are bad? Really?

[szh]

Some guy came in a shop I worked at with rotors like that but a very thin skin still on the rotor. But you could see the vents imprited on the thin layer of metal that he called a brake rotor.

He refused the work... I just dont get it. Alright, roll it out..

Unreal!

I hope you all keep the records - there may be an accident looking for a place to happen, and the other party will want the info ...

Z

[audtatious]

Well crap. Looks like I have a similar problem.

Back story. Bought the wife's G35s a couple years ago with 42k on the odo. Took it directly into the local Infiniti service center and had them swap all fluids and requested a complete brake job (car was grabbing). Car has a tad over 60k on it now so it's been around 20k since then, 85% highway. 7k miles ago I had it in the same shop and they supposedly did their standard checkup as part of the service. Everything A-OK

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago. Taking the car on vacation it started doing a high to low whirring sound when braking, coming from the back brakes. Once of those WTF is that? situations. Thought there was something going on with the rear brakes. I finally had time to drop the car off today and it seems my rear rotors were not in much better shape than the ones in the article as the noise was the metal where the pads _used to be_ rubbing against what was left of the rotor, which happened to be paper thin I hear.

So, I'm a bit annoyed. What I was told was a brake job 20k miles ago was just the front rotors being resurfaced and new front pads. They didn't touch the rear. They also missed the issue with the back brakes over multiple visits. So, what should not have been an issue is now a repair of over 500 bux.

[szh]

Ouch!

One of the reasons I take my car to the dealer every so often (ever other oil change basically) is because they check my car out thoroughly ... they measure and report things (like pad thickness, rotor thickness, tire tread depth, fluid level, etc.).

Z

[AZhitman]

I haven't let someone touch brakes on my cars for nearly 20 years.

I actually kinda enjoy doing them. It allows me to be detail-oriented, in making sure everything's aligned, clean, lubricated and perfectly-installed.

We discard a LOT of half-used pads and once-turned rotors. I'd rather buy new stuff. Brakes are kinda important.

[300ZXttZMAN]

Wow who wouldnt hear that screeching and be like hmm I guess its just ....

(not to mention that guy has to get new brembo calibers for a stupid reason ehh

[float_6969]

Worst I've seen was on the rear of the car with 4 wheel disk brakes. They weren't vented and the chick did the same thing, only she drove it until all that was left was the hat of the rotor. The only reason she brought it in was because the piston on the caliper finally popped out and she lost all of her brake fluid and the pedal went to the floor. I guess she nearly rear ended someone when it happend.

[audtatious]

What's weird is I never heard the rear brakes on her car making any noise or I would have checked it out. Now, the guy with the brakes in the OP, he had to know there was a major issue.

[AZhitman]

...that's because Miracle Ear.

[audtatious]

Oooof

huh?

[PoorManQ45]

There is no helping stupidity with some people. Then you have others that over spend and can't maintain whey they bought. I'm sure this guy wanted bling bling instead of working brakes.

That still doesn't make sense. Even Autozone crap pads would have been infinitely better then the condition that that car is in, and they're only $23 for the front pads!

That person is ignorant and should not be allowed to own a vehicle. They could have/would have killed somebody!

[audtatious]

That still doesn't make sense. Even Autozone crap pads would have been infinitely better then the condition that that car is in, and they're only $23 for the front pads!

That person is ignorant and should not be allowed to own a vehicle. They could have/would have killed somebody!

I do not disagree with that at all.

[Mr1der]

I'm ashamed to admit, but not a single bit. ::pathetic::

:: it never really grinded or did anything out of the ordinary.

I had the same thing happen on my T Bird...it s*** the entire pad out then sound like a freight train going down the road....

no squealers or anything. Just...gone.

[PoorManQ45]

For those that have had this happen, after you fixed the brakes did you notice a change in the pedal feel?

I've had this happen on one vehicle. A Jeep Liberty that was only used in the winter on salted roads and for pulling a boat. Both pads on the passenger side completely collapsed. I'm talking the entire metal plate had rusted out!

I did notice that for months prior to the brakes breaking the pedal got progressively spongier. I kept telling the owner of the vehicle that we needed to fix it. Nothing was done until the pads completely broke.

Anyways, once the pads and fluid were replaced the brake pedal felt a firm as a brand new car.

What I'm getting at is, do we not notice these issues because they progressively get worse instead one large drastic change?

[gwoods]

Depending on the caliper design without removing the wheel/tire it can be difficult to determine your pads condition.

Many of us (myself included) take advantage of the free rotation and balance that most tire stores give you when you buy a set of rubber. This is when you should be looking at your pads. I normally will ask to go out to the shop and take a peek while they have all the wheels off.

On the Sequoia when the pads wear the brake fluid level goes down. More caliper clamp = more fluid in the line. Right about the time a set of pads are worn the brake light comes on the dash. Pretty neat.

The G cooks a set of pads everytime it goes to the track so they never make it to a mechanical wear point

On my Hemi ram I was driving home and one stop was kind of a groan. Then the next 3 were grinders. The front pads wore completely down very quickly from the last point of inspection at tire rotation.

Still that guy had to know something was wrong right?

[audtatious]

The brakes seem softer than I remember......but I have just redone mine in the coupe so it just may be that much difference in feel between Akebono's with better pads and stock non-sport brakes.

Seems Infiniti did mention the rear brakes would need replacing soon. I didn't see it noted on the paperwork it seems.

[Mitchum]

dont mean to try to one up-haha. But about a year ago a flatdeck/tow company truck came in for brakes....looker frighteningly similar. Can you imagine a run away flat deck...thats bad news.

But thats brutal, especially for a car of the caliber. don't spend that much and let that happen...

[Chaotic_Warlord]

Some brakes just squeal, I had new pads and rotors installed on my work van back in May and no lie they started squealing again by the end of the week. Took the van back and after they did a test drive told me they were fine. Just had the van inspected 3 weeks ago and according to PA motor vehicle code the brakes have to have a full visual inspection (they literally have to take the wheels and calipers off and measure your pad and rotor thickness) and it still squeals when I brake. Drives me up a wall, especially when I'm stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. Ishts gay. I have carbon/kevlar pads on my 240 and they don't squeal at all, but I get these industrial truck brakes put on my work van and they start squealing once they're broken in. How retarded is that?

Moral of the story, depending on the compound and manufacturer of the brake pad some pads just squeal regardless of whether they are new or old.

Oh and I'm seriously considering taking my van to a different mechanic (not the one that services the fleet for my work) and see what they have to say.

[PoorManQ45]

Some brakes just squeal, I had new pads and rotors installed on my work van back in May and no lie they started squealing again by the end of the week. Took the van back and after they did a test drive told me they were fine. Just had the van inspected 3 weeks ago and according to PA motor vehicle code the brakes have to have a full visual inspection (they literally have to take the wheels and calipers off and measure your pad and rotor thickness) and it still squeals when I brake. Drives me up a wall, especially when I'm stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. Ishts gay. I have carbon/kevlar pads on my 240 and they don't squeal at all, but I get these industrial truck brakes put on my work van and they start squealing once they're broken in. How retarded is that?

Were the slide pins cleaned and then greased? This is a step that I don't recall ever having seen performed by a shop.

[szh]

Were the slide pins cleaned and then greased? This is a step that I don't recall ever having seen performed by a shop.

My Infiniti dealer does this for sure ... I asked about it.

Z