2009 Mazda 5 - brake pad slap in deteriorating weather

[Number_35]

Installed the winter tires a couple of days ago, and discovered that the front pads, although with lots of meat remaining, were almost through the wear groove. I thought this would be a way better job now than possibly in the winter. Might have made it through to the April, but no guarantees ...

Picked up pads from the dealer today, and did the work just as an early slushy snow started. Took longer than it normally would have as my dominant (L) hand is in a splint. Finished cold but glad to have it done.

Did not change the rotors; the brakes have been working well, with no pulsation, and there were no grooves or visible wear on the rotors. Pad wear was optimum; looked virtually even on all four pads, with no discernible difference between the inner and outer pads. Checked my log book - I must have forgotten to record my last front brake replacement, so I'm not sure how many kms I got out of these pads.

Your thoughts on how much more life the old pads had? I wonder if there are rivets that come well through the backing plate into the friction material, and whether that's why the wear groove stops so far up.

 

[Rand]

did you clean and grease the slides?, or a true pad slapper.?

 

[Number_35]

did you clean and grease the slides?, or a true pad slapper.?

I was very OCD about cleaning up the caliper carrier and the pins. Used Permatex purple ceramic disc brake lube. You can see the plastic bottle of lube to the lower left of the bottom photo. I'm not rich enough to replace prematurely worn pads every three months!

Based on the pad wear, the caliper was sliding properly, and new lube should keep it that way.

 

[LenZee]

"Permatex purple ceramic disc brake lube "
I've had problems with this product on brake pins getting stuck from rubber swelling.

 

[Number_35]

"Permatex purple ceramic disc brake lube "
I've had problems with this product on brake pins getting stuck from rubber swelling.

Yikes, I'll keep an eye on it! Seasonal tire changes mean brake inspection twice a year for me. Have you found a better product?

 

[LenZee]

Yikes, I'll keep an eye on it! Seasonal tire changes mean brake inspection twice a year for me. Have you found a better product?

I use Sil-Glyde now.

 

[Wolf359]

I was very OCD about cleaning up the caliper carrier and the pins. Used Permatex purple ceramic disc brake lube. You can see the plastic bottle of lube to the lower left of the bottom photo. I'm not rich enough to replace prematurely worn pads every three months!

There are many auto parts store that sell lifetime warranty brake pads so you just go get another free set whenever your current ones wear out. I think you had plenty of life left on your old pads. I think people go way lower on the pads, like down to 1/8 of an inch. But then some others just keep going all the way until the metal eats into the rotor so that instead of brake dust on the rim, it's covered in metal shavings from the rotor so that it's all rust colored. The brake pad sensor on my car kicks in at 1/4 of the pad left and I think you were only at half or so.

 

[JHZR2]

There was plenty of life left. I would have chanced it for sure.

 

[Jake_J]

There is an official service limit in the service manual, usually it's only a few mm so it looks like you had lots of time. The groove in the middle is mostly there for the brake dust to escape, not really to signify the wear limit like on tires. Some (generally cheaper) pads will omit them even if they are on the OE pad.

 

[Donald]

Permatex for the ears and Syl-Glide for the pins.

 

[Number_35]

Arg, I just checked the FSM (which I should have done first), and you're all correct; the minimum acceptable pad thickness is 2.0 mm. Mine were down to around 6.5 mm. I may save the old ones and swap them in again at some point in the future.

 

[Wolf359]

Arg, I just checked the FSM (which I should have done first), and you're all correct; the minimum acceptable pad thickness is 2.0 mm. Mine were down to around 6.5 mm. I may save the old ones and swap them in again at some point in the future.

I suppose if you're broke one day and need brake pads. Otherwise it sounds like reusing a condom, no one does it. If you're going to go to that much trouble to remove the brake pads, always put in new ones.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

The OEM shop manual for my 04 shows front pads are 12mm and wear limits is 1mm. Looks like you had a few more months of service but can't faults you for changing them out.