replace discs with pads every time?

Currently reading:
replace discs with pads every time?

QuboTastic

New member
Joined
Apr 7, 2016
Messages
52
Points
26
I'm an old person so I never had to replace the discs on my cars ever... it was a sign of not taking care of your car because you neglected replacing the pads and therefore destroyed the discs...

but nowadays I hear people are saying they replace the discs with the pads all the time...

I do about 100 miles a day for commute and 400 miles 2x weekends a month too...

I have done 30,000 miles since a bought the Qubo...

I had the brakes checked a couple months ago when I heard some noises whilst breaking and mechanic said it was just loads of dust which he blew out that was causing noise, brakes were fine and that I'd see the light come on when i needed new pads...

fast forward to now, the check brake light has come on intermittently and I went to different garage as it was closer and they said I needed discs and pads for 190 quid total.

went to another garage and they said discs could be replaced as there is a lip on the outside edge of the discs... i can see there is a slight lip on the disc, it is small, probably not even a mm i would guess but no routing on the face of the disc, it is nice and flat...

this independent shop will do pads and new discs for 40 quid less then previous shop...

given the miles I do and that it is normal that discs don't last like they used to should I go ahead and get discs changed too?
 
I've had discs on my grande punto that cost 20 pounds for the pair the pads where good and as a result the cheap steel wore very rapidly, I also note that cheap discs rust immediately after washing but quality ones do not suggesting again a vast difference in the quality and composition of the metal, refacing within tolerances is still an option but at today's prices if a new set is used every few years I guess it's no issue. Pad material can be very hard now also in respect to the hardness of the disc dependant on sinter and make up of the pad.
 
Replace discs and pads together.
It is a false economy to just change pads. The old discs will not have worn totally flat. The new pads friction material will be flat. Therefore the contact area between disc and pads will be very small.
It will take many hundreds of miles for the pads to wear to match the discs(bed in)
In the meantime you will have truly terrible dangerously poor brakes.
Be warned.
 
Methinks some people are getting carried away..... If there is only a slight lip as you say then just a set of pads will be fine but just check the inner disc face first - for some strange reason these often wear or corrode more than the outer face. The reason wear effects have changed is the lack of asbestos in modern brake linings, the result being harder ones which wear discs etc quicker.
 
The problem with new pads on used discs, even if the discs are not below the minimum specified thickness, is the vastly reduced contact area between new flat friction material and wavy worn disc .
This results in localised over heating of friction material , where it does touch disc, glazing and potentially damaging the pad.
The glazing of the pad material results in an even longer bed in period.
Much more importantly brake effort is seriously reduced , especially during emergency braking due to the pads over heating and out gassing.
Great quality discs can be found very cheaply.
Trying to save a few pounds by compromising brake safety is not a sane choice.
I have seen front brake discs worn down to a thickness of around 5mm by people just changing pads repeatedly, clearly dangerous.
 
If any one wants to properly reface their used discs, as long as they will be greater than minimum thickness after machining, to use new pads that is acceptable.
I have never found that to be cheaper than new discs however.
 
Back
Top