OK... Once again I am perplexed.

How long should a set of brake pads last?

I realize I'm asking a variable question along the lines of "How much does a bag of groceries cost," but ... I'm just looking for averages.

The other day while driving through the parking lot at work I heard the telltale "Cricket" noise coming from my brakes. The "scree scree scree" that went away the second I put some pressure on the brake pedal.

Got home, looked at my repair spreadsheet and sure enough, it's been 60,000 miles since I've done anything to the brakes, and that was new pads and resurfaced rotors.

Picked up new rotors and pads for all the wheels. I know that the rule is 2-3 sets of fronts for every rear, but since the rear cricket was going off, figured I'd be prepared.

Up on jackstands, popped off the wheels, and... oddly enough, all the pads look as if they were installed a month ago.

To me this just flat out seems impossible. I mean, I DID learn how to drive on a VW with drum brakes all around, and still drive as if I'm on all drums. But 60k miles on 4 pads and hardly any wear?

The car doesn't pull in either direction when braking, it acts absolutely fine. Are there any ideas what might be going on?

 

depends on how much you brake if youre in the city, youre gonna be using the brakes alot more than if you just drive on the highway. ive seen vehicles on original brake pads at nearly 200,000km because they were only highway driven

the scree noise could have been some sand or a large metallic piece in the pad itself

 

[Good to know about the 2-3 fronts for 1 rear rule]
Potentially frozen rear calipers maybe?

 

Check rear caliper pistons with a c clamp to see if the pistons aren't starting to seize up and check the slider pins and grease them with some caliper grease if need be. Are the rotors wearing? The screaching noise could either be the fact they are a harsh metallic pad or possibly your backing plate rubbing on the rotor. Take it to a wash and spray down any debris that may be there aswell.

 

Question on this -- I think I know what youre talking about, but doesn't the piston on the 2001 Max/I30 need to be rotated inwards instead of clamped?

 

i believe 5th gens do have twist in calipers. if they wont twist in, theyre seized. if you try to force the piston in with a C-clamp, you will ruin the caliper. have to be twisted in

 

something should be wearing especially in 60,000 miles, i swear i think my pads are low now and i only put 8,000 miles on these hawk pads

 

Definitely check the rear calipers for seizing. My I35 was a one owner upstate NY car when I bought it and both back calipers were seized to hell when I went to do a brake job last year.

 

Yeah, depends on how often you use the brakes and how hard as well as what brakes you use. A set of oem I've seen go over 100k miles on a friend's minivan. I was running cheap Autozone brakes on my '89 Max and was changing pads every three to six months. I simply went to oem pads on the same car - so same driving habits - and I was getting over two years out of the fronts, more on the rears.

Really, if you're stopping fine, little wear is definitely NOT a sign or indication of a problem.

 

I have magical non-wearing brakes on my 2000 also. Bought the car with 72K and have 100K now and the pads still look like they are new. Other than they squeal when cold, they work fine. Never encountered a set of brakes like this before.

If it ain't broke, I don't fix it.

 

If the caliper was completely seized your rotors should be showing signs of rust. Maybe they are just starting to seize up. If they're not too harsh and your calipers wind up being fine and the pads aren't chewing through your rotors quickly and aren't suealing like a pig I'd like to know where do you get a set of these magical non wearing pads lol

 

like AC said, classic sign of a seized caliper is the rotor will be rusty like the car sat in moisture for a couple weeks, but the other rotors will be clean. seized sliders usually show one brake pad wearing far more quickly than the other

 

Central IL...yeah, not a lot of city driving. LOL

As said above though, sticking rear caliper possibly - but both?

 

ive worked on maybe 2 dozen vehicles with a seized caliper, not once was the opposite side seized as well

 

Well, its about 900 below zero right now so I"m not about to tear into the system seeing as it still works.

Is there an easy way to disable the ABS temporarily for testing? I want to find an icy patch and lock up the wheels while someone watches, and see if any wheels keep on rolling (indicating stuck calipers)

 

have to remember to check the slide pins. I dont judge brakes by miles because that method depends on too many factors. I just inspect them and see where they are. FWIW that 2-3 fronts per rear change isnt right for my car thats for sure.

 

i disabled the ABS on my 3rd gen permanently by unplugging 1 ABS sensor, had no ABS after

 

If both pads on all four calipers are like new, then I would have to give you an applause. You obviously know how to work that brake pedal haha

But if you only checked the outer pad and they are barely worn, you might want to check the inner pad as well.

 

Wear indicators are on the inside pads. I bet you are only checking the outside pad. Slider pins are probably sticking and you have no springs. Clean the grease out of the pins and boots and holes and re grease.

 

On a side note, on my 4th gen if the calipers will retract with a c clamp, does that mean they are good?

How do you tell if they are starting to seize up as dennis indicated above?

 

And another question before I start searching the archives...

Is there a decent "un-seizing" procedure or is replacement the answer?

 

2-3 rule was back in the rear drum days.

If you had a seized caliper you would have uneven wear,,,, not just no wear.

Its fine,,,, just all highway or rural driving to chalk it up to.

 

if you have the non twist-in calipers (i think 4th gens do), and they press in with a C-clamp they are good. if they arent good, the caliper wont press in at all, or the caliper just starts pissing brake fluid out of the piston when you push it in. if the piston is seized you need to rebuild the caliper or replace it