Brake pad thickness - 2004 Hymer B-Class (Fiat)

[Lizbiebrowne]

Jacked the van up today and took off one of the rear wheels to check out the brakes well ahead of our trip to Spain and (hopefully) Morocco in the autumn. The inside pad had about 9 mm thickness left, the outside pad about 7 mm. Is this difference significant and are these pads good for a 5000 mile trip later this year?

I've changed brake pads on cars before but not on a van - I assume it's a similar process. is there a particular brand of brake pads that people recommend? Am I ok forcing the brake fluid back into the master cylinder when fitting new pads? Thanks in advance.

 

[Silver-Fox]

I would fit new pads.

A brake caliper is a brake caliper no matter what vehicle it is on.
Well rears can be a bit different.

I normally undo the master cylinder cap to press the pistons in.

 

[NR]

 

[Lenny HB]

They are fine I wouldn't change them until down to 3mm.

 

[Landy Andy]

If you are very worried change the pads. They are not costly. If you are only a little concerned by the brake pads and take them with you.

The pads new would be somewhere between 15-20mm. So if you know the mileage that you’ve covered covered since their last change this may help you.

Personally I think you will have no issues with doing another 5thou miles on them.

But they are a simple job to do.

 

[oldiesontour]

Pistons may be wind back type,parts in motion ( often with discounts on eBay tend to supply quality parts quickly

 

[Spanner]

The usual reason for uneven wear is due to sticking caliper slider pins.
It’s not good practice to push fluid back to the master cylinder, put a hose clamp on the flexible hose to the caliper, open the bleed nipple half a turn and push the piston back.

 

[Just smiffy]

If it was the fronts then I’d say do them but I think you’ll be fine for your trip with them being on the rear, they don’t wear so quickly as the fronts, as said take a new pair with you just in case. They don’t take up much room…

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Check both sides though, wear rates can differ quite significantly from nearside, to offside. Pagid are a good brand if looking to take a spare set. Presumably you've got the same procedure to do to the fronts?

 

[Lizbiebrowne]

Check both sides though, wear rates can differ quite significantly from nearside, to offside. Pagid are a good brand if looking to take a spare set. Presumably you've got the same procedure to do to the fronts?

Yes, I shall look at all four wheels. I saw the difference in wear on the first wheel and it made me start thinking about the procedure for replacing them.

 

[dunnah01]

7-9mm on the rears - sounds like you may need to replace them in the next 5-10 years

 

[Bessy765]

Fronts do 70% plus of the braking

 

[Lizbiebrowne]

If the pads are wearing unevenly would it be considered poor practice to swap them around (on the same disc)?

 

[Lenny HB]

If the pads are wearing unevenly would it be considered poor practice to swap them around (on the same disc)?

Problem with that is the brakes won't work very well until the pads have fully bedded in which will probably take quite a few miles.

 

[Silver-Fox]

If the pads are wearing unevenly would it be considered poor practice to swap them around (on the same disc)?

Not something I would do and some pads are handed.

Also they have bedded into the shape of the disc.

Pads are cheap so not worth messing with them imho

 

[pappajohn]

I would fit new pads.

A brake caliper is a brake caliper no matter what vehicle it is on.
Well rears can be a bit different.

I normally undo the master cylinder cap to press the pistons in.

And put a bit of rag under the cylinder just incase it overflows.
Doubtful but possible.

 

[Silver-Fox]

And put a bit of rag under the cylinder just incase it overflows.
Doubtful but possible.

Yes agreed.

I usually use kitchen roll.
But it f you havnt topped up the master and only do one calliper at a time you shouldn’t get an overflow.

Shouldn’t being the operative word

 

[PhilG]

If the pads are wearing unevenly would it be considered poor practice to swap them around (on the same disc)?

Yes.

By the nature of a single piston caliper, you always see slight variation, with a stuck caliper you see massive variation.

2mm isnt excessive to me, but 10 would be cause to strip and clean everything.

On Motorcycle brakes where they are easily seen, i dont go below 50% on the front, as the heat transfer goes up exponentially as the thickness decreases. Easy to boil the fluid on track, just because they are low.

 

[Landy Andy]

If the pads are wearing unevenly would it be considered poor practice to swap them around (on the same disc)?

That is not good practice. Leave them, or do the full job.

Pad wear will never be 100 matched. You will always have a bit more on one than the other. Only when they are very different would I be concerned. But when you fit new pads, clean and strip whist there and then you know it is all good.

If you have any concerns get the job done. Holidays aren’t for worrying

 

[dunnah01]

If the pads are wearing unevenly then the caliper has a problem. 2/4 pots are usually a sticking piston and single pots are usually a sticking slider. Easy enough to sort out once you can get at them but garage should be able to tell very quickly.

 

[Landy Andy]

On any sliding caliper, which most rear calipers are, the first pad has to press against the disc first, and that then pulls the slider across to use the second pad. So pad wear won’t be even.

 

[Grummyb]

we have pad wear warnings on the lorries and they dont activate until 25% so 2 mm difference on a van pad is 10% difference maximum so nothing to worry about and about half worn

 

[Lizbiebrowne]

I’ve moved onto the front end today. Offside pads are 12 mm each, near side are 11 and 9 mm - less overall wear on the offside but I’ve never noticed any pulling when I brake.

In the spirit of trying to enhance familiarity with the van’s systems I removed the nearside front caliper but, not realising there was a wear indicator, I pulled the wire out of the pad. So, new pads bought which I’ll fit tomorrow. Thanks everyone for your comments and guidance - much appreciated.

 

[Silver-Fox]

I’ve moved onto the front end today. Offside pads are 12 mm each, near side are 11 and 9 mm - less overall wear on the offside but I’ve never noticed any pulling when I brake.

In the spirit of trying to enhance familiarity with the van’s systems I removed the nearside front caliper but, not realising there was a wear indicator, I pulled the wire out of the pad. So, new pads bought which I’ll fit tomorrow. Thanks everyone for your comments and guidance - much appreciated.

Can I suggest as I don’t know how you do your pads.

Throughly clean all the calipers well especially where the pads touch the calipers.

Only use c-tech lubricant on the sliding parts and back of the pads.

Not trying to teach Granny how to suck eggs so no offence intended

 

[Lizbiebrowne]

Can I suggest as I don’t know how you do your pads.

Throughly clean all the calipers well especially where the pads touch the calipers.

Only use c-tech lubricant on the sliding parts and back of the pads.

Not trying to teach Granny how to suck eggs so no offence intended

None taken, always ready to learn and take advice. Thank you.

 

[Silver-Fox]

None taken, always ready to learn and take advice. Thank you.

Should have said I use a brass wire brush for initial cleaning.