strange brake pad wear...

[brightside]

I was recently getting a wierd noise every so often when braking or just driving along, so I thought the pad's may be on there way out, even though the warning light hadnt come on.

I got out and checked the outer pads and they still had a fair bit of meat on them, so presumed I had a stone or something stuck behind the splash plate.

I took the wheels off in work to check the pads and see if there was a stone stuck anywhere to my horror, the inner pads where near enough metal to metal.

I was quite surprised as the outer pads where still good for a few thousand more miles, is this common or could there be something wrong?

[brightside]

forgot to mention I have changed the pads now after a quick call round the local suppliers lol

[rallymaneddie]

forgot to mention I have changed the pads now after a quick call round the local suppliers lol
Hi Brightside, was that front or rear pads? Just noticed last night that the outside pads on the rear wheels of my 2007 Sport 'Project' are very close to the discs. Was going to get a set of pads, with a view to changing them over the weekend, until I started looking on the forum and realised that you need 90 quid's worth of box of tricks to sort out the motors. Beginning to wonder if there is anything straight forward about these cars.

[brightside]

it was on the fronts mate, but the rears are getting there also, again on the inner pads.

[Cylon2007]

as the inner pads are wearing more I'd check that the caliper is 'floating' correctly. you only have pistons on the one side (inner) so if the caliper doesn't move freely on it's pins you can get accelrated wear on the inner pad.

[pendle wizard]

Hi just wanted to say, I experienced the same problem a bit of noise from the front like a stone trapped, took wheels off and drivers side inner pad was down to steel all other pads looked ok. (passat sport tdi 2006)

[DSG4ME]

It's not uncommon tbh, I've seen a few threads around the net saying the same thing.

[martin1810]

It's quite normal for the inside pad to wear more than the outside one. That's why just looking at one pad is not a good check.

[brightside]

yeah usually, but this is like theres a fair bit left on the outer pads, considering the inner pads are down to metal. Also the indicator light didnt come on?

[Quatrelle]

yeah usually, but this is like theres a fair bit left on the outer pads, considering the inner pads are down to metal. Also the indicator light didnt come on?
Isn't the wear sensor in the outside pad?

[drmartin]

No wear indicator is on the inside front near side only, therefore you can have the 3 others down to the metal and still not get the brake wear indication light on, especially if your calipers are not floating correctly..

Martin

[Quatrelle]

No wear indicator is on the inside front near side only, therefore you can have the 3 others down to the metal and still not get the brake wear indication light on, especially if your calipers are not floating correctly..

Martin
Interesting then that Brightside's warning light didn't come on.

I knew there was only one - I obviously didn't know what side though!:o

[the surfer]

I changed the front pads on mine last month. Inner offside had worn right down to the metal, outer had probably about 5k miles left in it. Nearside was pretty even. I thought this was slightly odd, but put it down to the fact of the extra weight on that corner, seeing as 90% of my mileage is me driving alone. Not sure if that's a feasible conclusion...

[brightside]

Mines is wearing the inside pads on all 4 corner's. just dont have the funds to do the rears yet. (there not quite metal to metal, but needs doing asap)

The Brake Pad warning light didnt come on, and it was well and truly down to metal. Thought this was odd myself. I got my mate to make sure everything was sitting correctly and clean from dust and other crud when he puts the pads in for me.

I'll just have to see what these wear like now. Whats the average miles on pads on these?

(fitted apec pads)

[the surfer]

I'll just have to see what these wear like now. Whats the average miles on pads on these?



My Passat has done 60k and it's on it's third set of front pads and second set of rears. So around 20k miles for the fronts and around 35-40k miles for rears. I have used TRW pads.

[Stuart W]

Second front pads required at 123,000 and original discs replaced at same time.

Original rear pads replaced at 90,000, still on original discs.

It's a taxi so not a motorway mile muncher, so presumably I don't drive as hard as 'the surfer', although I'm not the slowest in the world either :o

[Stuart W]

My Passat has done 60k and it's on it's third set of front pads and second set of rears. So around 20k miles for the fronts and around 35-40k miles for rears. I have used TRW pads.

So the original kit wasn't any better than the TRWs?

[brightside]

They looked like the original pads on mine, (but it's full VWSH) my car's on about 74K, the discs are still good though. Slightly scored the inside of the O/S front disc, but nothing major.


My Seat Leon did around 112K before I changed the original disc's on that, and they where still usuable (upgraded the brakes)

Also any opinions on Apec? Ive never used them personally, but they came recommended from friends

[A4 Lad]

Apec are great brakes, I have used them for over 10 years on a daily basis and never had a squealing or bad fitting set.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk as I forget how to use a full size keyboard !

[brightside]

good to know. thanks :)

[the surfer]

My Passat has done 60k and it's on it's third set of front pads and second set of rears. So around 20k miles for the fronts and around 35-40k miles for rears. I have used TRW pads.

Sorry! Spot the obvious mistake... I can't add up :D Third set (I assume) seeing as old pads were TRW (non OE) were replaced at 60k, so that means around 30k per set for the front, not 20k as I said before. I got the car at 48k miles so unsure of it's history, although it was FVWSH so I'd imagine they'd have replaced brake pads prematurely for the extra work, as they do...

Again, assuming I'm on the second set of rear pads.

I'm guessing the discs, front and back, are still original.



Second front pads required at 123,000 and original discs replaced at same time.

Original rear pads replaced at 90,000, still on original discs.

It's a taxi so not a motorway mile muncher, so presumably I don't drive as hard as 'the surfer', although I'm not the slowest in the world either :o

Like I said above, I got the car at 48k miles, so I just assumed I changed over the second set (TRW). I don't think TRW are OE, or are they? If they are then they may be the originals, although I doubt it.

I really don't drive hard at all. Everyone tells me I drive like an old woman, which in a lot of ways I agree.


So the original kit wasn't any better than the TRWs?

Again, unsure as I never had the car from new. TRWs were the brand that my local auto parts dealer recommended.

[vwcabriolet1971]

Uneven pad wear like this is more likely to be caused by by caliper binding on its guide pins but could be caused by pads sticking on the carrier. A good cleanup and re-lube of guide pins should fix the problem. Lots of garages don't take the time & trouble to remove the rust from the carrier pad sliding surfaces. Also its a good idea to check for free "float" movement of the caliper before the new pads are fitted. This allows a check to made over the full "float" travel.