When do I need to change my Brakes?

I have an SUV, nissan pathfinder. My front brakes have a little over 1/8 of an inch left, do I need to change them right now? or how low are they supposed to get before I need to change them?When do I need to change my Brakes?Umm, Dr Antony, air doesn't %26quot;permeate%26quot; brake fluid. As long as the system isn't opened (the hoses and fittings and bleeders, not the Master Cylinder caps), there will be no air in it. The only thing that brake fluid attracts is moisture, and if you have moisture/water in your fluid, you need to replace ALL the fluid. Bleeding only needs to be done if you say, replace a caliper or hose. But once it's bled, it stays bled unless you have a leak. And if you have a leak, you know it because you have basically NO brakes. Please refrain from commenting on things you obviously don't know.



Assuming these are glued (not riveted) pads, and assuming they are wearing evenly (not tapered), 1/8%26quot; could give you another maybe thousand miles (but of course, YMMV). If they are riveted, then you need to change them pronto, before the rivet heads start digging into the rotors (harsh grinding noises when you brake). Once the rivets hit the rotor, the rotor is trash. You can't cut those gouges out of it.



I would say just replace them now to be safe. Your front brakes provide 80% of your stopping power, so when in doubt, replace them. Bring the rotors to a local auto parts store (not a chain like pep boys or advance - they hire retards) and ask them to measure them. There is a minimum thickness that is considered safe, so its important to verify the thickness before you proceed. If they are ok, then have them machined (turned). This restores the rotor faces to brand new, and gives the new pads a uniform surface to bed into. If you install new pads without turning the rotors, it will take much longer for the pads to 'bed in' and give you full braking force. Once the new pads are installed, you have to baby the brakes for the first 10-20 miles. No hard braking.When do I need to change my Brakes?all brake pads have squeakers when they squeak they need changedWhen do I need to change my Brakes?I would change them, if you only have 1/8 inch left, but don't let them get to the point where the squeak is heard.The best bet is to look at the rotor, too. If the rotor is scored then change the rotors and the brake pads at the same time. Don't forget to bleed the brakes, too. You might as well when you are underneath the vehicle, as air always permeates the brake fluid.

Kind regards

Dr AntonyWhen do I need to change my Brakes?I would replace them very soon. You don't want then to start grinding into the rotors, that would cost you more money. All brakes do squeak, but some squeak for a reason.When do I need to change my Brakes?the squeeler on the pads will remind you that you need new ones before they get down to the rotors.