Does anyone have a way to check our brake pads to see if they are wearing thin?

I would like to know how to do this myself. I don't want to get duped by a Acura tech.

If someone could provide detailed instructions on checking the life remaining on the pads, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks much!

 

take off the wheel and look at them....

 

Given the TL rims you don't even have to take them off..... A mechanics articulating/observation mirror works well....

 

So you are saying that if I had a small mirror, I could easily see it?

 

Check the 3G Garage link below. Look at the first picture below the brake pad, which shows the caliper. Look through the back end of the caliper and you will see the rotor and the pads on each side. Then you can quickly tell if either pad is wearing. One pad (I forget which but I think it is the inner) will wear quicker than the other because it is the first to contact the rotor when light pressure is applied to the brake pedal.

D-041: FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PAD INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118283

 

put your car in reverse, take your foot off the pedal, and press the brake slightly. if you hear squeeks, then your pads are nearing the end of its life. at least that's what one of the service rep told me at the dealer

 

You can get the same effect in forward. There are wear indicators on the pads, which are just metal pieces sticking out so that when the lining gets low they will contact the rotor and make a helluva noise.

I think they are designed so they don't scratch or score the rotor, but why take a chance? Best to check and replace when they get down to a certain thickness, as specified in the service manual.

 

I suppose there is risk of being "duped", but the risk of being identified as a crook to sell a set of pads is not a compelling reason to be suspicious. Ben Franklin's "penny wise, pound foolish" was, and is, great advice.

Honestly, in something as important as brakes, if someone has to ask how to check wear limits on the pads, they might be better off having a trained mechanic do it, or have a knowledgeable amateur demonstrate. Brake safety is not just about pad life, but also checking for leaks, proper function of the caliper (esp as it relates to release), and condition of the rotor. It is a system - and like any system, any one element can throw it off. (One may have a strong heart, and a brain tumor - does that make one healthy?).

Anyway, the pad can certainly be inspected by sight without removing the wheel, but can you eyeball the difference between a few mm's? I can't, so I use precision calipers.

 

Millimeters by naked eye-yes. Thousands of an inch-no. I guess if you're concerned with pad wear down to even a millimeter you would be well past my "replacement" parameters. Even though most pads no longer utilize rivets, letting either pad (inner/outer) get thinner than 3/32nds of an inch is just asking for failure or scored rotors.
If your talking warped and/or scored rotors and determining thickness requirements/results after lathe work, thats when I brake out the micrometer/calipers. Leave this to a competent brake tech/service dude - some will grind no mater what, others will check the thickness req and ensure your rotors can be turned appropriately.

Road Rage is right that their is more to brakes than a visual pad check.

Given o-ring technology and caliper/cylinder construction, leaks are very rare. Most leaks, though usually visible, will result in brakepads grabbing/pulling while stopping due to the brake fluid getting on the pads. Although, don't assume you have a leak due to the fluid level decreasing in the master cylinder. This is usually just the fact that as mileage accrue, brake pads wear thus more fluid remains in the caliper/slave cylinders at each wheel vs the underhood reservoir.
As far as each wheel is concerned, you shouldn't have a "significant" wear difference between the inner and outer pad(should be parallel wear also). If you have a significant difference etc., you probably have caliper/sticking issues.
The rotors are pretty straight forward. If they haven't been turned/on the lathe previously, smooth surface and no brake shimmy - you're good to go. If brake shimmy present, get them measured and turned. On the other hand, if they have been turned/lathed before, replacements will most likely be required. Most rotors are thin to begin with and may only allow one lathe attempt, depending on the severity of "warpage/scoring". Thats why you want a competent professional to make that determination. Turning a rotor beyond manufacturers specs is not only asking for quick warping but also dangerous.
The pads themselves, as I stated above anything less than 1/8th or 3/32nds of an inch is where I am definitely changing etc.. As someone mentioned above, the built in rotor scrapper on most OEM pads will result in an annoying squeal when pads are close to replacement category.. I myself always go by the visual vs waiting for the scrapper. You may not have a scrapper and/or I have worked on brakes that were "gone" yet the customer spoke of very little to no squeal.

Brakes can be a very inexpensive maintenance item on a car. You just need to treat them more like an oil change vs only thinking about them when they start acting up etc. Proper inspections etc. can get you by with only pad replacements and maybe a rotor turn for the entire time you own the car.




cheers all