Are my rear discs knackered?

[Mafioso]

My Fabia's rear brakes have looked like this for weeks, maybe months now and it's got to the point of irritation.

Here's the offside rear:



and here's the nearside, which looks worse:



Also, when the handbrake's on fairly tight, it still slips...

What do guys reckon?

Edited by Mafioso on Tuesday 8th June 14:12

ETA: it doesn't make a difference if it's been raining or I've been braking hard.

Edited by Mafioso on Tuesday 8th June 14:13

[hornetrider]

They look fine to me - handbrake cable probably needs tightening.

IANAM

[HellDiver]

VAG seized rear caliper alert!

[JR]

hornetrider said:

They look fine to me - handbrake cable probably needs tightening.

IANAM

IANAM??

There's a lot of pad deposits so they either need skimming or a new set of discs - price up the options.

[croyde]

Your discs look fine so check your pads. My rears are seriously lipped but plenty of meat on the pads and the garage reckoned that I could wait and change the discs when the pads are worn.

[Dominicc01]

Rust is normal on discs, and will build up quickly.
Rear brakes only really get used for heavy (emergency) stops - the rust will not be taken of under normal use as much. But if you're worried, have them checked over by a mechanic.

You may need the handbrake tightened.

[JR]

croyde said:

Your discs look fine so check your pads.

Do all of you guys really have that much dust welded to your discs?

[Mafioso]

JR said:

croyde said:

Your discs look fine so check your pads.

Do all of you guys really have that much dust welded to your discs?

That's what I was thinking! I know they're only the rears and don't do much work, but that surely can't be normal? I'm going to take it to my trusted mechanic for him to check anyway.

Cheers for your replies!

[hornetrider]

JR said:

hornetrider said:

They look fine to me - handbrake cable probably needs tightening.

IANAM

IANAM??

There's a lot of pad deposits so they either need skimming or a new set of discs - price up the options.

I am not a mechanic

There is plenty of meat on those discs and virtually no lip. Most older discs on daily driver's get into that state eventually. A good italian tune up should sort out the mild deposits on the disc surface if you ask me. It's certainly not the cause of the loose handbrake.

[JR]

hornetrider said:

JR said:

IANAM??

There's a lot of pad deposits so they either need skimming or a new set of discs - price up the options.

I am not a mechanic

There is plenty of meat on those discs and virtually no lip. Most older discs on daily driver's get into that state eventually. A good italian tune up should sort out the mild deposits on the disc surface if you ask me. It's certainly not the cause of the loose handbrake.

Ah, cheers. Maybe my Alfa just gets the italian tune up daily? :-) I'd say that there's too much deposited to let the car clean off the deposits... either way agree about the handbrake.

[Mafioso]

Agreed about the handbrake - probably just a coincidence. It is however going in on Thursday for new discs and pads!

[shalmaneser]

check the state of your rear calipers, i don't know if these are prone to seizing but it looks like they have done that to me. I'd be surprised if the right amount of brake effort is going to the disc.

You might consider taking it for a really hard thrash and hammering the brakes to see if you can get the discs looking any better before giving it to a mechanic.

[Mafioso]

shalmaneser said:

check the state of your rear calipers, i don't know if these are prone to seizing but it looks like they have done that to me. I'd be surprised if the right amount of brake effort is going to the disc.

You might consider taking it for a really hard thrash and hammering the brakes to see if you can get the discs looking any better before giving it to a mechanic.

Tried the thrashing of the brakes. Problem was I just couldn't get enough effort on the rears. Was even slightly applying the handbrake while doing about 30mph. Still didn't have an effect on the discs. Oh well!

[shalmaneser]

I suspect it's the calipers then, get the mechanic to check or you'll just have the same problem a few months later...

[Mafioso]

shalmaneser said:

I suspect it's the calipers then, get the mechanic to check or you'll just have the same problem a few months later...

Yeah he said he'd take it apart and see what the issue is. I trust them!

[graemes75]

My Fabia is even worse than that and has a band about 12mm thick all the way around the discs. Is it time for new pads / discs ? Also I wondered if the pads on the rear are the same size as the discs?

[LuS1fer]

I just had the rear rotors and pads changed on my Golf. It's amazing how used to a slack handbrake you get and mine still worked fine. Now it's solid and a few clicks and it's on. I suspect new pads might be in order.

[g3org3y]

Mafioso said:

shalmaneser said:

check the state of your rear calipers, i don't know if these are prone to seizing but it looks like they have done that to me. I'd be surprised if the right amount of brake effort is going to the disc.

You might consider taking it for a really hard thrash and hammering the brakes to see if you can get the discs looking any better before giving it to a mechanic.

Tried the thrashing of the brakes. Problem was I just couldn't get enough effort on the rears. Was even slightly applying the handbrake while doing about 30mph. Still didn't have an effect on the discs. Oh well!

Handbrake doesn't work through the pads and calipers - seperate 'brake shoes' on the inside iirc (at least it was that way on the E36)?

[Ninjaboy]

The pads need changing, my MG disks on the back looked like that. After the new pads where fitted theey wore fine again. Its way the piston puts more pressure on one side of the disk.

[hornetrider]

removalizer said:

I would normally fail the worst disc in the pictures on MOT, the other one would get an advisory

Remind me never to come to your garage you fussy bugger