"We change discs to manufacturers spec" (swiftchange' place)

[CDP]

If you really wanted to save money changing brake pads is little more difficult than changing a wheel.

[Superhoop]

Are you sure he didn't mean manufacturer's minimum spec?

All discs have a quoted minimum thickness.

If he meant new spec, then they're robbing s - Any disc that has been used for say 10k, will always be below the thickness of a new disc

[seagrey]

The ministry of transport will only get its figures/tolerances from the particular manufacturer in the firsrt place.

[900T-R]

Over here, the manufacturer's spec for minimum disc thickness would serve as the MOT(-equivalent, obviously) standard for pass/fail (simply 'significant wear', observed visually, would result in an advisory). Can't see it being any other way in other EU countries given that most aspects of the test will need to comply to EU guidelines.

(ah, beaten to it by seagrey!)

[steveo3002]

theyd be a poor show if they fitted new pads to discs that are worn below min thickness

go to a non fast fit place and see what they say

[Corsair7]

Muppets at quick fit tried this on many years ago with me.... said the disks were worn and that they did not comply to manufacturers spec (for THINKNESS!!!).


Car was a 6 month old Escort. I hadn't even gone in for anything to do with my brakes, just a puncture.....

"free Brake check sir??"


Yeah, free as in 300 quid.....

[otolith]

I once had a fast fit place tell me I needed new discs. I nodded and thanked them, and then checked the specifications when I got home - their measurement was about half way between new and minimum thickness. Just trying it on.

If it's just pads, why not DIY?

[Mr2Mike]

Corsair7 said:

Muppets at quick fit tried this on many years ago with me.... said the disks were worn and that they did not comply to manufacturers spec (for THINKNESS!!!)

My discs rarely think either

[900T-R]

otolith said:

If it's just pads, why not DIY?

I've emptied an engine bay and put it all back together after an engine rebuild twice, the last time of which I basically rebuilt the car from a rolling shell as all of the interior and most of the wiring loom, lights etc were taken out of the car as well.

However unless in an emergency, I always pay someone to do any work on suspension or brakes - even something as simple as changing pads. Being stranded on the hard shoudler as a result of my own stupidity is one thing...

[otolith]

900T-R said:

However unless in an emergency, I always pay someone to do any work on suspension or brakes - even something as simple as changing pads. Being stranded on the hard shoudler as a result of my own stupidity is one thing...

Similar consequences to incorrectly refitting a road wheel, though...

I agree with the sentiment, and wouldn't try to rebuild a calliper or disassemble the suspension, but replacing the consumable friction surfaces is usually trivial. And even if you pay to have it done, the job is very likely to go to the YTS boy.

I did pay to have the pads changed on the Lotus, I admit, but it was being serviced by a specialist at the time and I could barely buy the pads for what he offered to supply and fit for.

[Rude-boy]

900T-R said:

I've emptied an engine bay...

Thought of you on Saturday as I saw a Dutch registered red 4x4 van thing with Dutch plates at Dover with a couple of 900's on a trailer

[E30M3SE]

hora said:

I forget to mention - On the MOT-thickness bit he said on MOT's they dont test the thickness of discs as they don't take the wheel off.

Is this true?

Nothing is dismantled on a car during a MOT.

[Leptons]

900T-R said:

However unless in an emergency, I always pay someone to do any work on suspension or brakes - even something as simple as changing pads. Being stranded on the hard shoudler as a result of my own stupidity is one thing...

This never fails to baffle me. I mean I just don't get why people st themselves when it comes to brakes and suspension. If you can rebuild engines brakes are childs play.
And this mentality "well I'd rather have a professional do it"? Take a look around your local fast fit place. They couldn't gaf. Scraping a couple of quid more than minimum wage and waiting for home time.
Precisely why I do all my work myself - so I know its been done right!

[carmadgaz]

E30M3SE said:

hora said:

I forget to mention - On the MOT-thickness bit he said on MOT's they dont test the thickness of discs as they don't take the wheel off.

Is this true?

Nothing is dismantled on a car during a MOT.

However they can and do look at them when the vehicle is up in the air (I always watch the lads when they do my MOTs.)

Sometimes these checks are useful, I took my winter shed in for some new tyres last year and they actually brought me out of the waiting area and showed me the pads and asked me if I wanted them changing. There was almost no friction material on them (<1mm) at all so I'm glad they did!

[900T-R]

Leptons said:

If you can rebuild engines

I don't. I have taken one or two out to have rebuilt in my time, and put them back in with most or all of the peripherals changed/upgraded, management systems changed inc wiring loom etc.

Leptons said:

And this mentality "well I'd rather have a professional do it"? Take a look around your local fast fit place. They couldn't gaf. Scraping a couple of quid more than minimum wage and waiting for home time.

And even then, they tend to be a bit more, er, 'organised' in doing a job than yours truly... In the real world, though, I take my car to a one man band specialist or a motorsport/performance outfit where the same people who take care of 911 racers and Lotus Elan historic racers, change my brake pads.

Leptons said:

Precisely why I do all my work myself - so I know its been done right!

I, on the other hand, have more trust in the experience and capability of the people I work with than in my own. And as I'm either behind a desk or on the road from Monday-Friday between 06.00 and 19.00 I don't see me closing that gap any time soon even if I were a little more careful and organised!

[parapaul]

hora said:

However to say a term 'we change to manufacturer specs' is a wee bit woolly. I mean if told that how many people would say 'sure- show me the literature from Ford themselves that says our discs should be this thick'. Not many I guess they just shrug and pay.

I forget to mention - On the MOT-thickness bit he said on MOT's they dont test the thickness of discs as they don't take the wheel off.

Is this true?

Buy brake discs from a motor factor, and there's a minimum thickness printed on the box, possibly even on the disc itself. I'm sure genuine Ford parts have the same tolerances marked somehow.

And yes, that's true

[gforceg]

I've fitted brembo discs to a couple of my cars and they have two divots in the friction surface, one deeper then the other. When the shallower divot is no longer visible, you've used some of the disc. When the deeper divot is warn away, replace the discs. Foolproof.

Edited by gforceg on Tuesday 18th October 11:25

[_g_]

Not quite the same, but one MOT place told me after a quick check over the bike "don't even bother with that one today, it's going to need new pads on both ends". I'd taken three bikes in and thought he might have been fobbing me off, but later experience showed he ALWAYS moaned about pads.

I duly ordered new pads and fitted the. The old front pads had just over 1/2 the material of the new ones (fine) and the rear pads had 7/8 left - yes they were practically brand new.

I was going to have a moan, but he was 'flexible' on the headlamp alignment (it was a competition dirt bike) so I didn't make a fuss.

[CDP]

A mate (and I do mean a mate, not me) once had his rotor break free from the hub due to wear in the discs! He was a student at the time and running a 309 on a very low budget, though manged to afford very expensive stereo equipment...

I'd never heard of it happening before but one of the garages had pictures of several cars where the discs had failed in this way. I suppose that's how they fail if you leave it too long.