Break Wear report - 32k miles

On normal cars the front wears faster than the rear. MY 2005 #2 package sticker says I have drums in the rear. Hmmmmmmm!

 

It only took 16 minutes for the explosion to occur. Too funny.

 

Couldn't help laughing out loud! Way to go!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jsorger\";p=\"70222)</div>

I don't have 100% new, but do have measurements from a vehicle with only a few thousand on the ODO although the use was a bit rough. Best guess is fronts are either 11 or 12 mm new (ours were 10.5 mm), our rears were 3.8 mm, thus I am not sure how you measured, suggesting between 4 or 5mm new.

The pads will not be even. The fronts take more load but have much less surface area. The rears are drums (unless you are in Europe), and have less load and much more surface area. I will try to get a few more data points from other vehicles to compare.

 

Regenerative braking can only be applied to the front, so the rear might supplement that, and get used more.

 

I just did my first(?)brake job on a Prius,1st gen,last week. It had the inner pad on the right side,had came loose from the backing plate. Still had 8mm left and the ODO showed 70(?)k. If not for that one pad,it would still be rolling along with the originals.Over all,you should get very long life from your brakes comparing to the average non hybrid.

 

8) rick57,

8mm front pads remaining.
5mm rear pads remaining.

He was asking how many mm thick are the vehicle pad and shoes to begin with on the 04's and 05's?

Ben

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(removeum\";p=\"70428)</div>

I don't have any new ones to check,Ben. In fact we had to order the pads on the brake job I did! But it would be a good assumption to figure about 12-13mm for the front and about 4-5mm for the rear. Just going on my experience with what I see. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius\";p=\"70488)</div>

That is odd? :roll: Typically the font wear out faster and to replace the rear you are looking at about 70+ miles when to change them.The front always wears faster due to the weight transfer when braking,the car noses over for example. This has been the way forever. If the rears are wearing faster then the front then I would think there is a distribution problem or the front calipers are stuck/pads stuck in holders/etc.

 

8) rick57,

If he is down to 8mm on the front and they are normally 12 or 13 mm new and only has 32k. Would you consider this average wear or not and if not at what point would the brakes need new pads?

Ben

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(removeum\";p=\"70665)</div>

Well Ben,average wear depends on the driving conditions;a lot of stop and go verses lots of highway driving. Also how hard does the driver use his brakes?Does he drive with both feet,one resting on the brake?At his rate(8mm at 32k) I would think he could make it to 70-80k before needing them. At about 3mm the low pad indicators(squealers)will be making noise to let you know they need looked at. 8)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jsorger\";p=\"70222)</div>

Japanese Toyota Tech Manual says...
Front pad new: 11.0mm, limit: 1.0mm
Front Disc new: 22.0mm, limit 20.0mm
Rear lining new: 4.0mm, limit 1.0mm
Rear Drum new: 200mm, limit 201mm

Regards,
Ken@Japan

 

Ok, let's project

If he started with 11 on the front and is at 8 after 30K miles, then that's 1mm/Kmile so with a lower limit of 1mm he has 70Kmiles to go, or 100Kmiles per front brake service.

On the rear he started with 4mm, and is now at 5mm. Eventually the rear pads will get so thick that they bind and will have to be replaced. However, the specs ken provided don't give us the max rear pad thickness

 

Actually, my 2000 GMC Sierra 1500, with 4 wheel disk brakes, was designed to use the rear brakes right to the limit of ABS engagement. Apparently GM wanted more even brake wear.

So I needed new rear pads at around 62,000km with the front pads still at 1/2. Good thing the rear pads only cost $45 as a set.

I don't know why North American Prius owners are so concerned about our cars having rear drums. I really like my brakes, they are *very* strong and inspire confidence.

With my 2000 GMC Sierra 1500, despite regular flushing and bleeding, I finally got into the habit of putting both feet on the brake pedal. Especially cold, the braking performance in that truck was s***. About the only time they grabbed good was if I drove in Duluth and rode the brakes all the way down those steep hills there.

Maybe that's why GM went back to drum rear brakes for 2005 models? The braking performance on my GMC truly sucked, downright scary when towing a trailer even with its own brakes.

 

From US repair manual:
Page 32-37:
18. INSPECT PAD LINING THICKNESS
(a) Using a ruler, measure the pad lining thickness.
Standard thickness: 11.0 mm (0.433 in.)
Minimum thickness: 1.0 mm (0.039 in.)

21. INSPECT DISC THICKNESS
(a) Using a micrometer, measure the disc thickness.
Standard thickness: 22.0 mm (0.866 in.)
Minimum thickness: 20.0 mm (0.787 in.)

From page 32-42:
5. INSPECT BRAKE DRUM INSIDE DIAMETER
(a) Using a brake drum gauge or equivalent, measure the inside
diameter of the drum.
Standard inside diameter: 200.0 mm (7.874 in.)
Maximum inside diameter: 201.0 mm (7.913 in.)

Page 32-44
12. INSPECT REAR DRUM BRAKE SHOE LINING
THICKNESS
(a) Using a ruler, measure the thickness of the shoe lining.
Standard thickness: 4.0 mm (0.157 in.)
Minimum thickness: 1.0 mm (0.039in.)

5 mm on rear shoe is more than standard (new) so rear shoes are practically unused. May need adjustment.

 

Thanks Dan:

Good point on checking the rear shoes for proper adjustment. Remember the "self adjuster" cam only works when the car is in reverse.

At least once a week, I like to pick out a safe area, reverse at a normal walking pace, and hammer the brakes. I repeat this several times and the braking always seems to feel better after I'm done.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jayman\";p=\"70985)</div>

Sorry but the Toyota's don't adjust when backing up like domestics. You must use the e-brake to adjust the rears. I found this out long ago after coming from a Cad/Olds dealer. Just try to use the e-brake after many miles and you will notice that it comes up high and the brake pedal is going lower then before. I always suggest to customers to use it at least every 2-3 weeks,if just to set it a few times and release it. It also keeps the cables freed up. :wink: