As a rule, I'm highly critical of UA-cam presenters as to professional (or entertaining) content, clarity, factual information, etc . . . that said, I rate this video A+. Nice work!
Being from the rust belt of Michigan, it's important to check wear between the inside and outside pad. If there is a big difference, check your slide pins. I found that my pins had seized due to rust. The inside pad was getting all the wear while the outside looked ok. Due to the pin being rust "welded", I replaced the caliper also.
I think this could be happening with mine, when I look at the rotor there is only shiny metal in the middle then a thick rim of rust on the outside, seems like only the middle of the pad is actually being used.
Well-greased, free-moving slider pins are so important... and when they get rust-welded in, sometimes not all the heat in the world will release them. I actually was able to bend one of the pins, it was so seized..... new caliper time! yay! lol
Thank you. I'd been recommended to change all four rotors and pads, and this would have been okay, as I knew the job must be pending but I did further research and ended up just taking the whole wheel off for a good look, as you showed. And this gave me a much better view. A neighbour helped me check first, as you showed. I've just done fronts for now and I'm more confident in checking periodically. Your editing skills raised the quality and value for me. You've affirmed belief that I can monitor pads more closely and finesse those last few mm. I noticed the fore part of the pad can be thinner than the aft (rear) part. Thanks again.
In New England I find that pads and rotors go bad quicker due to the rust. Slide pins get stuck, the pads get stuck in the brackets, the calipers seize, the rotors get nice big rust rings/lips, etc! Customers sometimes complain about having just replaced their brakes the previous year and only did 10k miles and not their brakes are bad again?! This can happen! The best kept cars are garaged, people who are easy on their brakes, people who don't let their cars sit too long, etc. Didn't think I would like this video, but you literally said everything I tell customers! Liked!
"People who don't let their cars sit too long" I have a 20 year old Subaru that doesn't get driven all that much anymore, but I make a point of taking it out once or twice a week, even if its just a trip to the grocery store.. Anything to get the engine running and the wheels turning. ;) I agree.. bad juju to just let a car sit and sit and sit..
I've always done same as what Josh states here, just checked the pads and rotors on my 1988 Mazda truck last week; at 233K miles, still on factory rotors and rear drums. And my 1998 Frontier (275K) and my 2004 Frontier (106K) are still on their original rotors and rear drums as well.
Great video. My PSATs in HS showed my top strength was in mechanics. So these videos are right up my alley and I love to really understand them. You make it simple for this retired nurse to understand. Thank you!😊
Such an honest, professional explanation. Thanks for this most useful content, cars are crucial and expensive to maintain if the owners don't know about mechanics. Also it is easy to be scammed or tricked into buying new parts when some of the parts are still useful .
your video was a huge huge huuugggee help. I thought hearing the grinding noise would mean I have to spend hundreds on calipers, pads, and rotors. Aaaannnddd seeing how easily you took out the brake pad I am 100% confident I can do it myself and save hundreds. Thank you so much. What a relief.
I was just told I'm at 4mm and a little rust on the rotors. They showed a picture of the pads and they said I could wait but recommended the rotors as soon as possible. $1200 for the front and back before taxes. They nuts!!!
I’m sorry for your loss. Learning about usual car maintenance is pretty easy and for everyone regardless of our background. UA-cam has many quick, helpful videos other than this to learn how to inspect when your car needs certain things maintained and/or replaces other than this one. I wish you the best, and I hope you find the courage (and patience) to even work on your own car. Best wishes
I had a couple thoughts to add, first and foremost don't rely on those brake wear indicators because they can rot off even in non-salted areas. Secondly, don't go to the dealer at all unless you absolutely have a need to because after 2020 and probably for the next five years, most dealers are running this scam where a brake problem comes in, quote $1500 for parts and labor, and offer to buy your vehicle and give you money down on a new lease after the job is declined. The dealers don't even work on cars either, just slap on new parts and attempt to dupe folk who don't know any better into fearing a false repair bill. It's not like dealers haven't done it before but seems to be more widespread currently. Anyways great video, nice to see UA-cam recommending channels like yours. They never seem to feature mine.
During covid my piano teacher got a brand new Honda passport, her previous car, 06 Honda pilot was in perfect working condition. I wasn't sure why she got a different car but she said that her car had a bunch of problems yada yada. She might've been duped from a dealer like you said, stealerships are such a scam. Just last week I needed my wheel locks to be removed and replaced with regular lug nuts (I lost the key and didn't want to buy a new one, I also provided the lug nuts) and they quoted me $57, for what?
@@cjadventures8840 I bought a lug nut remover tool from Auto Zone for probably $15 (it was a while ago, so I don't remember the exact price) and took off all the locking lug nuts.
No idea where you got that information from, but sounds like a lot of here say. I’ve been at dealers for 10 years and have never experienced this from west to east coast. Not saying there aren’t people like this, but it’s not a dealer problem, it’s a tech problem. Independent shops if anything are worse. I’ve been at independent shops that were extremely shady. Thanks to me, they got sued and had to pay out.
@codywinkle2303 I've been waiting over a year to clarify my comment. I can agree that the issues I've had could be related to the shop itself and not particularly associated with dealerships. Like yourself, I have had service done at dealerships before and usually didn't have much hearsay to be heard. However, in the last year I had an independent shop and a dealership do parts gouging and parts slapping, that's the dealer I mentioned in my previous comment that wanted $1500 for a brake caliper and front brakes. I declined their offer and then went to the independent shop that wanted $1200 for new brakes and rotors for all four wheels and a reman caliper. No one wanted to fix a simple seized caliper and warped rotor, they wanted to overcharge and scare me into believing the car would "catch on fire" as the dealership's service advisor put it to force the sale. A week later that dealership sent a letter offering money down on the vehicle attempting to force another sale. The hostile buying and selling technique by the dealer is what I wrote about, but I didn't have a bad experience at the independent shop yet that would have changed my perspective on things. I would have commented something different.
@@aku2dimensional Same happened to me at an Audi Dealership Service last year during maintenance nearing the end of my lease (under 20k miles after 35 months back then). And by what you wrote here now all makes sense for me. My front break-pads were "reported" in the high red zone, while the read pads were "reported" in the mid yellow zone. Was quoted $1700+ just for the front ones. I declined and decided to postpone changing them(not at dealership) till I really have to head for a long drive or the censors notify me that they are due for change. Earlier this year I bought out the lease. And now in July, just had my 4th maintenance video report and "somehow" all break-pads are back at the low green zone.
Excellent presentation. I have been doing my own brakes since I was 16. I’m now 64 drive a Lexus and just put on new ceramic front brakes for $40! I hate gettin screwed
We live in the Southern Sierra just outside Sequoia National Park (like a half mile outside). It’s a forty mile trip to shopping or doctor appointments. One way. If not for tourists and two traffic lights, I can and have driven all the way without using my brakes at all. And that’s downhill. Coming back is even easier. Drivers from the flats amaze me at how much braking they do. Especially uphill. I often remark to my wife, ‘I’ll bet that driver buys brakes pretty often”. My 2017 Tacoma has 49k on it and is nowhere NEAR ready for pads. Cheers. Good video
Thank you for this! I'm trying to learn to service my own vehicle because service shop prices are INSANE. Plus it's just interesting! I love this video. Covers the important material with detail and context, no condescending attitude or acting like we should already know this stuff! And its explained very simply too so even people who aren't in the trade can understand. 10/10. Love it. You have a new fan!
it's also empowering to be able to do it yourself. :) changing oil, brake pads, and spark plugs are the big ones to know, but i've found out that even changing water pumps and radiators is ... well, much more difficult, but very much do-able. i have had BMW's and now a Mercedes, so i "had to" change the radiator myself, and it is not easy, but absolutely do-able. especially with all these great youtube videos of regular people doing it themselves
Here in Maine the roads are paved with salt for 5 months. The rotors build up with rust on the inner face long before the pads are worn out. Braking is still fine but you begin to hear a grumbling sound, and feel it, when braking. Seems the outer surface always looks fine. I am always shocked when I see how bad the inside looks. Just replaced front pads and rotors on my Equinox, Rock Auto had a good quality rebuild kit (Raybestos)for $150. Just needed a tube of brake grease and some fluid film from local parts store. Took about 2 hours total working on the floor, no lift. I'm 75+ and have done many brake replacements, both front and rear, over the years. Did the Equinox rear with the electric parking brake last year with no problems.
Considering what can happen if you let pads go too long, I don't think I'd worry about trying to get the last possible mile out of them. If you aren't trained in this area, find a reputable shop that will put the car up on a lift and then let you inspect the pads and rotors with the technician. You want to inspect both the outer and inner pad thickness on each wheel, they should be very close to the same thickness if the brakes are working correctly. If one pad is significantly thinner than the other, that indicates a problem with the caliper sticking. Just changing pads without fixing the caliper is not a good idea. If you need to change the pads on one side of the vehicle, change the other side as well. Make sure to check the rear brakes as well as the front, often the wear of the rear brakes is less than the front and you will only need to change the fronts. I've owned vehicles in the past that wore out two sets of front pads before the rears needed to be replaced. And lastly, even if the pads weren't allowed to wear so far the metal backing damaged the rotor, you may need to to replace the rotors anyway. Rotors wear even when the pads are in good shape, and you can see and feel a ridge near the edge of the rotor. There is a minimum thickness specification for rotors, and the technician should measure the rotors and check the surface finish. Installing new pads on rough rotors will just make the new pads wear faster, and running rotors that are too thin will cause excessive heat buildup. These days few shops refinish rotors, most are just replaced with new parts.
Most shops WILL NOT ALLOW you to get under your car while its up on their lift. The reason is it is prohibited by their liability insurance policy. Any shop that gets caught doing that will be immediately dumped by their insurance company.
My left ear enjoyed this. Srsly though I love this channel, thankyou. Finally someone making it simple yet thorough. This stuff is not that complicated from what I can tell so far, but other videos sure do make it feel that way.
Good video. Saved me a few bucks. I have an Audi performance model and the dealership makes you get new rotors with new pads to ensure the performance. $2k for the complete package. This advice will help me get the most out of my pads before I change them.
an accessible, clear, and comprehensive guide. I was hesitant to start looking into this stuff bc I thought I’d never understand it but good educators like you make all the difference!! the visuals, the honesty, the details people need to safely make their own judgements about costs? 10/10 thank you for your hard work sir you got a follow from me
Good morning Josh John Chan the fisherman, 54 year old lawman, will retire at 55. I changed all fluid on my cars. The only thing I have my trusted mechanic to do my brakes. I don't want to deal with espestoss, bad news for human lungs. Enjoy watching your video, I think you're one of the highly honest mechanic I ever listen to. Bravo to young man, it's too bad when I retire, my wife and I will move to Florida not Hawaii, haha. From now on I will inspect my own brakes. Thank you B safe
It’s funny that this video was just recommended to me. Last week I was getting a transmissible fluid change and the shop recommended new rear brake pads. I denied the service because I planned to do it on my own… when I dug in and removed the pads they were worn to about 50% compared to the new pads I bought a while ago when I heard the squealing that turned out to just be a bent pad insulator. This was a respected independent shop… so they at least offered a reasonable price on the work, but still.
So much for "quickly check" brake pads... I took my suv to 5 diff. repair shops, including a dealership: All gave me the wrong diagnostic, the last one told me: you don't really need any work done! so, one honest mechanic! Hard to find good mechanics and reliable!
Great content! I run Brembos on my Challenger Scat, it's coming up on the 2 year time frame, I will check them in the spring when I take it back out of storage. You can access them pretty good from the outside with the OEM rims.
Thank you for sharing this information. My brakes just started squealing so I know that it is time to replace them. I believe the rotors are ok and just need to be turned.
Good points! A US penny is ~1.5 mm thick. If the mechanic recommend a change based on using a caliper and pads, measure 4mm. The DIYer should just go ahead and change it.
Thank you,i am 64 and the more i can do myself the happier i am,ego aside,i only have a motorcycle so pads are no problem for me or drums,but i never did a car although i am very familiar with the process although i never did a car before i always wanted to so i will try my wifes 2012 chevy sonic with 45,000 miles on it,so wish my luck,i appreciate your video very much,thank you.
I not only subscribed , but clicked for every notification. I just bought a car and as you know , they’re quite an investment. Your videos are informative and helpful.
I own a 2018 Rav4. Had a complete brake job done, front and rear which cost about $800.00. I still get some squeaking just before I stop at a traffic light or stop sign. I was told by several mechanics that this is because copper has been removed from the break pads and that is what is causing the squeaking noise. I live in Canada!
Thank u . U kno I went to the mechanic to day n he said so quickly u need new breaks n rosters . Im like wat about just brake pads he said its $75 labor bring ya own . My car been squiling since yesterday
So glad I found your channel! Very helpful. I will probably not attempt to make these fixes myself, however I WILL watch all videos of yours related to various car issues BEFORE going to mechanics so I am armed with a lot more knowledge. I feel like I was able to feel the width of my brake pads with my finger on my Toyota 2007 RAV4 just after watching your video but will go by a mechanic friend to have him check, but now I know WHAT to LOOK for when he does the check if he has to take the wheel off, etc.
Very well presented. I'd add the importance of checking both inside and outside pads because they'll wear unevenly, if the caliper freezes in the mount. Been there 🙂
Thanks, really helpful. I'm going to have to actually lift the caliper up because looking through the other hardware I can't tell the pad from the metal it's attached to!
Thanks a lot for another great video, I have been many times cheated from Shops, I don't trust them anymore, SO I LEARNED TO DO JOB SELF AND SAFE A LOT OF MONEY. Thanks again and God bless
Great video and best content i could find on brakes check. What i like about is his open-mindnes in taking most possible cases... which is totally opposite of the rest youtubers ("happy-happy with wishful thinking).
Also, from my experience the front brake pads wear out faster then the rear. Most of the time about twice as fast. On my pick up, the rear pads lasted over 100k miles. But I did check them several times.
I thought the front pads wear out first but my state inspector told me that I should replace my rear pads soon (but still passed me). - as they are almost worn out but my front pads were still okay !! My car is almost 6 years old , bought new - with 125,000 miles on it - never had a brake job done -same pads. Yes, I do alot of highway miles but do some stop and go at times. (2017 Tucson AWD).
Good info. I didn’t know we can inspect our own brake this way. Usually, when I have my tires balance and rotate, Les Schwab check my brake too or at least I think they did cause my invoice always have information regarding the brake.
For a typical sedan or small Quality vehicle you can do your own brake jobs for under $200 or under $350 if you need to replace the rotors. A quality modern vehicle such as a Toyota or Lexus should not require flushing and replacing the brake fluid or bleeding the brakes for many years. Just make sure you check that the slide pins move in and out freely. Otherwise check those for wear and rust and replace c/w regreasing. This process does not include service on the emergency brake system that is hidden underneath the rear brake disks.
Thank you. I've been upset with my mechanic for removing the pads to show me they were ok,, even though scraping sound with braking. I guess that's OK. I did go ahead and replaced brakes and roters, no more scraping and brakes much better, buy a little squeaky.
Great content, I just found this channel today and almost if not every video is a masterpiece, why isn't it common ...I'm learning alot...thanks a lot ...
When I’m inspecting brakes for state inspection, I’ll check and pull all the brakes. If they have hot spots on either pads or rotors, I’ll highly recommend them, cracks fail, 2/32 fail, and if the rivet on the backing plate is below a certain amount, it also fails. With that being said, if the pads have even wear more than 2/32 from inside to outside pad, that fails for state inspection or highly recommend replacing. Hot spots or crazy glazing is highly recommended. If pad to rotor doesn’t have much contact, it’ll fail state and/or highly recommend if it’s not coming in for state inspection.
there is an easier way to have a rough idea as to how your brake pads are. check your brake fluid level, unless you have a leak which could cause the brake fluid to drop quickly the fluid level will slowly go down due to the fact that as the brake pads wear brake fluid is displaced from the resivour to the brake caliper. If the level is low take time to get brakes checked. Also if you run in for oil changes and as a matter of service your levels are "topped up" remember that the mechanic when changing your pads will have to press back the piston into the caliper, again now moving that displaced fluid back to the resivour. If the fluid has been topped it may spill over due to increased amount . Brake fluid is bad for paint.
My husband overseas knows cars, I asked him how I can check my brakes, his exact response "Check the pads". Im like WTF... Thank you Budget mechanic, I can now check and manage my brakes without his lack of assistance 👍😃
Makes me wonder if I was taken for a ride with Honda saying that my rear driver side caliper needed to be replaced. I wonder if they bothered to check something as simple as the slide pin. Needless to say, I just replaced both rear calipers. I wished I had an honest mechanic where I live.
My nieces car was making a noise when she went to turn into a driveway, I started pulling off the tires and checking the slide pins, they all needed grease but one was rusty and that was the noise culprit-been awhile since that pin did any sliding...
The service centre told be to change the pads like when my car had 150,000km on it. I ignored them and finally changed them recently at 225,000km and they still had a good 4 to 5mm on them. The pads came with the car and lasted me 12 years.
The dealers are called "Stealerships" for a reason. One of the biggest scams auto mechanics have is brake rotors. They love to sell you rotors if you need then or not.
I tend to just drive the car in to my local dealer and get them to run a health check on it nowadays. They put it on the ramp and I get a report on nigh on everything i.e. brakes, tyres etc. And its FREE! Another way to check is get an Endoscope Inspection Camera. £30. Such a camera has lots of uses. One downside of just inspecting from the outside, is how the pads themselves are. I had a Corsa where the pads hadn't got down to the wear line but, as I was going on a long holiday trip, I decided to swap them out. Removed the pins to take the pad out and as I pulled it out, it was a wtf moment. The pad material came away from the metal. The only thing that was keeping it all in place was the caliper itself.
Here in the Northeast, brake components seem to fail long before a set of pads do. Especially rear calipers on Hondas with manual transmissions. The parking brake actuators either seize or break after a few years, no matter how careful I've been when applying the brake, no matter how many times I clean and lube them.
Great vid, I started doing fixes myself on my girlfriends vehicle an she hasn’t had her brakes changed once an it’s sitting at 104km driven. I’m about to take the wheel off an see how bad the damage is. Thanks
Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't all rotors have a minimum thickness stamped along the outer circumference of the inner area where the studs go through? Mine do, though I had to scrub them to see it. I measured them with a dial caliper. Something like 21mm minimum thickness for mine and I was at 22-23 as I recall.
They suggest changing rotors between 30,000 and 70,000. I'm 61 and only ever replaced rotors when I upgraded to a big beef brake kit for my C.O.D. MW3 Rubicon JK. Maybe I'm ignorant, maybe I rarely drive older cars, maybe I don't drive in aggressive city environs. A local mechanic told my wife her '15 explorer needed new rotors and now she's all freaked out, saying her brakes are broken (she feels it, she says). The guy wants big cash for the job I don't have time to do... so I'm going to end up feeling it as well unless I find the time to replace the pads at least. (Mechanic #2 looked when asked to check the rotors. He said, yep... new rotors see the rust on the top edge! No measurement, now checking for warpage (no symptoms of issues either)... its that dirty rust!) Rule#1, never let your wife near a mechanic
I been driving on the same brake pads for the last 60,000 miles 🙃 I think I’ve gotten away with it though because I drive a lot of highway miles and I never slam on the brakes; in fact, I barely press on them. I’m changing them this week though because I finally heard some squeaking.
As a rule, I'm highly critical of UA-cam presenters as to professional (or entertaining) content, clarity, factual information, etc . . . that said, I rate this video A+. Nice work!
Being from the rust belt of Michigan, it's important to check wear between the inside and outside pad. If there is a big difference, check your slide pins. I found that my pins had seized due to rust. The inside pad was getting all the wear while the outside looked ok. Due to the pin being rust "welded", I replaced the caliper also.
I think this could be happening with mine, when I look at the rotor there is only shiny metal in the middle then a thick rim of rust on the outside, seems like only the middle of the pad is actually being used.
Well-greased, free-moving slider pins are so important... and when they get rust-welded in, sometimes not all the heat in the world will release them. I actually was able to bend one of the pins, it was so seized..... new caliper time! yay! lol
Does rust resistant coat on the rotors work?
Thank you. I'd been recommended to change all four rotors and pads, and this would have been okay, as I knew the job must be pending but I did further research and ended up just taking the whole wheel off for a good look, as you showed. And this gave me a much better view. A neighbour helped me check first, as you showed. I've just done fronts for now and I'm more confident in checking periodically. Your editing skills raised the quality and value for me. You've affirmed belief that I can monitor pads more closely and finesse those last few mm. I noticed the fore part of the pad can be thinner than the aft (rear) part. Thanks again.
In New England I find that pads and rotors go bad quicker due to the rust. Slide pins get stuck, the pads get stuck in the brackets, the calipers seize, the rotors get nice big rust rings/lips, etc! Customers sometimes complain about having just replaced their brakes the previous year and only did 10k miles and not their brakes are bad again?! This can happen! The best kept cars are garaged, people who are easy on their brakes, people who don't let their cars sit too long, etc.
Didn't think I would like this video, but you literally said everything I tell customers! Liked!
How about coated or silver-zync dycromated rotors and not using cheap pads ?
@@dentuso8 I use pads made of dilithium crystals. They never wear out.
"People who don't let their cars sit too long"
I have a 20 year old Subaru that doesn't get driven all that much anymore, but I make a point of taking it out once or twice a week, even if its just a trip to the grocery store.. Anything to get the engine running and the wheels turning. ;) I agree.. bad juju to just let a car sit and sit and sit..
Thank you so much for your video. I’m a 66 year old widow and this was great information for me
I've always done same as what Josh states here, just checked the pads and rotors on my 1988 Mazda truck last week; at 233K miles, still on factory rotors and rear drums. And my 1998 Frontier (275K) and my 2004 Frontier (106K) are still on their original rotors and rear drums as well.
Great video. My PSATs in HS showed my top strength was in mechanics. So these videos are right up my alley and I love to really understand them. You make it simple for this retired nurse to understand. Thank you!😊
Such an honest, professional explanation. Thanks for this most useful content, cars are crucial and expensive to maintain if the owners don't know about mechanics. Also it is easy to be scammed or tricked into buying new parts when some of the parts are still useful .
your video was a huge huge huuugggee help. I thought hearing the grinding noise would mean I have to spend hundreds on calipers, pads, and rotors. Aaaannnddd seeing how easily you took out the brake pad I am 100% confident I can do it myself and save hundreds. Thank you so much. What a relief.
I was just told I'm at 4mm and a little rust on the rotors. They showed a picture of the pads and they said I could wait but recommended the rotors as soon as possible. $1200 for the front and back before taxes. They nuts!!!
Rockauto!
Don’t do it. They are ripping you off!
Way too much $$
Let me guess was it Midas?
@@theloneviking9145 Toyota dealership
Yes thank you so much. Recently widowed and I at least can inspect and make my own decisions about if my brake pads need to be replaced
I’m sorry for your loss. Learning about usual car maintenance is pretty easy and for everyone regardless of our background. UA-cam has many quick, helpful videos other than this to learn how to inspect when your car needs certain things maintained and/or replaces other than this one. I wish you the best, and I hope you find the courage (and patience) to even work on your own car. Best wishes
I had a couple thoughts to add, first and foremost don't rely on those brake wear indicators because they can rot off even in non-salted areas. Secondly, don't go to the dealer at all unless you absolutely have a need to because after 2020 and probably for the next five years, most dealers are running this scam where a brake problem comes in, quote $1500 for parts and labor, and offer to buy your vehicle and give you money down on a new lease after the job is declined. The dealers don't even work on cars either, just slap on new parts and attempt to dupe folk who don't know any better into fearing a false repair bill. It's not like dealers haven't done it before but seems to be more widespread currently.
Anyways great video, nice to see UA-cam recommending channels like yours. They never seem to feature mine.
During covid my piano teacher got a brand new Honda passport, her previous car, 06 Honda pilot was in perfect working condition. I wasn't sure why she got a different car but she said that her car had a bunch of problems yada yada. She might've been duped from a dealer like you said, stealerships are such a scam. Just last week I needed my wheel locks to be removed and replaced with regular lug nuts (I lost the key and didn't want to buy a new one, I also provided the lug nuts) and they quoted me $57, for what?
@@cjadventures8840 I bought a lug nut remover tool from Auto Zone for probably $15 (it was a while ago, so I don't remember the exact price) and took off all the locking lug nuts.
No idea where you got that information from, but sounds like a lot of here say. I’ve been at dealers for 10 years and have never experienced this from west to east coast. Not saying there aren’t people like this, but it’s not a dealer problem, it’s a tech problem. Independent shops if anything are worse. I’ve been at independent shops that were extremely shady. Thanks to me, they got sued and had to pay out.
@codywinkle2303 I've been waiting over a year to clarify my comment. I can agree that the issues I've had could be related to the shop itself and not particularly associated with dealerships. Like yourself, I have had service done at dealerships before and usually didn't have much hearsay to be heard. However, in the last year I had an independent shop and a dealership do parts gouging and parts slapping, that's the dealer I mentioned in my previous comment that wanted $1500 for a brake caliper and front brakes. I declined their offer and then went to the independent shop that wanted $1200 for new brakes and rotors for all four wheels and a reman caliper.
No one wanted to fix a simple seized caliper and warped rotor, they wanted to overcharge and scare me into believing the car would "catch on fire" as the dealership's service advisor put it to force the sale. A week later that dealership sent a letter offering money down on the vehicle attempting to force another sale. The hostile buying and selling technique by the dealer is what I wrote about, but I didn't have a bad experience at the independent shop yet that would have changed my perspective on things. I would have commented something different.
@@aku2dimensional Same happened to me at an Audi Dealership Service last year during maintenance nearing the end of my lease (under 20k miles after 35 months back then). And by what you wrote here now all makes sense for me. My front break-pads were "reported" in the high red zone, while the read pads were "reported" in the mid yellow zone. Was quoted $1700+ just for the front ones. I declined and decided to postpone changing them(not at dealership) till I really have to head for a long drive or the censors notify me that they are due for change. Earlier this year I bought out the lease. And now in July, just had my 4th maintenance video report and "somehow" all break-pads are back at the low green zone.
Excellent presentation.
I have been doing my own brakes since I was 16.
I’m now 64 drive a Lexus and just put on new ceramic front brakes for $40!
I hate gettin screwed
We live in the Southern Sierra just outside Sequoia National Park (like a half mile outside). It’s a forty mile trip to shopping or doctor appointments. One way. If not for tourists and two traffic lights, I can and have driven all the way without using my brakes at all. And that’s downhill. Coming back is even easier. Drivers from the flats amaze me at how much braking they do. Especially uphill. I often remark to my wife, ‘I’ll bet that driver buys brakes pretty often”. My 2017 Tacoma has 49k on it and is nowhere NEAR ready for pads. Cheers. Good video
How do you do That, do you have manual transmission? With automatic transmission how do you avoid using brakes ? Thanks.
@wild downshift it yourself or brake Early but light pressure
@@wildhorses6817 Anticipate the red lights and coast up to them. Never understand why people floor the pedal between lights.
Thank you for this! I'm trying to learn to service my own vehicle because service shop prices are INSANE. Plus it's just interesting!
I love this video. Covers the important material with detail and context, no condescending attitude or acting like we should already know this stuff!
And its explained very simply too so even people who aren't in the trade can understand. 10/10. Love it. You have a new fan!
it's also empowering to be able to do it yourself. :) changing oil, brake pads, and spark plugs are the big ones to know, but i've found out that even changing water pumps and radiators is ... well, much more difficult, but very much do-able. i have had BMW's and now a Mercedes, so i "had to" change the radiator myself, and it is not easy, but absolutely do-able. especially with all these great youtube videos of regular people doing it themselves
I agree with the comment regarding detail and context, instilling the belief that we can do this.
Thank you for such a clear concise video. I learned a lot from you today and feel empowered to change my own brake pads!
Here in Maine the roads are paved with salt for 5 months. The rotors build up with rust on the inner face long before the pads are worn out. Braking is still fine but you begin to hear a grumbling sound, and feel it, when braking. Seems the outer surface always looks fine. I am always shocked when I see how bad the inside looks. Just replaced front pads and rotors on my Equinox, Rock Auto had a good quality rebuild kit (Raybestos)for $150. Just needed a tube of brake grease and some fluid film from local parts store. Took about 2 hours total working on the floor, no lift. I'm 75+ and have done many brake replacements, both front and rear, over the years. Did the Equinox rear with the electric parking brake last year with no problems.
Good work!
Cool story bro
I'm pretty sure they don't actually "pave" the roads with salt.
@@Fred-mp1vf duh
Considering what can happen if you let pads go too long, I don't think I'd worry about trying to get the last possible mile out of them. If you aren't trained in this area, find a reputable shop that will put the car up on a lift and then let you inspect the pads and rotors with the technician. You want to inspect both the outer and inner pad thickness on each wheel, they should be very close to the same thickness if the brakes are working correctly. If one pad is significantly thinner than the other, that indicates a problem with the caliper sticking. Just changing pads without fixing the caliper is not a good idea. If you need to change the pads on one side of the vehicle, change the other side as well. Make sure to check the rear brakes as well as the front, often the wear of the rear brakes is less than the front and you will only need to change the fronts. I've owned vehicles in the past that wore out two sets of front pads before the rears needed to be replaced. And lastly, even if the pads weren't allowed to wear so far the metal backing damaged the rotor, you may need to to replace the rotors anyway. Rotors wear even when the pads are in good shape, and you can see and feel a ridge near the edge of the rotor. There is a minimum thickness specification for rotors, and the technician should measure the rotors and check the surface finish. Installing new pads on rough rotors will just make the new pads wear faster, and running rotors that are too thin will cause excessive heat buildup. These days few shops refinish rotors, most are just replaced with new parts.
Most shops WILL NOT ALLOW you to get under your car while its up on their lift. The reason is it is prohibited by their liability insurance policy. Any shop that gets caught doing that will be immediately dumped by their insurance company.
My left ear enjoyed this.
Srsly though I love this channel, thankyou. Finally someone making it simple yet thorough. This stuff is not that complicated from what I can tell so far, but other videos sure do make it feel that way.
Great video! Showed relevant parts in detail and fast forwarded usual steps. Please make some more.
Safety note: ALWAYS use jack stands to support a vehicle after raising it with a jack (in case the jack fails).
Good video. Saved me a few bucks. I have an Audi performance model and the dealership makes you get new rotors with new pads to ensure the performance. $2k for the complete package. This advice will help me get the most out of my pads before I change them.
an accessible, clear, and comprehensive guide. I was hesitant to start looking into this stuff bc I thought I’d never understand it but good educators like you make all the difference!! the visuals, the honesty, the details people need to safely make their own judgements about costs? 10/10 thank you for your hard work sir you got a follow from me
Good morning Josh
John Chan the fisherman, 54 year old lawman, will retire at 55. I changed all fluid on my cars. The only thing I have my trusted mechanic to do my brakes. I don't want to deal with espestoss, bad news for human lungs.
Enjoy watching your video, I think you're one of the highly honest mechanic I ever listen to. Bravo to young man, it's too bad when I retire, my wife and I will move to Florida not Hawaii, haha.
From now on I will inspect my own brakes.
Thank you B safe
Cool story bro
Automotive brake material has not been made from asbestos in decades.
@@gaborkorthy8355 I think the EPA and the auto industry phased it out about 1983.
It’s funny that this video was just recommended to me. Last week I was getting a transmissible fluid change and the shop recommended new rear brake pads. I denied the service because I planned to do it on my own… when I dug in and removed the pads they were worn to about 50% compared to the new pads I bought a while ago when I heard the squealing that turned out to just be a bent pad insulator.
This was a respected independent shop… so they at least offered a reasonable price on the work, but still.
Still… diy!!
Awesome video, the amount of information given and the way it was present was top tier.
Thank you and I will keep this for future reference!
Mahalo!
So much for "quickly check" brake pads... I took my suv to 5 diff. repair shops, including a dealership: All gave me the wrong diagnostic, the last one told me: you don't really need any work done! so, one honest mechanic! Hard to find good mechanics and reliable!
a reliable mobile mechanic that is certified is the best bet and YOU buy rotors and brake shows or disc pads ....
Pleasant personality. Speaking voice. Wonderful information.
100% agree. Great voice and pace makes this an outstanding video.
Great content! I run Brembos on my Challenger Scat, it's coming up on the 2 year time frame, I will check them in the spring when I take it back out of storage. You can access them pretty good from the outside with the OEM rims.
Thank you for sharing this information. My brakes just started squealing so I know that it is time to replace them. I believe the rotors are ok and just need to be turned.
Great video! Inspection and finding a reputable mechanic is key for me. Thank you for explaining what this is all about
Good points! A US penny is ~1.5 mm thick. If the mechanic recommend a change based on using a caliper and pads, measure 4mm. The DIYer should just go ahead and change it.
Great explanation. Logical, and straight to the point. You just earned my subscription.
Thank you,i am 64 and the more i can do myself the happier i am,ego aside,i only have a motorcycle so pads are no problem for me or drums,but i never did a car although i am very familiar with the process although i never did a car before i always wanted to so i will try my wifes 2012 chevy sonic with 45,000 miles on it,so wish my luck,i appreciate your video very much,thank you.
Is this first time to replace the brakepad for 45000miles?
I not only subscribed , but clicked for every notification.
I just bought a car and as you know , they’re quite an investment.
Your videos are informative and helpful.
Thanks!
Thanks man. This answered EVERY question I had. 10/10
I own a 2018 Rav4. Had a complete brake job done, front and rear which cost about $800.00.
I still get some squeaking just before I stop at a traffic light or stop sign.
I was told by several mechanics that this is because copper has been removed from the break pads and that is what is causing the squeaking noise. I live in Canada!
From a fellow Canadian, it will be fine after some time , had same issue mine ok now.
@@surindergill4480
That's good to know. Thank you.
Thank u . U kno I went to the mechanic to day n he said so quickly u need new breaks n rosters . Im like wat about just brake pads he said its $75 labor bring ya own . My car been squiling since yesterday
Yep, I check and maintain my own and maximise the use of my pads.
Great info, visuals, and explanations! Very helpful. Thank you!!
Thank you i spend hundred on brakes Pads for nothing you are good man
I no now get pads check save you a lot thanks 😂
So glad I found your channel! Very helpful. I will probably not attempt to make these fixes myself, however I WILL watch all videos of yours related to various car issues BEFORE going to mechanics so I am armed with a lot more knowledge. I feel like I was able to feel the width of my brake pads with my finger on my Toyota 2007 RAV4 just after watching your video but will go by a mechanic friend to have him check, but now I know WHAT to LOOK for when he does the check if he has to take the wheel off, etc.
Thank you! Just wanted it explained to me simply. Tired of them handing me $2000 estimates and I don't trust them.
$2000? I’ll opt for the accident.😜🤪
Mahalo Bro !! Never been to HI but would love to.
Just used your 3.3 v6 alternator video to complete success. Big props Sir :)
I'll
Very well presented. I'd add the importance of checking both inside and outside pads because they'll wear unevenly, if the caliper freezes in the mount. Been there 🙂
Great info regarding brake pad check! Another cause of brake noise is due to a rock being trapped in the brake assembly.
Thanks, really helpful. I'm going to have to actually lift the caliper up because looking through the other hardware I can't tell the pad from the metal it's attached to!
Thanks a lot for another great video, I have been many times cheated from Shops, I don't trust them anymore, SO I LEARNED TO DO JOB SELF AND SAFE A LOT OF MONEY. Thanks again and God bless
Good job 👏🏼
Great video and best content i could find on brakes check. What i like about is his open-mindnes in taking most possible cases... which is totally opposite of the rest youtubers ("happy-happy with wishful thinking).
Always use a jack stand! Rotors have a minimum thickness and require replacement if that limit is reached.
I like to wear them down to the cooling vanes in the center. I save millions with this simple trick.
Great job ! Appreciate to organized, right to the point presentation.
Also, from my experience the front brake pads wear out faster then the rear. Most of the time about twice as fast. On my pick up, the rear pads lasted over 100k miles. But I did check them several times.
I thought the front pads wear out first but my state inspector told me that I should replace my rear pads soon (but still passed me). - as they are almost worn out but my front pads were still okay !! My car is almost 6 years old , bought new - with 125,000 miles on it - never had a brake job done -same pads. Yes, I do alot of highway miles but do some stop and go at times. (2017 Tucson AWD).
from everyones experience
Not just that, but the front driver side tends to wear faster than front passenger side.
You definitely earned my sub. This helped a lot and will definitely use these tips next time I go to the mechanic.
I teach for a living, & I can say you are a great teacher. Thank you for this video.
Awesome video !!!
Good info. I didn’t know we can inspect our own brake this way. Usually, when I have my tires balance and rotate, Les Schwab check my brake too or at least I think they did cause my invoice always have information regarding the brake.
For a typical sedan or small Quality vehicle you can do your own brake jobs for under $200 or under $350 if you need to replace the rotors. A quality modern vehicle such as a Toyota or Lexus should not require flushing and replacing the brake fluid or bleeding the brakes for many years. Just make sure you check that the slide pins move in and out freely. Otherwise check those for wear and rust and replace c/w regreasing. This process does not include service on the emergency brake system that is hidden underneath the rear brake disks.
This was an awesome quick video. Helped me do my brakes today rather than paying $3-400 for the front brakes.
I told my ex husband that once or twice depending on who is Even that time
An honest mobile mechanic is a good choice to have for routines things you will never do again or do not want to do.
Thank you. I've been upset with my mechanic for removing the pads to show me they were ok,, even though scraping sound with braking. I guess that's OK. I did go ahead and replaced brakes and roters, no more scraping and brakes much better, buy a little squeaky.
Great content, I just found this channel today and almost if not every video is a masterpiece, why isn't it common ...I'm learning alot...thanks a lot ...
I’m glad you found me 🤙🏽
Man your channel is really great! Keep it up! Valuable practical content 👍👍👍👍
Thx so much. This is so helpful. I’m about to go get my brakes done and don’t want to be price gouged.
If you go that far to inspect might as well change pads you are right there.
Hmm
Thanks for this. That was the clearest explanation I’ve ever heard. 👍🏼👍🏼
I never comment on UA-cam. I will for you... awesome job!
A really good video. Great info for inexperienced shade tree mech like me
Glad it was helpful!
@@BudgetMechanicHawaii definitely 👍
When I’m inspecting brakes for state inspection, I’ll check and pull all the brakes. If they have hot spots on either pads or rotors, I’ll highly recommend them, cracks fail, 2/32 fail, and if the rivet on the backing plate is below a certain amount, it also fails. With that being said, if the pads have even wear more than 2/32 from inside to outside pad, that fails for state inspection or highly recommend replacing. Hot spots or crazy glazing is highly recommended. If pad to rotor doesn’t have much contact, it’ll fail state and/or highly recommend if it’s not coming in for state inspection.
This is a great Video. Definitely feel more comfortable about understanding this. Thanks much appreciated.
I generally get 30-35k miles from a set of front brake pads, that’s doing mixed city & urban driving.
That’s great!
You are the best explaining and thanks for sharing your skills thanks!!
You're very welcome!
Great video. Very informative. Keep up the good work!!
Thanks
there is an easier way to have a rough idea as to how your brake pads are. check your brake fluid level, unless you have a leak which could cause the brake fluid to drop quickly the fluid level will slowly go down due to the fact that as the brake pads wear brake fluid is displaced from the resivour to the brake caliper. If the level is low take time to get brakes checked. Also if you run in for oil changes and as a matter of service your levels are "topped up" remember that the mechanic when changing your pads will have to press back the piston into the caliper, again now moving that displaced fluid back to the resivour. If the fluid has been topped it may spill over due to increased amount . Brake fluid is bad for paint.
I'm not seeing a ring on that finger, and thats very exciting 😊
He may not be wearing one for safety reasons. Rings are dangerous around machinery
Nice work bro. Appreciate the simplicity
I try 🤙🏽
Thank you for the video helps save time and money!!
Great video! Very easy to learn as a beginner DIY'er :)
Glad you think so!
Thank for being fare with all love your video for people like you😂
I just love these videos wish i had the tools. Regardless though I feel more informed
My husband overseas knows cars, I asked him how I can check my brakes, his exact response "Check the pads". Im like WTF... Thank you Budget mechanic, I can now check and manage my brakes without his lack of assistance 👍😃
Makes me wonder if I was taken for a ride with Honda saying that my rear driver side caliper needed to be replaced. I wonder if they bothered to check something as simple as the slide pin. Needless to say, I just replaced both rear calipers. I wished I had an honest mechanic where I live.
My nieces car was making a noise when she went to turn into a driveway, I started pulling off the tires and checking the slide pins, they all needed grease but one was rusty and that was the noise culprit-been awhile since that pin did any sliding...
The service centre told be to change the pads like when my car had 150,000km on it. I ignored them and finally changed them recently at 225,000km and they still had a good 4 to 5mm on them. The pads came with the car and lasted me 12 years.
mine lasted 155k miles
The dealers are called "Stealerships" for a reason. One of the biggest scams auto mechanics have is brake rotors. They love to sell you rotors if you need then or not.
You are AMAZINGly helpful!!! LOVE your videos. A++
Great video. So clear and helpful. Thanks!
😢NEVER assume if one pad looks good, that the other pad is okay. ALWAYS check BOTH pads.
Great video. It's a car dealership which is most likely to screw you on any repair. I speak from experience!
I tend to just drive the car in to my local dealer and get them to run a health check on it nowadays. They put it on the ramp and I get a report on nigh on everything i.e. brakes, tyres etc. And its FREE! Another way to check is get an Endoscope Inspection Camera. £30. Such a camera has lots of uses.
One downside of just inspecting from the outside, is how the pads themselves are. I had a Corsa where the pads hadn't got down to the wear line but, as I was going on a long holiday trip, I decided to swap them out. Removed the pins to take the pad out and as I pulled it out, it was a wtf moment. The pad material came away from the metal. The only thing that was keeping it all in place was the caliper itself.
Yikes!
That's how they make their money
Cool story bro
Here in the Northeast, brake components seem to fail long before a set of pads do. Especially rear calipers on Hondas with manual transmissions. The parking brake actuators either seize or break after a few years, no matter how careful I've been when applying the brake, no matter how many times I clean and lube them.
Road salt?
Wash your vehicle under and apply rust protection
Great vid, I started doing fixes myself on my girlfriends vehicle an she hasn’t had her brakes changed once an it’s sitting at 104km driven. I’m about to take the wheel off an see how bad the damage is. Thanks
Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't all rotors have a minimum thickness stamped along the outer circumference of the inner area where the studs go through? Mine do, though I had to scrub them to see it. I measured them with a dial caliper. Something like 21mm minimum thickness for mine and I was at 22-23 as I recall.
Best way to decide on when to replace rotors will be as per manufacturer recommendations. Just check your manual.
This was a great video brother! Thank you
They suggest changing rotors between 30,000 and 70,000. I'm 61 and only ever replaced rotors when I upgraded to a big beef brake kit for my C.O.D. MW3 Rubicon JK. Maybe I'm ignorant, maybe I rarely drive older cars, maybe I don't drive in aggressive city environs. A local mechanic told my wife her '15 explorer needed new rotors and now she's all freaked out, saying her brakes are broken (she feels it, she says). The guy wants big cash for the job I don't have time to do... so I'm going to end up feeling it as well unless I find the time to replace the pads at least. (Mechanic #2 looked when asked to check the rotors. He said, yep... new rotors see the rust on the top edge! No measurement, now checking for warpage (no symptoms of issues either)... its that dirty rust!) Rule#1, never let your wife near a mechanic
Any person that buys FCA deserves trash
good details on when to change rotors
I learned a lot from this video. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful 🤙🏽
Grreat visuals! Helpful explanations!
I been driving on the same brake pads for the last 60,000 miles 🙃 I think I’ve gotten away with it though because I drive a lot of highway miles and I never slam on the brakes; in fact, I barely press on them. I’m changing them this week though because I finally heard some squeaking.
Good idea! Get a quality set and you might go another 60k!
You make a very good point. How you drive makes a difference on brake wear.
great video appreciate --yes disclaimer agree