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Brake Pads Thickness

Old Nov 26, 2024 | 02:24 PM
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Brake Pads Thickness

My front brake pads are at 8 MM and the rears are at 5 MM. Can we assume they'll wear out evenly by the time they're ready to be replaced? I say that due to fronts taking the greatest braking load. I'd like to replace them both at the same time when it's time.
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Old Nov 26, 2024 | 02:51 PM
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What would stop you this way, or the other?
Usually the rear pads are smaller and/or having lower thickness to even up the wear, but lot depends on your driving style.
Modern pads last very long time and are cheap enough to not to worry about disposing one end prematurely.
Just check your rotor thickness at the time and compare to min stamped on it.
Rotors can last about 3 pads sets, but they develop lips, who might need some grinding.
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Old Nov 26, 2024 | 07:08 PM
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EXTREMELY UNEVEN BRAKES

Originally Posted by Pantomime
My front brake pads are at 8 MM and the rears are at 5 MM. Can we assume they'll wear out evenly by the time they're ready to be replaced? I say that due to fronts taking the greatest braking load. I'd like to replace them both at the same time when it's time.
In case you have the standard TRW floating calipers be aware that inner pad is history when outer is still nearly new.
You really need to drop wheel to inspect individual pads.

Front rotors need to go anyway even they can well be resurfaced... the surface heat treatment hardening is shot so best to replace them.

If you have the multi-piston calipers then pads may wear more evenly.

Also the smart ESP lane keeping advanced features wear wheels differently by axle....

Last edited by CaliBenzDriver; Nov 26, 2024 at 07:09 PM.
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Old Nov 26, 2024 | 07:44 PM
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Originally Posted by CaliBenzDriver
..... the surface heat treatment hardening is shot so best to replace them.

....
Rotors are made with cast iron, who can't be heat treated.
Simply can't
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Old Nov 26, 2024 | 08:47 PM
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durable brake rotors

Originally Posted by kajtek1
Rotors are made with cast iron, who can't be heat treated.
Simply can't
Kris:
things have changed since this that was true...

obviously heat treated
obviously heat treated 🥱

The hardness of rotors and pads is critically matched to get specific friction, temperature and durability.

Without heat treatment high carbon steel rotors would be too soft... so indeed brake rotors are heat treated as quoted above.


Last edited by CaliBenzDriver; Nov 26, 2024 at 08:51 PM.
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Old Nov 26, 2024 | 10:59 PM
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Universes of difference between a Model T and a W212...
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Old Nov 27, 2024 | 06:28 AM
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Everything depends on the flavor of cast iron which comes in more than the 31 flavors at Baskin Robbins ice cream.

Also the various heat treatments of said Cast irons:
CastIrons.pdf

My issue is who knows what was specified by MB engineers for rotor material?
Love to see a manufacturing drawing.

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Old Nov 27, 2024 | 02:47 PM
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I stand corrected.
When cast iron treatment is different from steel treatment and they have different goals, seems new technology brought the term to cast iron.
Reading more about it, the treatment removes carbon from cast iron surface.
Found a manufacturer, who claims to be "advanced" rotors manufacturer, who goes opposite way. They put more carbon for better performance
https://shopdixcel.com/products/dixc...e-brake-rotors
For me rotors are like 1/2 millions miles item, so there is no way I will be ever able to compare.
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Old Nov 29, 2024 | 10:58 PM
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Besides the OPs question there bunch of poor info in this thread. Cast iron used in the pads is not heat treated like mentioned above, it is case hardened. This is a huge difference. Case hardening like modern crappy files and such is just surface treatment.
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Old Nov 29, 2024 | 11:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Quint22
Besides the OPs question there bunch of poor info in this thread. Cast iron used in the pads is not heat treated like mentioned above, it is case hardened. This is a huge difference. Case hardening like modern crappy files and such is just surface treatment.
Do you mean semi-met pads were also heat treated ?

Last edited by CaliBenzDriver; Nov 29, 2024 at 11:59 PM.
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Old Nov 30, 2024 | 02:07 AM
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pads are baked so they form the pad itself.

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Old Nov 30, 2024 | 10:41 PM
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Originally Posted by CaliBenzDriver
Do you mean semi-met pads were also heat treated ?
Originally Posted by ygmn
pads are baked so they form the pad itself.
My apologies the rotors not the pads. My mistake. My statement is still standing (once correct word is used), the rotors made of cast iron are not heat treated, they are not a medium or high carbon steel, w1 or w2, L6, or stainless, or any boutique CPM and such. Just like everything else of cast iron, if a hardness is required its either some form of case hardening, special weld buildup, or a top plate is forged onto then that top plate is heat treated like some of the old cast iron bodied anvils.

Last edited by Quint22; Nov 30, 2024 at 10:45 PM.
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Old Dec 2, 2024 | 07:20 AM
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Rear pads can wear faster than the front pads where cruise control is in heavy use as they brake from the rear. Follow the Brake Wear warning and don't run them down too low is probably the sensible approach.

If you don't know the history of the car, then resetting the brake system with new pads, wear sensors and rotors all around, as well as new fluid will put you in a good position for the future. The advice about uneven wear noted above shouldn't be dimissed.
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Old Dec 3, 2024 | 12:03 AM
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Originally Posted by BlackML550
Rear pads can wear faster than the front pads where cruise control is in heavy use as they brake from the rear. Follow the Brake Wear warning and don't run them down too low is probably the sensible approach....
Cruise Control ...ohhh, so that's how the CC works, uses the rears to slow down ...I always wondered about that!

On the other hand, if you know you are going to replace the rotors anyway, then heck, go ahead and run the pads down to the metal. LOL, this is my cheap way of getting the most from my fronts, where I just recently started hearing the wear-indicator squeal, but I'm gonna get new rotors anyway so why not get more free miles. Car has around 122k so I think yeah, pretty dang good!

Edward

Last edited by Edward993; Dec 3, 2024 at 12:05 AM.
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Old Dec 3, 2024 | 06:01 AM
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Originally Posted by Edward993
Cruise Control ...ohhh, so that's how the CC works, uses the rears to slow down ...I always wondered about that!

On the other hand, if you know you are going to replace the rotors anyway, then heck, go ahead and run the pads down to the metal. LOL, this is my cheap way of getting the most from my fronts, where I just recently started hearing the wear-indicator squeal, but I'm gonna get new rotors anyway so why not get more free miles. Car has around 122k so I think yeah, pretty dang good!

Edward
I drove around for another 10k once the warning showed on the dash. When I changed them there was still plenty of material left. In the same position now. I feel like Kramer when he took the car for a test drive...
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Old Jul 13, 2025 | 07:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Pantomime
My front brake pads are at 8 MM and the rears are at 5 MM. Can we assume they'll wear out evenly by the time they're ready to be replaced? I say that due to fronts taking the greatest braking load. I'd like to replace them both at the same time when it's time.
How do u check the mm?
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Old Jul 13, 2025 | 10:13 PM
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Originally Posted by JYOO
How do u check the mm?
I was told by dealer when I took it for an oil change, part of the A service. You could also use a digital caliper measuring tool like this one.
https://a.co/d/8PUVm4g
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Old Jul 13, 2025 | 11:22 PM
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Originally Posted by BlackML550
I drove around for another 10k once the warning showed on the dash. When I changed them there was still plenty of material left. In the same position now. I feel like Kramer when he took the car for a test drive...
Then he adopted the highway, complete with lane stripe modifications!
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Old Jul 14, 2025 | 05:25 AM
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Originally Posted by JYOO
How do u check the mm?
The easiest way is to use a set of Allen wrenches as feeler gauges, checking the distance between the rotor and the pad backing plate.
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Old Jul 14, 2025 | 07:36 AM
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Originally Posted by MB2timer
Then he adopted the highway, complete with lane stripe modifications!

Made me think if this....
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