new brakes

[Random Hero]

lemme know if i got ripped off?
my brakes were makin alot of noise when i was breaking, sounded like metal grinding. so the next day i took it to meineke and they told me i needed new pads and rotors and the rear brakes cleaned. they did all that for 282.92. im not sure if the rotors were original but theres 92k on the car. he showed me the rotors before he did that and one side was significantly smaller then the other and there was a bit of a groove warn into the back side. did i really need new rotors?

 

[Rara]

Yes. Yes you did. And the price you paid was reasonable as well. You could have done it cheaper yourself if you had the skills, time, and tools, but you weren't terribly overcharged or anything.

 

[Random Hero]

alright good cause iv heard bad things about people buying new rotors when they really didnt need them. and i really didnt have the time or tools to do it myself so thats all good i guess then

 

[Random Hero]

ok well i just took it for another spin and i noticed that when im braking at higher speeds it does a like half second high pitched whistle thing when i start braking. is this just the pads or rotors getting worn in or did they mess something up?

 

[69Boss302]

It could be just noise until everything get's worn in and seated. If it persists for more than a week of normal driving, I'd have them look at it again.

There is a proper procedure for breaking in new pads and rotors. It basically involves repeated runs up to 30 - 40 mph followed by a stop to 0mph in 10 - 15 seconds. I do this for 15- 20 times before driving it normally.

There are variations of this method. I've heard of start/stops of up to 200 times before normal driving. I think that is a bit too much and who has time for that really?

Also take into account any pulling to one side or another during driving or stopping.

If it's while you're driving, a caliper is dragging and not releasing properly.

If it happens under braking, one is travelling more than the other. One would basically be dragging as well. The difference is that it isn't fully applying pressure instead of not releasing all the way.



Side note: For under a $100 and no more than two hours (for a first timer) you can replace the brakes yourself. You'll need two special tools at the most. If you have rear calipers, you'll need a Ford rear caliper tool. Under $10 at most auto parts stores. In the shape of a square.

If you've got rear drums, there is a tool used for the spring but it isn't always needed as a screwdriver will do the same job.

A C clamp for compressing the the front caliper to allow the new pads to fit in.

 

[Random Hero]

alright well its too late for me to do it now but next time i need pads il definately look into it. and thanks for the tips il definately be keeping an eye out for those things.