Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General At 50K got new front brake pads on my SVT

My ride needed front pads. Scraping sounds from the left front rotor told me so. I had to take back the pads that Ford says fit, since they didn't fit (RANT: why does Ford have a DOZEN different pads for the front brakes??? for Contiques/Cougar??) So the post 5/99 pads fit (even though my SVT was made in 9/98!!!)
Anyway, had a local gas station do the swap for a small fee. (I WOULD have done it but I am getting too lazy) Told them screw the rotors, just put the stupid pads on... And of course, they are fine. (RANT: d^mn places that become hysterical if you don't want the rotors "fixed up", what nonsense!!! The "rotor" business is 3/4 scam, 1/8 overzealous ignorance, 3/32 stupidity, and only maybe 1/32 need to do. 99% of all rotor work is NOT needed.) How often have you gone to get pads and they faint at the mention of no rotor work, "Oh, we can't work on your car that way..." or, "then we can't possibly warrant our work..." or, "You'll DIE.." Jeez...)
From the woman who brought you the "130mph brake cleaning method"

I didn't get new brakes on my tour until it was at 50K miles either. I did replace the rotors b/c I noticed some warpage from the idiots who attempted to do my wheel rotation and balancing. Give people an impact hammer and they think they know everything...

DAMN I only got 20K out of my pads..
hmmm something about AutoX and road courses might have something to say about that..

ya think???

at 30k miles my pads were glazed over like ceramics but were about 50% worn. One of my rear pads had gotten so hot that the resin flowed out of solution with the pad and deposited on the surface, leaving only the friction media at the backing plate so upon removal of the caliper the pad crumbled apart.

I ground the ridge off the rotors, measured the thickness and found all of them to be at or near the wear limit stamped into the rotor hub. (Good thing I did the work myself or I'd be forced to buy new rotors as it is a CT state law that forbids a service center from releasing a viehicle with brakes worn beyond limits set by the manufacturer)

hmm... got like 65 out of my Mystique, 91k out of my tracer! ... the rear still had 50% left and are still original at 123k :p

I just put new pads on my car at 53K. That was after I heard the grinding on my right rotor. Had to replace it... expensive :rolleyes:

The amount of miles you get on your brake pads depends on your type and style of driving. A 100-mile daily commute with all highway miles would wear the brake pads very little. A 20-mile daily commute with heavy stop and go traffic, the brake pads would not last nearly as long. Also some people are just harder on their brakes.

So true Elizabeth!
Also, advise all to write down their wheel torque settings and make sure that any shop that rotates tires or has to remove a wheel knows what the torques are and conforms to these figures. And check the torque again after 500 miles.