soooooooooo....this is going to be my third time changing my front brake pads in my gsr...rurhhghhghgh...whyyyyyyyyyy?????????..my friends are saying that i brake too much and sometimes unesscarying braking and maybe when i turn i brake when i shouldn't....or do you guys think its because of the brand of the brake pads..i bought AEM brake pads..but those mugs are friggen EXPENSIVE!!!...90 bucks for the front brake bads.but they worked so gooooooooood....but the were gone so quick...then i bought some generic ones the second time around bleh..and i believe i have to change them again..because i'm hearing squeaking noises when i brake...alrighty..what other factors are possible for my eating up my brake pads too soon??...does it have to do anything with the brake fluids..I heard you were suppose to flush the brake fluid when you change brake pads but my friend didn't do that for the two times he changed my brake pads...urhg..


your thoughts? advice? opinons?

 

I did that when I first started driving, I would speed up and then brake at a stop light...speed up then brake hard at a stoplight. I just drive like a granny now, saves gas lol. Just don't brake too hard, neutral and coast to your next stop

 

Use your e brake all the time. JK Seriously use your gears.

 

but i hate downshifting to slow down....isn't it bad for the engine????

 

no

 

Downshifting isn't necessarily bad for the engine, unless you mis-shift or something. It is hard on the clutch and transmission if not done correctly, which is often the case when people downshift. I prefer not to downshift to slow down unless I really need to, and use the brakes more - brake pads are so much cheaper and easier to do than a clutch change and a tranny overhaul.

As for your brake pads, just because they are squeaking does not mean they need to be changed. The noise could be coming from brake dust, uneven pad deposits on the rotors (often mis-identified as 'warping'), or another reason. I always buy OEM Honda brake pads and I have always been able to go at least 40-50k miles on my front pads, and a lot longer on the rear pads.

The best way to check your pads and rotors out is to just jack up the car, take the wheels off, and take a look. Look at the back and front side of the rotor, and down at the pads on each side. Look for uneven wear. If you still have 1/4" of meat left, you are in good shape and can go longer without a pad change. While in there, clean off your rotors with some brake cleaner spray and look for uneven deposits, pitting, cracks, or grooves.

Also, read this article, it can make your brake pads and rotors last much longer when you do change them:
http://stoptech.com/whitepaper...h.htm

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by purplegsr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Downshifting isn't necessarily bad for the engine, unless you mis-shift or something. It is hard on the clutch and transmission if not done correctly, which is often the case when people downshift. I prefer not to downshift to slow down unless I really need to, and use the brakes more - brake pads are so much cheaper and easier to do than a clutch change and a tranny overhaul.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yup...or learn to heel-toe


Modified by dc2vu at 11:42 PM 7/7/2005


Modified by dc2vu at 11:42 PM 7/7/2005

 

is it all four pads, or jsut one pad that is really worn down?? If it is jsut one it could be your caliper needs a rebuid.

You could bleed the system to make sure you dont have any air bubbles stoping the piston from going al the way back and causing the pads to drag

 

Well someone stated that you should drive like a grandma by just coasting in neutral to your stops but that's only good if you want to save your gas. However, it's harder on your brakes cuz you're not using your engine to help you slow down when you're in neutral. If you just rev-match downshift it shouldn't be too bad for the engine or clutch and it will help slow you down if you wanna save the brakes. Also, like someone said...just because you're squeaking doesn't mean you're down to your wear indicators...I'm guessing since you don't have the OEM pads you didn't get a set of ANTI SQUEAL SHIMS...i think the name says enough about their intended purpose.


Modified by Gen2Gen3teg at 5:56 PM 7/7/2005

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Gen2Gen3teg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you just rev-match downshift it shouldn't be too bad for the engine or clutch and it will help slow you down if you wanna save the brakes.</TD></TR></TABLE>

AKA Heel - Toe

 

I guess learning to rev match takes some time?

 

It's not too hard...juss gotta get used to the sequence...it's good stuff though i do it everyday just daily driving

 

I've never really tried it. Anyone have any pointers?

 

Check your rotors

 

if u already got the concept down all u can do is practice...this is hella OT...brake...clutch,downshift,gas (heel toe)...let off clutch

 

1) Make sure youre greasing the back of the pads/shims when installing pads. This prevents the squeaking that most people associate with "worn down pads" when its just the lack of lubrication.

2) Make sure you are paying attention to the little nub on the back of the pad. This MUST fit into the piston correctly or you will get uneven wear and one side will wear out quickly.

3) Make sure the pins are not siezed.

 

Get the "Lifetime Warranty" pads from AutoZone..........admittedly, they are not "the" best performing pads, but they are only like $20ish. When they wear out, simply take them in, and they give you new ones (no questions asked). So, all you are out is some time to change pads - no money. This is probably not the way to go if you AutoX, or want extreme performance, but if this is just a daily driver, with even some spirited driving, it is a very economical way to go. Just my $0.02.

As previously stated, just becasue you are hearing some noise up front does not necessarily mean you need new pads.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sw33t_g33s3r &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">but i hate downshifting to slow down....isn't it bad for the engine????</TD></TR></TABLE>

Its not bad for the engine but it'll slowly destory your tranny gears, lol.

 

hmm i don't want to mess up my tranny by downshifting..i'll just change my brake pads regualarly..and try not to drive as fast so i don't have to brake often or hard..bleh..thanks guys..greatly appreciate

 

If the noise you hear is a metallic screeching, then yeah, it's probably the little piece of metal (brake pad wear indicator or something) that tells you your pads are too thin. If it's more of a squeal without the metallic sound, then check out other things, as other people have mentioned. It could also be glazed/burned rotors.

 

just to point out.
Cross-drilled or slotted rotors will also cause a shorter pad life.
as will large (heavier) wheels (higher rotational mass)

 

I didn't see *maybe someone pointed out* but a typical issue with brakes could also be that his rotors are warped or somehow grooved, this would cause those brakes to wear faster as well.

As far as shifting to slow down.... i read somewhere * i forget where now probably here * but someone pointed out
brakes are for slowing down. the cost of brake pads versus the cost of your transmission should show that those brakes ARE for slowing down. I personally don't like to put that stress on my transmission, everytime you push the clutch in that throwout bearing has to go , the grab of the clutch when you let off the pedal etc. thats all wear. wether you THINK you're rev matching *by popular demand*--&gt;"OR" heel toeing just right, or not... the brakes are there to stop your car, not your transmission... this is just IMO.
~
edit: should the rotors be warped, you can get them turned at most autozone / autozone type places, just pull them off and take them down there, they will tell you if they are too bad to work on. If they are bad, order some from acura or hit up a junkyard and get some - just make sure they are reflect almost like a mirror, shouldn't have any deep grooves, smooth is good!.


Modified by tegswin at 5:02 PM 7/8/2005


Modified by tegswin at 5:03 PM 7/8/2005

 

i wouldnt put used rotors on my car. and heel toe-ing and rev matching are not the same thing... heel-toe is when they are done at the same time... you can revmatch/downshift with out ever hitting the brake.