When Elise brake pads wear out there is NO warning - just a really BAD grinding sound - LotusTalk

LARRY · 08-09-2007, 01:01 PM

FYI-

When the brake pads wear out on the Elise/Exige there is NO audible warning.

All you hear is a sickening grinding sounding as your rotors get ruined.

JimK · 08-09-2007, 01:06 PM

How many miles do you have on them?

ace10 · 08-09-2007, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LARRY

FYI-

When the brake pads wear out on the Elise/Exige there is NO audible warning.

All you hear is a sickening grinding sounding as your rotors get ruined.

there may be no audible warning, but all it takes is bending down on your knee and peeking behind the wheel spokes and maybe pulling the wheel off to check the inside pads too.

did this happen to you?
if so, isn't one of your favorite dealer inspecting them for you at each service?
does this change the number ($1,000) that you always throw out there as the annual service cost?

TimMullen · 08-09-2007, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ace10

there may be no audible warning, but all it takes is bending down on your knee and peeking behind the wheel spokes and maybe pulling the wheel off to check the inside pads too.

That's what small mirrors are for.

It's also not uncommon - not all cars have the "squeal tabs" on them to let you know that the brakes are low. Even if the tabs are them, I've had them make no noise at all as they have been slowly ground away. Nothing replace a visual inspection of the pad thickness.

ace10 · 08-09-2007, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimMullen

That's what small mirrors are for.

It's also not uncommon - not all cars have the "squeal tabs" on them to let you know that the brakes are low. Even if the tabs are them, I've had them make no noise at all as they have been slowly ground away. Nothing replace a visual inspection of the pad thickness.

i find it very difficult to "see" the leading and trailing edges of the inboard rear pads with a mirror. i've tried, but just can't seem to find the proper angles. my wheels are off (at least) every week so i'm already digging around in there.

LARRY · 08-09-2007, 01:28 PM

Yeah. I inspect them often.

I knew by looking that the pads were very low. I thought it could wait two weeks for my next Lotus appointment.

A really LOUD crunching sound was the first warning.

Just thought I'd pass this on, since that loud crunching sound could have been the whole front suspension falling off for all I knew.

I have 9600 miles on the first pads.

fitfan · 08-09-2007, 01:30 PM

agreed - i replaced mine about 5k miles too early, just because it wasn't worth the chance of not getting a good visual of how the inners were really wearing. and i ahd a track day coming up - better safe than sorry!

well hey man - think of it this way NOW you have a good EXCUSE to go get some light weight rotors! ...your plan the whole time right?

LARRY · 08-09-2007, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ace10

there may be no audible warning, but all it takes is bending down on your knee and peeking behind the wheel spokes and maybe pulling the wheel off to check the inside pads too.

did this happen to you?
if so, isn't one of your favorite dealer inspecting them for you at each service?
does this change the number ($1,000) that you always throw out there as the annual service cost?

That price ($1000 a year) was told to me by Abe at South Bay.

Yes, with a tune up and brakes and tires for the first few years $1000 a year sounds about right.

fitfan · 08-09-2007, 01:33 PM

wow -- i got 13k miles and a couple track days and mine were still 20%...

i have been told (don't know if its true or not, but makes common sense) that if you are "easy" on the brakes the pads were faster, and if your hard on the brakes the pads last longer because the are used "less miles" and if its hard or gentle it still the same wear over time, justless time if you use the pedal quick and hard.

True?

LARRY · 08-09-2007, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fitfan

agreed - i replaced mine about 5k miles too early, just because it wasn't worth the chance of not getting a good visual of how the inners were really wearing. and i ahd a track day coming up - better safe than sorry!

well hey man - think of it this way NOW you have a good EXCUSE to go get some light weight rotors! ...your plan the whole time right?

Uh..............yeah!

LARRY · 08-09-2007, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fitfan

wow -- i got 13k miles and a couple track days and mine were still 20%...

i have been told (don't know if its true or not, but makes common sense) that if you are "easy" on the brakes the pads were faster, and if your hard on the brakes the pads last longer because the are used "less miles" and if its hard or gentle it still the same wear over time, justless time if you use the pedal quick and hard.

True?

I don't know!

I thought I had estimated correctly.

That horrible sound when the pads get too low comes on even when you don't brake.

It does NOT sound like it has anything to do with brakes...

dododge · 08-09-2007, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fitfan

wow -- i got 13k miles and a couple track days and mine were still 20%...

Yeah, I'm approaching 15k and my original pads are still fine.

Donbecker · 08-09-2007, 03:08 PM

damn Larry, sorry to hear about that.

I have almost 18k miles on my original set...getting low but not replacing them yet.

dasmoofler · 08-09-2007, 03:11 PM

Note to self. Check pads when you get home!

dbisbee · 08-09-2007, 03:18 PM

My right front inside pad wore at an angle. So an inspection even with the tire off I did not catch it. I am only a weekend mechanic thou. Wore the rotor bad

...damn JL Audio subwoofer

....not sure how long I drove it like that as I like my music like my exhaust. LOUD.

Replaced both the front rotors with Sector111 ones and R4-S pads.

Dana

LI Pets · 08-09-2007, 03:22 PM

Why not just replace them at 25% they are cheap to do see here

ace10 · 08-09-2007, 03:36 PM

9,600 miles is less than average for a daily driver annually. if anyone makes a habit of trashing their rotors every time they run through the pads, they're going to be out much more than $1k for service per year. the job, as quoted by a dealer, in this thread was $1,400
http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40076

LARRY · 08-09-2007, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbisbee

My right front inside pad wore at an angle. So an inspection even with the tire off I did not catch it. I am only a weekend mechanic thou. Wore the rotor bad

...damn JL Audio subwoofer

....not sure how long I drove it like that as I like my music like my exhaust. LOUD.

Replaced both the front rotors with Sector111 ones and R4-S pads.

Dana

It's not easy to tell when the pads need replacing. Initial conversations with Lotus mechanics led me to believe they would last to 12,000 miles. But they didn't.

codymac · 08-09-2007, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LARRY

It's not easy to tell when the pads need replacing. Initial conversations with Lotus mechanics led me to believe they would last to 12,000 miles. But they didn't.

For street use (per Lotus):
front - 9.0mm, replace at 2.5mm
rear - 6.5mm, replace at 2.5mm

IMHO, for track use, replace the OEMs at 50% wear as there simply isn't enough pad left to handle the heat the brakes can generate (and consequently, the wear can accelerate at an alarming rate).

The noises are certainly interesting though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LARRY

That price ($1000 a year) was told to me by Abe at South Bay.

Yes, with a tune up and brakes and tires for the first few years $1000 a year sounds about right.

Not if you're going fast, it doesn't.

fishguy · 08-09-2007, 04:44 PM

when the pads are thinner than the backing plate its time to change them, you will not pass a tech at a track if they are at this level. As mentioned above, you need pad materila to dissapate the heat.
easy to change them, even i can do it, so it must be easy.

08-09-2007, 01:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
LARRY It's a Lotus Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Beverly Hills, Ca. Posts: 17,162	When Elise brake pads wear out there is NO warning - just a really BAD grinding sound FYI- When the brake pads wear out on the Elise/Exige there is NO audible warning. All you hear is a sickening grinding sounding as your rotors get ruined. __________________ 2005 Saffron Yellow Elise. Stage II Exhaust. 2007 ProBax seats. "We know they're magical and worth every minute we spend on them. The whole Lotus owners' world is like a secret handshake among people who understand that." (R&T)

08-09-2007, 01:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
JimK rooster Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bettendorf, IA Posts: 2,143	How many miles do you have on them? __________________ curator of C32B, J35Z3, J37A1, F20C. former 2ZZGE owner.

08-09-2007, 01:28 PM	#6 (permalink)
LARRY It's a Lotus Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Beverly Hills, Ca. Posts: 17,162	Yeah. I inspect them often. I knew by looking that the pads were very low. I thought it could wait two weeks for my next Lotus appointment. A really LOUD crunching sound was the first warning. Just thought I'd pass this on, since that loud crunching sound could have been the whole front suspension falling off for all I knew. I have 9600 miles on the first pads. __________________ 2005 Saffron Yellow Elise. Stage II Exhaust. 2007 ProBax seats. "We know they're magical and worth every minute we spend on them. The whole Lotus owners' world is like a secret handshake among people who understand that." (R&T)

08-09-2007, 01:30 PM	#7 (permalink)
fitfan Regurgitated User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Diego! Posts: 4,100	agreed - i replaced mine about 5k miles too early, just because it wasn't worth the chance of not getting a good visual of how the inners were really wearing. and i ahd a track day coming up - better safe than sorry! well hey man - think of it this way NOW you have a good EXCUSE to go get some light weight rotors! ...your plan the whole time right? __________________ Driving it around!

08-09-2007, 01:33 PM	#9 (permalink)
fitfan Regurgitated User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Diego! Posts: 4,100	wow -- i got 13k miles and a couple track days and mine were still 20%... i have been told (don't know if its true or not, but makes common sense) that if you are "easy" on the brakes the pads were faster, and if your hard on the brakes the pads last longer because the are used "less miles" and if its hard or gentle it still the same wear over time, justless time if you use the pedal quick and hard. True? __________________ Driving it around!

08-09-2007, 03:08 PM	#13 (permalink)
Donbecker Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 1,064	damn Larry, sorry to hear about that. I have almost 18k miles on my original set...getting low but not replacing them yet.

08-09-2007, 03:11 PM	#14 (permalink)
dasmoofler Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: SE WI Posts: 3,088	Note to self. Check pads when you get home!

08-09-2007, 03:18 PM	#15 (permalink)
dbisbee Service animal Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 476	My right front inside pad wore at an angle. So an inspection even with the tire off I did not catch it. I am only a weekend mechanic thou. Wore the rotor bad ...damn JL Audio subwoofer ....not sure how long I drove it like that as I like my music like my exhaust. LOUD. Replaced both the front rotors with Sector111 ones and R4-S pads. Dana __________________ The word "PASSION" should aways be uppercase. #349 '05 AS Elise Touring, Hardtop, Starshield, Plinth delete, GPS Garmin 680, V1, V1 mirror, Leather console, Multivex, Alpine CDA9887, JL stealthbox, Focals, Alpine PDX 5, HID, RAC Monolites, R888's, Stage II, Front Slotted rotors, R4-S pads, Stebel nautilus, TitanQR and Odyssey 925 now with bracket.

08-09-2007, 03:22 PM	#16 (permalink)
LI Pets Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: LI, NY Posts: 51	Why not just replace them at 25% they are cheap to do see here __________________ Bob Soon to be an Elise owner

08-09-2007, 03:36 PM	#17 (permalink)
ace10 -30- Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 4,449 Images: 35	9,600 miles is less than average for a daily driver annually. if anyone makes a habit of trashing their rotors every time they run through the pads, they're going to be out much more than $1k for service per year. the job, as quoted by a dealer, in this thread was $1,400 http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40076 __________________ 2007 Exige S, Storm Ti. Sport, Track and TC.Plus: Multivex Mirrors, S111 Deltabrace, Sparco 6Pt harnesses (w/Ti Dave's Antisub belt mount), I/O Port video mount, Snorkel delete, Shims out, Rearview Mirror delete, 2Bular 7X18, Pagid RS42's, Saiku Michi catch can and, of course, blingy carpet buttons. 08 M-B ML320 cdi, 08 Toyota Tundra SR5 5.7, 06 M-B E320 cdi, 02 Lexus LX470, 97 Bobcat 751C The Red Pill Ignore Me *Be sure too save your IL before browsing away

08-09-2007, 04:44 PM	#20 (permalink)
fishguy registered nipple Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 4,780 Images: 1	when the pads are thinner than the backing plate its time to change them, you will not pass a tech at a track if they are at this level. As mentioned above, you need pad materila to dissapate the heat. easy to change them, even i can do it, so it must be easy. __________________ 2008-2009 SCCA AZ Regional "Driver of the Year" 1986 Swift DB-1 Sold 2008 HSR-West FF 3rd generation Champion 2008 "The Series" FF 3rd generation Champion 1987 Porsche Spec 944 2008-2009 season SCCA AZ regional Champion

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