Using clutch and gears as break

Lexus1976

Hello,

2 questions:

My breakpads are running very low, when i break i can hear a scretch of the metal hitting the metal. If i dont get the break pads replaced quickly what kind of damage could this cause?



I'm currenlty using the clutch and gears to slow my car down, can this damage the car? (Foot on clutch, reduce gear, ease of clutch)

colm_mcm

YOu could cause damage to the brake disc from metal-to-metal contact, or you could end up hitting something else.

Some cars have a metal spring that is released once the pads go below a certain level, this causes a screeching noise even when the brakes aren't applied. If you're getting a crunching/screeching on braking stop driving the car.

Get them changed ASAP, this is pretty serious.

biko

In my opinion engine braking is ok.
If you don't change the pads soon the discs will have to be replaced too.

colm_mcm

IMO engine braking to maintain a speed, eg down a hill is OK, but using the engine to slow the car down under normal circumstances puts strain on engine/transmission

Gregor Samsa

Personally, I wouldn't be worrying about what damage I'd be doing to my car, and I'd just get the brakes fixed up asap.

Engine braking (using the gears) might be all well and good for slowing down gently, but what happens when you need to do an emergency stop, and your brake pads are shagged?

Maybe I'm wrong, and people will claim I'm on my high horse, but I'm old school when it comes to essential safety features of my car.

blinding

4 brakes= cost ?

1 engine +1 gearbox= cost ?

Lexus1976

Where can I get my breakpads replaced today any ideas and how much will it cost . Audi A4?

mickdw

you are unlikely to need pads on back & front at the same time so pads for either front or back would be about €40 and about 1 hour labour. Any local garage or fast fit place would do it.

Gregor Samsa

I would have thought that most of those fast-fit paces (Fast Fit, Advanced Pitstop, etc) should be open today.

Lexus1976

Cheers lads

doolox

NCT test on brakes calls for greater than 55% efficiency on brakes being applied and less tha 30% for the handbrake which is only pulling on the rear brakes, usually drum brakes.
The front barkes on most cars are disc brakes and do 70% of the stopping power in a car. Changing them is easy and quite possible for an amateur to do.
Cahnging the rear drum brake shoes is more difficult but may noe be needed as much especially if you are a steady driver and light braker.
I got 120,000 miles before I changed my front pads on my Toyota Corolla and I am now up to 140,000 without going near the back drum shoes yet but they are approaching the limit for handbrake efficiency on the NCT report and will need changing before the next NCT in 2 years time.
Before I changed my pads on the front I found that I was coming to a stop a little too far out on junctions and braking needed more effort than usual.
An emergency stop could have caused trouble, for the sake of the other errant users on the road it is best to get and keep the brakes done. NCT will fail anyway so you have little choice even if money is tight.

bauderline

Above all else defective tires and brakes are the most serious safery issues on a car. To not actively maintain these is pure madness, you might as well book yourself in with masseys !

Johnny Utah

colm_mcm wrote: »

YOu could cause damage to the brake disc from metal-to-metal contact, or you could end up hitting something else.

Some cars have a metal spring that is released once the pads go below a certain level, this causes a screeching noise even when the brakes aren't applied. If you're getting a crunching/screeching on braking stop driving the car.

Get them changed ASAP, this is pretty serious.

Is it normal to have to replace brake discs as well as brake pads. The reason I ask is because when I bought my current car, I booked it in for a service straight away and I had to replace both brake pads and brake discs all round.

Is it true to say that if you replace brake pads on time, then you shouldn't need to replace the brake discs at all?

Dartz

If the disks are worn they would be replaced anyway. Might aswell replace the pads while they're at it.

Brake disks will eventually wear out though, or warp on their own.

Johnny Utah

Dartz wrote: »

If the disks are worn they would be replaced anyway. Might aswell replace the pads while they're at it.

Brake disks will eventually wear out though, or warp on their own.

Well, I got both of them replaced last year when it was in for service anyway.


Just interested to know what sort of mileage should you get out of brake discs?

rebel.ranter

Johnny Utah wrote: »

Is it normal to have to replace brake discs as well as brake pads. The reason I ask is because when I bought my current car, I booked it in for a service straight away and I had to replace both brake pads and brake discs all round.

Is it true to say that if you replace brake pads on time, then you shouldn't need to replace the brake discs at all?

Brake pads wear at a faster rate than the disc. Normally you would change the discs when they reach their recommended minimum thickness (this is usually stamped on the centre of the disc somewhere, the thickness can be measured with a Micrometer or clever use of a Vernier Calipers. In general you would change the discs every 2nd time you change the pads.
You should never changes the discs without changing the pads also. The reason for this is if the pads are unevenly worn then they will mirror this uneven wear on the discs reducing the braking efficiency.

The rear discs & pads will wear at a much slower pace than the front ones, as mentioned above the front brakes do most of the braking. It would be unusual coincidence for the front & rear to need changing at the same time. However the previous owner may neglected to have done the necessary maintenance & your garage was just playing catch up.

Johnny Utah

rebel.ranter wrote: »

The rear discs & pads will wear at a much slower pace than the front ones, as mentioned above the front brakes do most of the braking. It would be unusual coincidence for the front & rear to need changing at the same time. However the previous owner may neglected to have done the necessary maintenance & your garage was just playing catch up.

Yes, I think this was the case. The brakes are working very well since the pads & discs were changed.