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Brake job miles?
- Thread starter seenhear
- Start date
vcor
Tech Specialist
Wasn't sure of the benefits and disadvantages of ceramic pads. Seems like a good choice for most, but perhaps not in colder climates. Here's one article that seems to cover it well: Ceramic vs. Metallic Brake Pads, What's the Difference?. I like that ceramic pads are quieter and produce less dust.
Agreed, it's pretty good for an ICE car, but most model S owners in absence of other issues (weather/salt, stuck rocks, damage, etc.) are reporting way in excess of 100kmi before needing new rotors & pads. Some have made it to around 200kmi and beyond.
The most I ever got on an ICE car was around 85kmi on my 2000 Dodge Dakota, which had a 5 spd stick transmission, and I'm pretty good at doing rpm matched shifting for engine braking with stick&clutch.
Mostly because I haven't done the research, and didn't have the time to research what parts I should get. Also didn't want to wait to order parts. I was happy with the OEM parts, and the brand the outside shop offered up was one I'd never heard of, and Dr. Google didn't offer up info on them either. So I declined. I also was able to move up my appointment at the Tesla SC several days. Also, even with the aftermarket/generic brand parts, the outside shop wasn't THAT much cheaper than Tesla (as shown in my post above with quote $$ numbers.) Also, I don't have the space, tools, or time, to do a brake job myself anymore. Haven't done so since I was in my early 20's, which.... was a long time ago.
The independent shop I went to measured the rotors. Fronts are low enough to warrant replacement, but rears have some life left. I might ask Tesla to just do the pads on the rears, and pads+rotors on the fronts.
Although... I think most shops these days prefer to replace rotors at the same time as pads now, because rotors are made thinner than they used to be; so no more turning of rotors. If I replace just the pads, I wonder if by the time the new pads wear out, the rotors will be an unsafe thickness?
beatle
Active Member
On a street car it's pretty rare for me to replace pads and not replace rotors. The originals are generally pretty rusty, worn unevenly, close to their wear limits often enough that I just replace them. People used to (or may still) turn them, but that requires a brake lathe, and the cost for that is often within spitting distance of a new pair. I'm cheap enough to do the job myself, but also lazy enough that I don't want to do the job again in a year. Though at Tesla's prices I'd have to think twice. $330 for a pair of plain steel rotors just seems like highway robbery to me.
Though at Tesla's prices I'd have to think twice. $330 for a pair of plain steel rotors just seems like highway robbery to me.
To be clear about the rotors and pads, each manufacturer has specified their service limits and the value is stamped on the parts. Tesla OEM rotors have 2mm (or 0,08 in) thickness wear amount, from 32mm > 30mm at front and 28mm > 26mm at rear. I have no clue how OP have had the pads wear down to service limit which is both front and rear 2mm (or 0,08 in) thickness of pad excluding the plate? I have measured mine annually and last year October was my rotors down by 0,5mm at front and 0,2mm at rear; pads had lost only 1,2-1,5mm at front only. Rear pads had no indication of wear at all. Parking brake pads was down from 5,5mm > 5mm (service limit is 1.0mm). Mine is 03/2016 with Brembo brakes, little under 69k mi.
Thanks for that info.
Despite being a mechanical engineer, and having replaced rotors on a few cars in my teens and 20's, I'm not knowledgeable about how to measure rotors. The tech at the outside shop used a set of plastic gauges; they were a set of about 12-15 gauges with several colored green, several yellow, several red. He did not remove the wheels, just used the gauges through the spokes. He said the rear rotors were between green & yellow, I think he said 6mm as a number. He said the front rotors were between yellow and red, and 3mm as a number. I could have the 3mm and 6mm backwards, I don't remember now.
Hi, I have a S75D, 2016 and I believe it's time to replace my pads. Did you replace the rotors as well? What brake pads would you recommend for front&rear? Thx
Update: Tesla did the brake job last week, and the final bill was around $1900 for rotos+pads on all four wheels. I'm not sure why they knocked the price down but I'll take it. However I haven't paid them yet.
Picked up the car Friday night, drove it home (about 10 miles of city streets), smelled like hot brakes much of the way. I noticed also that if I slowed down gradually with regen only no brake pedal, the car would come to a complete stop on a flat street; whereas before it would roll for a long time without stopping. I figured these symptoms meant the pads were rubbing a bit much, and maybe just needed some break-in braking time. I drove a couple errands and did some excessively hard stops whenever I could. No improvement.
The next day (Saturday) I drove with 3 adult passengers 30 miles on the freeway to the Stanford / USC football game (STN got killed, but played well). Everyone commented on the palpable and audible vibration the car was emitting. Also, the power meter was showing much more power usage than normal for flat fwy driving; Something wasn't right.
So, today I brought it back and they are trying to diagnose what's wrong. I went for a ride with their diagnosis technician, and he acknowledged the sound and vibration.
We shall see....
Picked up the car Friday night, drove it home (about 10 miles of city streets), smelled like hot brakes much of the way. I noticed also that if I slowed down gradually with regen only no brake pedal, the car would come to a complete stop on a flat street; whereas before it would roll for a long time without stopping. I figured these symptoms meant the pads were rubbing a bit much, and maybe just needed some break-in braking time. I drove a couple errands and did some excessively hard stops whenever I could. No improvement.
The next day (Saturday) I drove with 3 adult passengers 30 miles on the freeway to the Stanford / USC football game (STN got killed, but played well). Everyone commented on the palpable and audible vibration the car was emitting. Also, the power meter was showing much more power usage than normal for flat fwy driving; Something wasn't right.
So, today I brought it back and they are trying to diagnose what's wrong. I went for a ride with their diagnosis technician, and he acknowledged the sound and vibration.
We shall see....
WilliamG
Hinge Fanatic
Midnightsun
Active Member
Here in the north with salt infested winter roads brake servicing is a must. Also needs to be done wherever you may live but less frequently. I install winter wheels every Dec and summer wheels get put back on every spring. When this happens the brakes are fully serviced, cleaned and lubed so twice a year for me. This will assure there is no sticking which will cause premature wear. Most ignore brake service and then wonder why they do not get great longevity out of them. One of the most important maintenance items you can do for your brakes and apart from tire rotations and filter changes, about the only maintenance required on our Teslas.
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