Brake Wear Indicator

[Thunderthumbs]

Hello all. It is nice to see the Serious Explorations site doing well. I've not been here in a long time, and the last time was trying to figure out an idling issue in which you all helped me ultimately properly diagnose and fix- it was the Idle Air Control (IAC) module. Thanks!

So now I'm having what I'm almost certain is the brake wear indicator squealling on what I sense is the left front side of the vehicle. I had the fronts replaced at 51,000 miles, and I'm now at 97,000 with my 1997 V-8 Explorer 4-door. The squeal started maybe two weeks ago, but I've not done anything other than around-town driving since, and have tried my best to be very gentle with the braking allowing for an impending brake job. I live in the Washington DC area, so perhaps 50,000 miles or so is all I'm going to get out of a set of pads. And I suppose that's ok, all things considered. Maybe that is a lot of miles to get out of pads in a mostly urban environment. Maybe not. I don't know. I am disinclined to drive this vehicle now until I have the money to fix it, and I think that is the safe thing to do. Perhaps that will help me avoid also replacing rotors too.

I think I know the answer, but I'll ask anyway: The brake wear indicator has nothing to do with the conditions of the hubs and/or bearings, and only the brake pads, correct?

As I understand it, the brake pads most likely need to be replaced. Secondly, depending on the condition of the rotors, they may need to be replaced as well. Thirdly, while they are inspecting the the brake pads and hubs, they may be able to easily tell whether the bearings need to be replaced. Correct? At a certain point, if there's enough "play" they will be able to determine the status of the bearings. Correct? Isn't "hubs" the same thing as the assembly which includes the bearings and rotors? I'm just trying to make sure I am using the correct and clear terminology, as well as accounting for all things wheel/noise/brake-related which could be involved.

Anything else I'm missing here?

Thanks again for any and all thoughts!
Brad

 

[mattferkey]

you got it sounds like u know ur stuff better than u think

 

[ScarSnake]

It does indeed sound like your brakes are just about used up. The vehicle is safe to drive so long as you take it fairly easy...ie no long downhill runs towing a big boat behind you, leading to early brake fade. When you run out of pads, you'll hear a nasty grinding sound. You don't want to get to that point.

Changing pads is pretty easy. Changing rotors isn't too bad, as long as you use enough penetrating fluid and have a little patience loosening the rotor from the hub. You can check the rotor thickness against specifications, but at 97,000 miles, I think you've got your money's worth out of them. But, if you changed the rotors at 51,000 miles, there's a pretty decent chance that they are still OK.

And no, the rotor and hub are not one assembly. The hub includes the bearings on 4WD vehicles only (I think), and is probably OK.

 

[Thunderthumbs]

Thanks for your thoughts on the brakes. I will likely be addressing this in the next two weeks once the paycheck comes in. Now, I think it's a question of whether I want to get into this myself and hopefully save some money, or whether I want to pay someone, and be done with it. Sometimes it's worth it to pay someone to save yourself some hassle. The repair does not seem terribly difficult (thanks message board), but I've never replaced my own brake pads. Maybe now's the time to start...

Thanks,
Brad