Rear brake pads and discs
Less wear than the front, but when they go they often take the handbrake with them.
Rear brakes do less of the stopping, so they last longer — but they also corrode more, because they get less heat to burn the rust off. On a car that does short journeys the rear discs often fail from corrosion rather than wear.
Many modern cars have an electronic handbrake that works through the rear caliper. That has to be retracted electronically before the caliper will open, which is why this is not a job to attempt with a screwdriver in a driveway.
How you know you need it
- The handbrake needs more travel than it used to, or will not hold on a hill
- A scraping noise from the back that changes when you brake
- Visible rust ridges on the rear discs
- An MOT advisory on rear brake efficiency or corroded discs
What we actually do
- 1 Electronic handbrake put into service mode where the car has one
- 2 Calipers off, pins cleaned and greased
- 3 New discs and pads fitted to specification
- 4 Handbrake reset and its travel checked properly
- 5 Road test, including a hill hold
Questions about this job
Why are rear brakes sometimes dearer than front?
On cars with an electronic handbrake the caliper has to be retracted with diagnostic equipment, and the parts themselves often cost more.
My handbrake is weak — is that the pads?
Often, but not always. It can also be a seized caliper or a stretched cable. The brake check tells us which before anything is ordered.
Rear brake pads and discs — in Westhampton
118 Mill Lane, Westhampton, Westshire, WX1 4AB. Open seven days, Sunday included.