Brakes on car going: Can I wait a week?

R1V3R5

R1V3R5

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So, I started hearing my brakes scrape. It's a noticeable grinding sound where the dead pad is contacting and ruining the rotor. It's only on the front and it appears the rear brakes are in good shape. And, while the rotors are okay, they are being ruined every day I drive.

So, my question to you fine folks at CAG is...

Can I drive like this for a week? It's snowing and I do not have a place to change my brakes until next Saturday. I could go to a brake place and get ripped off. However, if I can delay it a couple more days then I can use my friends heated garage and change the brakes myself. Rotors and pads will set me back less than $150 if I do the work myself. If I take it in to a brake place, it will cost $150 for them to just install pads! So, I don't mind ruining the rotors as I was planning to change them anyway. What do you guys think? Am I safe until next Saturday?
 
This reminds me of the time back years ago when I was so broke I couldn't get my brakes fixed. I drove around on those brakes for a couple months after getting to the part where it sounds like yours are now. I wouldn't recommend it, but if its something you gotta do, you should be able to handle it for a few days as long as there's not much snow on the roads. Just drive ultra careful and make sure you always leave plenty of room to stop. When I ran my brakes so bad, I ended up getting a ticket for running a red light because I couldn't stop the car in time, so definatly don't go trying to beat out a yellow light or anything like that and always leave plenty of distance when you're following behind another car.

Just don't let it go as long as I did and you should be okay. If it just started scraping recently, you shouldn't be too bad off for at least a week.
 
How many brakes do you hear this from? The scraping noise could just be the wear indicator doing it's job, and not the actual base of the pad contacting the rotor (which should never be allowed to happen, it'll definitely ruin the rotors in no time). How long have you heard that?
 
A week won't be too bad. Depending on how your rotors are now, a brake shop could machine your rotors down a little bit and make them pretty much good as new. That doesn't cost much at all. If you could do the pads yourself, or even buy them yourself and have a shop just install them and smooth your rotor(s) down, you shouldn't be looking at much money.

But anyway, a week shouldn't do too much damage. Just try not to get caught slamming on your brakes on slick roads :)
 
[quote name='CoffeeEdge']How many brakes do you hear this from? The scraping noise could just be the wear indicator doing it's job, and not the actual base of the pad contacting the rotor (which should never be allowed to happen, it'll definitely ruin the rotors in no time). How long have you heard that?[/QUOTE]

I've only heard it for maybe 2 days. It's a loud metal scraping sound and it shimmies when I brake. I've taken nothing but utmost care with this car (Eclipse GTS I bought it June) and while I don't want to skimp on repairs, I can't justify paying those crazy prices to the brake places since I can easily do that work myself. I'm sure I could arrange a different day to use my buddies garage but I work or have class until next Saturday. I'm tempted to call in to work and just fix the damn brakes on Sunday or Monday. Except that I'm up for a promotion and missing any days would probably kill that.
 
Wow, I was in the exact same situation until yesterday. I changed my tires a couple of weeks ago and the mechanic told me my front brakes were about to go, but I didn't have the cash to fix them at that time. So i rode around in my car and started to hear a high pitched squealing sound after a week or so, when I would turn to the left, which I chalked up to the rotor. I couldn't go to the mechanic because I had school or work, but finally did yesterday. Changed the brakes and the rotors on the front.

Overall, just take it easy like you're doing. I drove mine sixty miles a day on the highway, so if it's anything less strenuous than that, I wouldn't worry about it.
 
[quote name='MisterModest']Sure...I mean, what's the worst that could happen?[/quote]

Well, for starters, you could potentially run the risk of grinding down a rotor.

OP, which would you rather replace? Rotors and pads, or just pads.

Go look up the price of rotors for your car (and installation) and let us know.

At a minimum, I would take the tires off and examine the pads if you have the know how to do so.
 
[quote name='R1V3R5']So, I started hearing my brakes scrape. It's a noticeable grinding sound where the dead pad is contacting and ruining the rotor. It's only on the front and it appears the rear brakes are in good shape. And, while the rotors are okay, they are being ruined every day I drive.

So, my question to you fine folks at CAG is...

Can I drive like this for a week? It's snowing and I do not have a place to change my brakes until next Saturday. I could go to a brake place and get ripped off. However, if I can delay it a couple more days then I can use my friends heated garage and change the brakes myself. Rotors and pads will set me back less than $150 if I do the work myself. If I take it in to a brake place, it will cost $150 for them to just install pads! So, I don't mind ruining the rotors as I was planning to change them anyway. What do you guys think? Am I safe until next Saturday?[/quote]

You are running the risk of having an accident. Chirping and squealing is one thing, but when you hear grinding you really need to change them regardless of cost. My pads are thinning, but I still have pad left and will be changing them next week.
 
[quote name='mtxbass1']Well, for starters, you could potentially run the risk of grinding down a rotor.

OP, which would you rather replace? Rotors and pads, or just pads.

Go look up the price of rotors for your car (and installation) and let us know.

At a minimum, I would take the tires off and examine the pads if you have the know how to do so.[/QUOTE]

But I know the rotors are being ruined, as I mentioned that in my original post. I'd rather rip the rotors to shit than pay the crazy prices that brake places charge for just installing pads.

That being said, I bought two rotors and ceramics pads for under $150 today. I am going to install them on Tuesday. I'm sure my car will last until then because I'm just doing highway driving and there are minimum stops.

P.S. If I took it to a brake place, it would have cost $150 to install just semi-metallic pads. I spent less on two rotors and ceramic pads!
 
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