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How long did your original brakes last.

merkava

Full Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2004
Messages
36
Location
Philly
I just hit 45k on my 2004 2wd. My original factory installed brake pads still have 50% of the material left.  I'm kind of in disbelief, because I am used to replacing front pads on the average of every 15k. I do have a lead foot when it comes to braking.  My Avalanche is the first vehicle I have owned with 4 wheel disc brakes. Does that have a lot to do with my luck? Granted I do a lot of highway miles, but I did the same mix of highway/city driving with other cars and trucks I have had. I also realize that this question is arbitrary, because everyone has different driving styles, as well as city/highway mixes. None the less I am curious to know how long your original brakes lasted.
***UPDATE**** I am now just shy of 60k and the original brakes still have plenty of life left in them.
 
front- 100K miles
rear- changed at 130K but could have easily gone longer



1st 38K miles- stock 17" wheels/tires
38K-80K miles 285/50/20's
over 80K miles- 305/40/22's

lots of mine are highway miles
 
grnxnam said:
front- 100K miles
rear- changed at 130K but could have easily gone longer



1st 38K miles- stock 17" wheels/tires
38K-80K miles 285/50/20's
over 80K miles- 305/40/22's

lots of mine are highway miles

The fact that you don't use your brakes plays into your increased mileage as well.  Do you even have a brake pedal?
 
trAVelingman said:
The fact that you don't use your brakes plays into your increased mileage as well.? Do you even have a brake pedal?
Did Wes call you about our trip home after our lunch in Nashville?


I think a lot of it is because I know its not a sports car.  I may drive a lil faster than I should, but I dont floor it when starting off or I dont trust my brakes enough to wait til the last minute to stop (and since I rearended that Vette, I take it easy.... no damage to either vehicle, but it was an eye opener)
 
grnxnam said:
Did Wes call you about our trip home after our lunch in Nashville?


I think a lot of it is because I know its not a sports car.? I may drive a lil faster than I should, but I dont floor it when starting off or I dont trust my brakes enough to wait til the last minute to stop (and since I rearended that Vette, I take it easy.... no damage to either vehicle, but it was an eye opener)

I heard about your trip South, something about fast and left lane driver....... (y)
 
trAVelingman said:
I heard about your trip South, something about fast and left lane driver....... (y)
too many slow people to get stuck behind in that right lane.  also, most of the wildlife I've seen have been on the right side of the road.  Its rare to see a deer in the median.  It kinda gives me a comfort zone when driving at night.
 
140,000 on mine todate. At last inspection they said I still have about 80% of life left on them. These miles are 90% hwy miles.? My AV was my daily driver up until about a year ago. Now I mainly drive it on the weekends.
 
                                       
                                          Still have the original rear pads 49950 miles
                                                                          (y) (y)
                                                                           
 
My '02 needed front pads at 70k miles.

My '05 needs front & rear pads at 50k miles.  :E:

My '05 is all city driving outside of going to GTGs. And I have 20's, but still figured they'd last longer than they did. Oh well.

David
 
Just had my front brakes replaced on my '03.  Have 78,000 miles. 
70% of the miles are city and 30% are highway.
 
gm pads go upwards of 100k miles on them but when you go to change them you will pay for them since they usually run over $100 a set.But its worth it if you only have to change them every 100k or you can buy the cheap ones at local parts store and do it every 15k if you want.
 
I'm actually mad that mine are holding up so well.  I want to put the upgraded GM stuff on, but my wife would literally kill me for spending the cash when the current brakes are perfectly good :)

ANd she knows they are good since she takes the truck away from me as often as possible.
 
bigblack07 said:
gm pads go upwards of 100k miles on them but when you go to change them you will pay for them since they usually run over $100 a set.But its worth it if you only have to change them every 100k or you can buy the cheap ones at local parts store and do it every 15k if you want.
or spend $25 and get the one with a lifetime warranty.  it only takes an hour to swap them out.
 
grnxnam said:
or spend $25 and get the one with a lifetime warranty. it only takes an hour to swap them out.

Here's a place we'll disagree.  Brakes are something that I truly feel "you get what you pay for"

I don't want to be reliant on cheap brake parts.  I want known quality.  I have this unusual personality quirk where I don't enjoy running in to something due to brake failure.

That said, I probably am guilty of overkill when I do a simple brake job.  Every brake job on my vehicles includes: new pads.  Cut or new rotors.  New bearings and seals.  New caliper hardware, slides, etc.  All the parts that make the caliper work nicely.  Hoses CAREFULLY inspected and any that remotely look suspect are replaced.  Bleed.  Change out some fluid.

:)
 
DougD said:
I don't want to be reliant on cheap brake parts. I want known quality. I have this unusual personality quirk where I don't enjoy running in to something due to brake failure.
stopping is kind of important...
 
ygmn said:
stopping is kind of important...

No, CONTROLLED stopping is important.  Remember, slamming in to a tree, a building, another vehicle - that's still "stopping" :)
 
DougD said:
Here's a place we'll disagree.? Brakes are something that I truly feel "you get what you pay for"

I don't want to be reliant on cheap brake parts.? I want known quality.? I have this unusual personality quirk where I don't enjoy running in to something due to brake failure.

That said, I probably am guilty of overkill when I do a simple brake job.? Every brake job on my vehicles includes: new pads.? Cut or new rotors.? New bearings and seals.? New caliper hardware, slides, etc.? All the parts that make the caliper work nicely.? Hoses CAREFULLY inspected and any that remotely look suspect are replaced.? Bleed.? Change out some fluid.
nope. ?we agree. ?When I did my brakes, I bought ceramic pads... they're the $55 ones. ?OK, its not an actual upgrade but surely not the ones that you'd change every 15K miles. ?My next brake job will probably be all new everything. ?At 144K miles, its probably time to start upgrading as parts need replaced.
 
grnxnam said:
nope.  we agree.  When I did my brakes, I bought ceramic pads... they're the $55 ones.  OK, its not an actual upgrade but surely not the ones that you'd change every 15K miles.  My next brake job will probably be all new everything.  At 144K miles, its probably time to start upgrading as parts need replaced.

OK :)

In your case, with the mileage, I'd DEFINITELY be replacing a bunch of stuff.  Rebuild calipers, new hoses, new rotors, bearings, etc. :)
 
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