Another brake question

beerglass007 · 05-08-2018, 02:38 PM

So my 330d with M bakes has started to report I need to replace the FRONT pads in 4.5K miles

I had a quick look at them over the weekend and with a bright light I can see a good few MM left on them, I've not taken the wheel off yet and check them all but pretty sure I can go a few more miles and replace them next month

But I check the REARS and they seem more worn out yet the Idrive is reporting another 34K miles for them

The car has done 32K in total on a 2015 plate

Normally the fronts wear before the rears on most cars or do BMWs brake more 50/50 now

My mate had a 335D and said his rears went before his fronts, just seems odd

Do the rear pads start out with less pad on them & I assume the rear handbrake shoes are inside the hubs like my old E90 330d

Thanks in advance....

teaston · 05-08-2018, 02:47 PM

Yes the rears start with less friction material, and they wear a lot slower than the fronts so less on them than the fronts would represent more miles left, but not 30k more obviously.

Best to take your wheels off and measure all the pads as the inboard ones could be lower which will risk scoring the discs, meaning they’d need to be replaced. If any are 4mm or less then I’d replace them, especially as Pagid pads are only £35 per axle.

HighlandPete · 05-08-2018, 02:48 PM

You do need to physically check the pad thicknesses, including the inner pads. CBS can be quite off the mark.

Rear pads can wear faster on many modern cars. BMW have been eating rear pads faster than fronts on a lot of models. Partly due to more rear brake activity for DSC and traction control. Partly how we use the brakes along with electronic brake distribution.

Alscoob · 05-09-2018, 03:19 AM

My fronts lasted to 53K but were pretty much shot & down to around 3mm, rears pretty similar and all needed replacing. The i drive indicator said 3400 miles left for the fronts & 30K for the rear and I did around 2k miles after the 3400 indicator popped up before changing, rears would never have done more than a couple of thousand more.

In saying that the dash / i drive indicator is only a guide, so as above get the wheels off and have a proper look as one thing I did notice was that the efficiency and stopping capability was far reduced on the lower pads.

Although the front discs were usable I changed them as well for slotted & dimpled versions... they really do stop well now.

05-08-2018, 02:38 PM	#1
beerglass007 Lieutenant 231 Rep 560 Posts Drives: G20 M340i Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: UK iTrader: (1)	Another brake question So my 330d with M bakes has started to report I need to replace the FRONT pads in 4.5K miles I had a quick look at them over the weekend and with a bright light I can see a good few MM left on them, I've not taken the wheel off yet and check them all but pretty sure I can go a few more miles and replace them next month But I check the REARS and they seem more worn out yet the Idrive is reporting another 34K miles for them The car has done 32K in total on a 2015 plate Normally the fronts wear before the rears on most cars or do BMWs brake more 50/50 now My mate had a 335D and said his rears went before his fronts, just seems odd Do the rear pads start out with less pad on them & I assume the rear handbrake shoes are inside the hubs like my old E90 330d Thanks in advance....
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05-08-2018, 02:47 PM	#2
teaston Banned 10998 Rep 32,881 Posts Drives: X3 M40d Join Date: May 2012 Location: The High Seas iTrader: (1)	Yes the rears start with less friction material, and they wear a lot slower than the fronts so less on them than the fronts would represent more miles left, but not 30k more obviously. Best to take your wheels off and measure all the pads as the inboard ones could be lower which will risk scoring the discs, meaning they’d need to be replaced. If any are 4mm or less then I’d replace them, especially as Pagid pads are only £35 per axle.
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05-08-2018, 02:48 PM	#3
HighlandPete Lieutenant General 6659 Rep 15,858 Posts Drives: BMW F11 535i Touring Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Scotland, Highland Region iTrader: (0)	You do need to physically check the pad thicknesses, including the inner pads. CBS can be quite off the mark. Rear pads can wear faster on many modern cars. BMW have been eating rear pads faster than fronts on a lot of models. Partly due to more rear brake activity for DSC and traction control. Partly how we use the brakes along with electronic brake distribution.
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05-09-2018, 03:19 AM	#4
Alscoob Brigadier General 2150 Rep 3,083 Posts Drives: G31 540i M Sport Edition Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	My fronts lasted to 53K but were pretty much shot & down to around 3mm, rears pretty similar and all needed replacing. The i drive indicator said 3400 miles left for the fronts & 30K for the rear and I did around 2k miles after the 3400 indicator popped up before changing, rears would never have done more than a couple of thousand more. In saying that the dash / i drive indicator is only a guide, so as above get the wheels off and have a proper look as one thing I did notice was that the efficiency and stopping capability was far reduced on the lower pads. Although the front discs were usable I changed them as well for slotted & dimpled versions... they really do stop well now.
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