I believe my front brakes are dead [Updated]

"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
02/04/2016 at 09:07 • Filed to: None

I knew my front brakes weren’t in the best shape,I didn’t realize it was this bad. The car is now taking a lot longer to stop, and the slippery road conditions aren’t helping. I’m sort a screwed because; 1. We have a inch of snow coming; 2. I live 40 miles away; 3. I have to get home somehow, at least for today.

I think the worst part is, is that I got new pads and rotors in the trunk right now. MontegoMan was gonna help me put them on this Saturday, since I’ve never done it before. I don’t have the tools, nor the lubricant, nor the confidence to tackle this job on my own. Plus having a friend show me the ropes would be cheaper and educational.

I won’t lie, my anxiety wants to go crazy, and I definitely feel an anxiety attack coming on. I’m trying to block it out the best I can, but I’m im not even sure how to approach this situation.

So oppo, anyone have tips on how to drive without front brakes in the snow? Anything will be helpful. -_-.

Update: thanks to everyone that responded. I feel better now, and I’m thinking more clearly, so again, thank you. I’m still nervous about the drive home later, but it’s unavoidable.

Update 2.0: I made it home safely. Thanks everyone.

DISCUSSION (30)

TFSIVTEC drivesavolvo > zeontestpilot
02/04/2016 at 09:14

Luckily snow driving is super easy on the brakes, there’s simply not enough grip between the snow and the rubber to require a lot of brake friction to slow you down, I usually only drive manual in the snow but when I drive an auto I always downshift for some engine drag, it makes me feel really uneasy when I take my foot off the gas and the car just “coasts” and doesn't start slowing down

Captain of the Enterprise > zeontestpilot
02/04/2016 at 09:14

Make sure you have a larger than normal gap in front of you and start braking much earlier

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > zeontestpilot
02/04/2016 at 09:15

Really, brakes should be used exceptionally rarely in the snow anyway. Use whatever gears the gods at GM deemed you capable of having (so, probably overdrive, not-overdrive, and low) to the full extent of their abilities. Brake only when absolutely necessary or you need to come to a stop.

You'll be fine :)

TheHondaBro > zeontestpilot
02/04/2016 at 09:17

Drive very slowly in the far right lane with your hazards on.

zeontestpilot > Captain of the Enterprise
02/04/2016 at 09:21

That’s usually my standard anyways. But I’ll increase it still, I don’t need another reason for my insurance to go up.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > zeontestpilot
02/04/2016 at 09:23

Hey man, what are they doing? Grinding sounds? Squeaking?

Does it feel like your brakes are “pulsing” almost like your ABS kicked in when you brake?

I’ll email you more about Saturday, I’m hoping you can make it until then. They probably aren’t as bad as you think. Remember to leave a big gap.

zeontestpilot > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
02/04/2016 at 09:25

Thanks. What keeps racing in my mind is that without the brakes the stopping distance increases, and with a loose road -tire grip, the distance will be increased even more. Thanks what’s scaring me, because it’s an unknown variable that I haven’t encountered before.

I know, I’m probably thinking to much, But it’s what I do and my brain refuses to turn off. I try to plan ahead so I can at least be prepared for most scenarios.

zeontestpilot > TFSIVTEC drivesavolvo
02/04/2016 at 09:28

I usually downshift the auto in bad conditions, but I’m always careful though. I did it once while driving my previous car (an auto as well), and the rear slide to the left. I tried to correct it but the car went into a ditch anyways. I think its only applicable in straight lines....hmm...

zeontestpilot > TheHondaBro
02/04/2016 at 09:30

Not a bad idea. If the roads aren’t clear enough for any grip, I’ll probably do this.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > zeontestpilot
02/04/2016 at 09:30

Leave yourself a lot of extra room. One thing to consider is that slippery roads aren’t able to generate very much braking force. Just be careful not to hit the brakes too hard once it gets slippery since your back brakes will be doing most of the braking and will be more likely to lock first which can lead to unexpected oversteer.

zeontestpilot > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
02/04/2016 at 09:34

Surprisingly no sounds, but they definitely pulsate. It didn’t happen until I got off the hwy in EL. When I arrived at work, I checked the pads and there is definitive gap between the pad and rotor. Actually, I didn’t even see a pad, just what ever holds it.

I’m not too familiar with ABS, but it prevents your brakes from locking up or something, right?

zeontestpilot > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
02/04/2016 at 09:37

I hate unexpected oversteer, thanks.

zeontestpilot > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
02/04/2016 at 09:38

I’m not too familiar with ABS, but it prevents your brakes from locking up or something, right?

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > zeontestpilot
02/04/2016 at 10:12

If you aren’t here a metal screech there’s still pad there. With those wheels (referencing above picture) it’s really, really hard to see what you’re working with brake wise until the wheel is off.

I’m guessing your pads are warn and you rotors are toast. Which is fine. It’ll get you to my place saturday I’m sure. Just be extra careful you’ll make it.

ABS is anti-lock-brakes. You know the old school “Oh Shit, I’m sliding on ice/snow let me pump the brakes” thing? ABS does it for you electronically and you just keep your foot planted.

zeontestpilot > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
02/04/2016 at 10:20

I couldn’t load up a pic of my car, so I stole one, :). My car has rims, so the gap was a bit noticeable.

It’s good to know it has some pad left.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > zeontestpilot
02/04/2016 at 10:26

ok, the gap is probably brake pad that you can’t see.

I think you’ll be ok to make it to saturday. I realized I have to do an oil change on my car which means I probably have to do one on the Jeep too. Sounds like a chilly driveway day haha

ja9ae > zeontestpilot
02/04/2016 at 10:35

When I was at uni, I had a Peugeot 205 (GT, no I) which, when it wasn’t on fire, posed an equal challenge, that the breaks would work once, and only once on each journey.

I was able to make the 100 or so mile drive back from uni to home by the wonder of extreme forward planning and leaving it really, really late so I’d only have to coast down to junctions! The 1-time breaking was used for the traffic lights in the centre of Melton Mobray, which were always on red and only changed when someone stopped at the line.

BigBlock440 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
02/04/2016 at 10:48

Or is the pad completely missing? The way it’s driving sounds like there may be no pad there.

zeontestpilot > ja9ae
02/04/2016 at 10:48

Well, at least I don't have to drive a 100 miles, :).

zeontestpilot > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
02/04/2016 at 10:51

Eh, as long as it’s not below freezing I’ll survive. :)

zeontestpilot > BigBlock440
02/04/2016 at 10:52

If I remember, at lunch I'll try to take a pic.

BigBlock440 > zeontestpilot
02/04/2016 at 10:52

You can only brake to your limits of traction. A loose surface wouldn’t matter, you either have the braking power to lock the tires or you don’t. If you can’t lock the tires on snow, it’s not going to take any longer to stop than dry pavement, you’ve got no stopping power there anyway. If you can lock the tires on snow, then you won’t be able to stop any quicker than you’d be able to with good brakes.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > BigBlock440
02/04/2016 at 11:04

With no pad at all the caliper piston would work all the way out and hit the rotor itself wouldn’t it?

My guess is the rotors are just warped.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > zeontestpilot
02/04/2016 at 11:07

High of 42 saturday. We’re planning on starting at 11 so we should work through the warmest part of the day.

If it’s cooperative it could be as quick as an hour. If it’s uncooperative we could be out there a while. If that’s the case we’ll bust out some space heaters. 0% change of precipitation so far so I’ll take that

CyborgAdaLovelace > zeontestpilot
02/04/2016 at 11:08

Story time:

After my Subie bit the dust, I bought a junker Geo Prizm to get me to work. I drove that thing for a year and a half and it never failed me aside from when I killed a tire on a pothole and when the radiator hose disintegrated from too much oil in the coolant (it happened as I was pulling into the parking lot at work, so I called my wife and had her pick up a new hose and a jug of coolant and I fixed it on my lunch break). Parts of it were literally held together with duct tape, but it got me to and from work every day (even in the winter, and we were living in Buffalo at the time - my workplace was literally feet from Lake Erie).

When we decided to move, I figured there was no way that car was going to make the 1000 mile trek to MN without falling apart, so I figured I’d junk it right before we left. About a month before our move, I wore through to the metal backing on at least one front brake pad. I didn’t care to do any work on a car that I was going to junk shortly, so I just kept driving it. It sounded horrible when I braked. Somewhere in there, I’m pretty sure the metal disintegrated, so I was actually braking with the caliper on the rotor. It sounded worse. So I got in the habit of braking with the handbrake and just lightly riding the brake pedal so the brake lights would come on.

One week before the move, the engine started making interesting noises similar to what it made when the oil level dropped, even though the oil was topped off. So I drove it to the junkyard after work that day and bummed rides off a co-worker for the last week.

Moral to the story - the handbrake is your friend if you have one. Just remember it’s only doing the back wheels, so it’ll be easy to lock up, especially in snow, but if you leave plenty of stopping distance, you’ll be fine.

BigBlock440 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
02/04/2016 at 11:11

It would, but the piston wouldn’t offer near the braking power as a pad does. Though now that I’m thinking about it, I’ve got a beater that I just use when I visit my parents and my wife has the car. It’s got pretty warped rotors, but stops fine if you ignore the pedal vibration. My wife drove it and came away with the impression that she couldn’t stop and it was unsafe, and the next time I drove it I realized how it could feel like that. She just wasn’t pushing hard enough and just pushed the pedal to where it hit some resistance. I can see how somebody could mistake that for not having any braking power. I guess you’ll find out which it is though.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > BigBlock440
02/04/2016 at 11:15

I sure will lol

He says there’s no noise though, and if that piston was hitting the rotor directly I imagine he’d be hearing something. Though if he has zero pad left he may just think it sounds normal.

Since we’ll be doing this project together on Saturday, I think we’ll take a bunch of pictures to document the case.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > zeontestpilot
02/05/2016 at 09:23

Did you make it home OK yesterday?

zeontestpilot > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
02/05/2016 at 09:54

Yes I did, thanks for checking. It seems the low tire grip made things worst than I thought. I still have some pad left, not much though. Heading to MontegoMan’s tomorrow.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > BigBlock440
02/09/2016 at 10:36

Thought i’d update you since we forgot about taking any pictures haha.

He had brake pad left, just not a ton of it. The replacement went just fine and he was on the road again pretty quick.