Brake pad size

mandag den 23. oktober 2023 kl. 16.56.55 UTC+2 skrev Eddy Lee:

why would you even consider not just getting the right pads?

Can't return the smaller one. If newer models are using smaller one, I can go with replacing the bracket. I will probably upgrade to 2014+ model eventually, just for the 6.7KW charger vs. 3.7KW.

My question is whether changing to smaller brake pad is industrial wide, or just for EVs or Leaf. EVs can probably go with much smaller pads and still last 100K miles.

so throw them away and get the right ones

Why on earth didn't you get the right part? Do US cars not have the equivalent of Haynes manuals?

Probably a very bad idea. There may be a good reason why the old pads are 16% bigger to obtain the regulation stopping distance.

Isn't your car held together with duct tape and sealing wax already?

We do. Or at least the good auto-parts stores have an equivalent. Worst case, it means asking the dude at the counter for the part(s) you need.

Doesn't work that way online. I asked two sellers about the size. No response so far. It's for the right model, but wrong year.

Just curious what other cars use. Do people not know their shoe size or pad size?

No, most of us buy the part that's for our car model and year. But... sometimes that's not enough. I had a 1997 T100 and had a shop replace the water pump. I asked for a quote before they tore it apart. I couldn't get them to respond to phone calls, so after a couple of days I drove over and the front of the engine was apart. I was pissed off thinking the guy was going to jack me around on the price. The guy kept trying to say he couldn't identify the right part without taking it out, which I didn't believe.

Later, the alternator diodes went bad and I could not identify the right part. I don't recall the details, but I ended up buying a used alternator. Seems Toyota did a revamp of many parts of the car in the middle of the model year. The water pump and alternator were both changed at that point.

So, there are times when you need the serial number, or even the old part to identify the replacement part.

It does in the UK you put your car details in and it offers compatible with make and model brake pads or whatever other spare part you want. Most UK sites these days can do a registration lookup and know for certain what the vehicle actually is down to its date of manufacture.

Not unless the unit is dismantled and in front of me.

Even when I did all my own servicing as an impecunious student I only knew such things for the short time it took to find out which part was needed to buying a new one! Haynes manuals are pretty good on any minor model variations with year that might otherwise catch you out.

The exact part number was generally more useful than its dimensions!!!

afaict that's only the good parts of it

There is no serial number for simple part like brake pad. Haven't done repair like this for a long time, but hate being rip-off. I took my car to the shop and ask him to replace my bent control-arm. He wants $200 to diagnose the problem. I said what diagnose, you can just look at it.

Sometimes you can be seriously dense. I'm talking about the serial number of the CAR!!! The automaker tracks all changes to the parts list by serial number. This info is how the parts catalogs are arranged. Did you not read anything that I wrote about this?

You mean VIN? I got confused by SN. OK, show me a link to check.

Apparently, they have some 2014 to 2017 cars with smaller pads. There are plenty of pads with this year spec or no year spec at all. Sellers don't response to questions either. There is no specific reports or 2014/17 Leaves with brake failures. I think it can go with even smaller brake and rotor.

That's my plan B. The re-gen motor is doing most of the work. Perhaps I can super-glue some ceramic to the old pad.

Same here (USA) -- just went to the Autozone website. Searched for "brake shoe", then the next page came up with a pretty prominent set of filters for

-- Year -- Make -- Model -- Engine

I assume the "Engine" filter is less about the brake shoes specifically, and more about other parts they sell for your car.

I wouldn't even know unless I was looking at the box :). I mean I could definitely ballpark it to a few tens of millimeters, but that's also enough slop to be problematic :)

Quite so.

This is what they have for $275. But I don't need rotors. They don't tell me the pad size either.

To check what? If you want the right part, you give the VIN to the guy at the parts counter. Yeah, it's that simple. I every Internet parts supplier I've dealt with also lets you enter the VIN.

I wish I thought you were joking...