Brake pads and brake shoes are the friction parts that press against the rotor or drum to stop your car, and they wear down a little every time you use the pedal. When the material gets thin you hear a squeal, then a grind, and stopping distances grow. AutoTech Clinic measures, replaces and road tests pads and shoes at Michigan Ave and Telegraph in Dearborn, usually the same day.
We show you the old parts and the measurement before we quote the job, so you can see for yourself how much life was left.
- How Long
- About 1 to 2 hours for one axle on most vehicles.
- Same Day
- Usually finished the same day.
- Vehicles
- Foreign and domestic, cars through trucks.
Signs You Need Brake Pads and Shoes
- A high pitched squeal when you first brake in the morning
- A metal on metal grinding sound from one corner
- The dashboard brake wear light comes on
- Less than a quarter inch of pad visible through the wheel
- Brake dust on the front wheels much heavier on one side
What We Do
- 01
Measure Before We Quote
We pull all four wheels and measure pad thickness at the inner and outer pad on every corner. Pads often wear unevenly, and that tells us whether a caliper is sticking.
- 02
Inspect the Supporting Parts
We check rotors, drums, hardware, slide pins and the flex hoses. New pads on a seized caliper or a rusted slide pin will not last the winter.
- 03
Show You the Numbers
You get the measurements and our recommendation before any work starts. If the pads have life left, we tell you to keep driving and come back later.
- 04
Replace and Lubricate
New pads or shoes go in with fresh hardware, clean slide pins and high temperature lubricant on the contact points. Drum brakes get new springs and adjusters when the kit calls for it.
- 05
Bed In and Road Test
We bed the new friction material with a controlled sequence of stops, then road test on Michigan Ave to confirm a firm pedal, straight stops and no noise.
Pads or Shoes: Which Does Your Car Have?
Almost every car on Michigan Ave has disc brakes with pads on the front. The rear is the split: many sedans and crossovers use rear discs with pads, while plenty of trucks, vans and economy cars still use drum brakes with shoes inside.
Shoes usually last longer than front pads because the front brakes do most of the stopping. When we inspect a drum we also look at the wheel cylinder for leaks and the springs for rust damage, both common on Michigan cars that see road salt.
Why We Do Not Just Slap Pads In
A pad slap is the cheapest way to do a brake job and the fastest way to be back in a shop. If the caliper slides are seized, the new pad on that side carries the load and burns out in months. If the rotor surface is glazed, the new pad never beds properly and squeals from day one.
We clean and lubricate the hardware on every brake job and replace the parts that will not survive another winter. That is how a set of pads lasts the mileage the manufacturer intended.
What Affects the Cost
We quote your vehicle specifically after inspecting it, because these are the things that move the number up or down:
- Whether the vehicle takes ceramic, semi-metallic or organic friction material
- One axle or all four corners
- Whether the rotors or drums can be reused or need replacing
- Hardware kits, slide pins and shims that are seized or missing
- Rear electronic parking brakes that need a scan tool to retract
- Heavy duty trucks and performance brake packages
Call (313) 277-7200 with your year, make and model and we will tell you what to expect before you come in.
Why AutoTech Clinic
AAA Approved
An inspected facility that has to meet AAA standards for equipment and training.
Photos First
You see what we found and approve the price before anything is taken apart.
Same-Day Service
Parts on hand for the vehicles we see most, so you are not waiting on a delivery.