Anyone need brake pads yet?

[gazza487]

... buy @gazza487 a drink (assuming you're not the real Gazza) - great spot - many thanks

lol it’s not. Having ran MG Rovers since 2006 I’ve often had to be creative sourcing things. Slight help I have been in supply chain sourcing things for food industry for quite some time (specific plastic containers were once my nemesis long story and conversations with China on Xmas day one time).

 

[OriginalBigAl]

Why neutral ?
If you roll the car in N then you're isolating the HV battery from the wheels, the current generated by the rotation of the motor has nowhere to go so it can damage the controller/inverter circuitry.
From the manual re-towing:
"DO NOT tow the vehicle with any of the driving wheels in contact with the road surface, this will avoid electric drive transmission damage. When it is necessary to temporarily push or tow the vehicle from a dangerous situation or onto the transporter, the speed must remain below 3 mph and be completed with in 3 minutes."

I shared your concerns and posted several months ago with the same arguments. The conclusions of the post were that rolling back in neutral was ok for short distances and should not be too much of a concern. I normally roll back down a narrow downhill driveway ( 80 m ) controlling the speed on the brakes, putting it in reverse adds a force I don't want and means extra effort on the brakes and when feathering the brake pedal you can feel the motor taking over and pushing you down the hill. When rolling back the power meter does show minus figurers for the 20 or so seconds it takes. Then again my rear discs are clean . I would also like an absolute definitive answer to this ,as, as you point out the manual has exceptions.

 

[okohll]

Hmm, glad I read that, I have once or twice cleaned the discs by putting it in neutral and braking to a stop at the lights (empty road). I will hold off now, would rather have rusted discs than damaged controller / inverter.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

In an EV in neutral if you put your foot on the go pedal nothing happens. In a Leaf power to the motor is cut but the sensor and control electronics are still connected. If the motor is turned, for example by rolling down a hill, uncontrolled back emf is generated which could damage the electronics, the motor and possibly overload the reduction gear train. To prevent this the uncontrolled current goes through a shunt (diodes which convert power to heat) to protect the other circuits. If allowed to continue for too long the diodes will overheat and fail, in turn leading to further damage. This is why a Leaf must only be moved for short distances at low speed in "N". In reality I suspect that Nissan/Renault are protecting themselves as I know of one Leaf having been rolled in "N" at 60 mph for over 3 miles.

If rolling in "N" is allowed to continue for an extended period the transmission may well be damaged... but probably "only" (!) the electric parts.

This is from a post on EV Speak, it concerns a Leaf but the principle is most likely correct. So it appears there are heat sinks to dissipate unwanted current , which concurs with what other members are suggesting. Of course the question is now, how long is too long .
In relation to cleaning the discs ,I concede, having it in reverse on a quiet hill with good visibility will work .

 

[Kithmo]

Of course the question is now, how long is too long .
In relation to cleaning the discs ,I concede, having it in reverse on a quiet hill with good visibility will work .

3 minutes max according to the manual.
I reverse (in R) off my drive (I live in a cul de sac) about 2 car lengths and into the road about another two car lengths every day, controlling the speed of the crawl with the brakes and my discs are perfect, so there's not really a need to use neutral.

 

[Rolfe]

Bricktop, please tell me you don't need brake pads yet. Your car is younger than mine.

 

[Bricktop X PWR]

Bricktop, please tell me you don't need brake pads yet. Your car is younger than mine.

No.
Still looking good!

I started the post originally when I saw the opportunistic price of brake pads.

Supply and demand would suggest that at the time I first looked, there was only one supplier outside the dealer network offering pads.

The cost was, and still is, eye watering.

And that was for the standard vehicle!

I've yet to find a price to replace the pads on my car.

Good job I won't need to for another 13000 to 20000 miles at least, if my recent inspection is anything to go by.

For the vast majority of the time, regen does my braking and always being on level 3, means I rarely have to use the brakes.

One decent application per trip is all I do now and that's only necessary to keep the discs clean.

I can see sympathetically driven MG4s doing massive mileage between brake pad changes.

But you will have to watch out for thieving opportunistic garages suggesting you change them out well before they are due.
That goes for the discs too!

Have you had your fist service yet?
I'm due at the end of July.

 

[jamherber]

Our Tesla at nearly 70k miles still had original discs & pads all round with plenty of meat on (and we generally didn't hang around in it) - in comparison our 22k mile Fiesta ST needs new front discs and pads this year. Regen braking really does have a big impact on brake life.

 

[Ian Key]

I'm sure you could get the original pads relined for a lot less.

 

[Rolfe]

No.
Still looking good!

I started the post originally when I saw the opportunistic price of brake pads.

Supply and demand would suggest that at the time I first looked, there was only one supplier outside the dealer network offering pads.

The cost was, and still is, eye watering.

And that was for the standard vehicle!

I've yet to find a price to replace the pads on my car.

Good job I won't need to for another 13000 to 20000 miles at least, if my recent inspection is anything to go by.

For the vast majority of the time, regen does my braking and always being on level 3, means I rarely have to use the brakes.

One decent application per trip is all I do now and that's only necessary to keep the discs clean.

I can see sympathetically driven MG4s doing massive mileage between brake pad changes.

But you will have to watch out for thieving opportunistic garages suggesting you change them out well before they are due.
That goes for the discs too!

Have you had your fist service yet?
I'm due at the end of July.

Mine had its first "service" (read, quick inspection and update the ACC software) in April. Still arguing about the infotainment software.

I rather liked the OPD when I test-drove the X-Power, although I'm not desperately upset not to have it.

 

[Bricktop X PWR]

I'm pretty sure that by the time any one of us needs them, they will be cheap and ubiquitous.

 

[Kithmo]

I'm sure you could get the original pads relined for a lot less.

Back in the 80s a mechanic mate of mine used to make his own from any cheap pads that were available by cutting them down to the required shape on a bandsaw then removing any excess friction material. A pretty risky business then considering they still had asbestos in them until 1999.

 

[Ian Key]

Back in the 80s a mechanic mate of mine used to make his own from any cheap pads that were available by cutting them down to the required shape on a bandsaw then removing any excess friction material. A pretty risky business then considering they still had asbestos in them until 1999.

I used to do my own servicing and remember sitting on the drive with the car on axel stands changing the drum brake pads and brushing the dust out with a paint brush before giving it a quick blow to get rid of the last bit, and that was in the late 70s.

 

[jonginn]

Apparently my brake pads have 10% wear after 14k miles. Not sure what % of wear requires new pads but hoping they last for 100k.

 

[Kithmo]

Apparently my brake pads have 10% wear after 14k miles. Not sure what % of wear requires new pads but hoping they last for 100k.

I was once told by a Ford dealer that my Mondeo's rear brake pads were 90% worn, I said, "great I've got another 10% left". It was total BS, I ran those pads for another two and a half years before I changed them at 3mm thick.

 

[Kithmo]

x

 

[Alb]

x

Was that kiss aimed at anyone in particular?

 

[Bricktop X PWR]

Was that kiss aimed at anyone in particular?

Let's hope not eh? ?

 

[SueH]

How about occasionally charge to 100%, find an empty airfield, car park, private road etc and accelerate in reverse and then brake? No issues with the electronics and job donew for another 6 months...

 

[Ian Key]

@Bricktop X PWR Is that your dog guarding your bikes in your avatar?

She looks pissed at having yet another photo being taken of her ?