http://www.autozone.com/selectedZip,.../selectZip.htm

$20 per side for the front pads

http://www.autozone.com/R,APP992542/...ductDetail.htm

$50 apiece for the front rotors

so $140 isnt too bad

 

I had my eyes set on aftermarket stuff

I think I'm leaning towards the EBC stuff

 

He would have to switch wheels to a 5-lug also to do this.

 

I can recommend the Hawk HPS pads, they are fantastic, make no noise unless you get them VERY hot and then brake lightly, which goes away if you step down a little or after a minute or so. They also lasted me about 50% longer than stock, even with the slotted rotors I put on with them.

 

My brakes and rotors are shot and I only have 22,000miles on my car...

Good think I picked up some StopTech rotors and Hawk HPS pads

 

Whered you get yours from?

 

TH Motorsports Inc (site vendor)...PM them for some great deals.

 

I stuck my digicam in behind the wheel so I could snap some pics of the inside rotor

Here they are:



Closeup (Macromode):



The opposite side of the rotor all nice n pretty:



My car as she sits:



My bottle hidden away in the back seat:



original post updated with pics as well

 

the inner pads always wear faster, the rotors are fucked, no shop will cut them and if they did, the rotors would be way too thin to put back on the car

 

Rotor looks toast!

Very strange how that happended!

 

The Driver's side is fine

Doesnt matter anyway since i'm replacing the whole bit

I just hope the calipers aren't FUBAR

 

they are not, the inner pad is the one that wears faster because the piston in the caliper is on the inner side, and thats where most of the force is being applied.
it dosent matter if its only one side, at work i see this all the time.

just make sure you buy high quality pads and rotors. brakes are nothing to skimp on

 

new rotors man it happen to me when im driving it was squeaking but when i brake it went away

* i mean u need new rotors

 

Well how do you explain the speed at which this happened?

Yesterday the brakes were fine. This morning they started grinding all of a sudden and it's rapidly getting worse. This all happened within the course of 15 miles of driving

 

GM rotors are terrible

I'm having to turn rotors three or four times little by little to not chew my bits up (while still checking thickness with a micrometer of course) and still not getting all the rust out of the inner and outer edges completely

we're talking 20k mile rotors or less

mine are pretty bad at 13k

 

I don't know if car brakes have changed much in the last few years, but other posts here have described how GM has a metal tab that grinds when your pads get low. It is supposed to make that grinding noise so you get your brakes fixed. If you keep driving, then the grinding will get real bad....metal on metal...then it is usually too late to save the rotors. Some rotors are also not meant to be re-ground or whatever. One use, throw them away, get new set. Not sure what Cobalts have for brake rotors though. I usually can get both sets of pads and rotors for front brakes for under 100 dollars at Autozone, Napa, or whatever parts stores you guys have out East. Try calling some of the local parts stores if you dont want to spend more for performance brakes. Just my opinion, but I have also never bought performance brake components so do not know how much better they might be. Maybe I need to try a set!!

 

its the indicator so you know when you know your brakes are low.

 

And it tears up my rotors like that?

So I wont damage my caliper if I wait til I get my new **** in?

 

I have the same symptom! I thought that scraping noise might've been an exhaust leak or something, but you're right it must be the brakes. Looks like I'll be getting new pads and possibly rotors for summer. Pads I'm interested in seeing all your opinions. As far as rotors, if I need them I may get the 4 lug GMPP rotors.

Might as well paint the calipers while I'm in there too.. flat black anyone?

 

Can't damage the Caliper, but I would ask them to check the slide pins, they may be stuck. Single piston calipers are a floating design, as the piston pushes on one pad, the caliper has to slide back so it can evenly squeeze both pads. If the caliper mounting pins are not greased or have rusted in place, the piston will only be able to press on the inner pad, and the outer will just chill there not doing anything. Thats what it looks like you are getting, and by the look of the rest of your brakes, the winter is much harder on your brake components than what we see down here.

The damage, and grinding sound, is the metal backing plate of the pad touching the rotor, all the friction material is gone.

I did mine flat black when I did my brakes, looked sick. Now I just need some wheels that showcase the brakes a little better. The stockers are too damn big in the center, you can't see anything. When I have my sticky tires on, with the 17's, you really see the brakes, but the stock wheels kill it.

 

Oh, thank GOD. Seriously

I thought I was seriously ruining my calipers because the pad was completely gone and the caliper was hitting the rotor.

If the pins were stuck wouldnt the outside of the rotor be dirty because the outside pad wasn't scraping off all the **** and keeping it clean?

But yeah, the winter REALLY takes it's toll on our cars up here.

 

Its hard to say what the outside of the rotor will look like, depends on the condition of everything in there. Usually there won't be enough of a gap to let the rotor stay rusty, it'll still rub on the rotor enough to clean it. Also, if there was a big gap on the outside, it might have enough pressure to slide the caliper a little, at least until it makes contact on the outside.

You really can't do any more damage than has already been done. I'm glad I did mine right the last time, the new set of pads I'm putting in this week will be a breeze. I make sure everything is cleaned and greased in the right spots before going back together, makes life so much easier and almost ensures that you get no noise.

 

I'd install the new **** myself, but It's too cold out and I have nowhere to get it done.

I know a garage that will do it that I trust though.

Well at least now I can use my brakes without worrying that I'm going to permanently damage my calipers.

Before I was not using my brakes at all and using a combo of the transmission and handbrake to slow/stop my car.

 

I been doin that for the last week waiting on my new pads. I don't want to damage my $300 rotors over some $60 pads.

 

I'm actually getting pretty good at it.

I made it down a 30 degree grade hill and then thru rush hour traffic without hitting my brakes a single time

I bet the people behind me were like "WTF? HAX!"