How often do you replace rear brakes?

Im talking about the pad, not the whole deal...On average? 50K miles or by what it looks like(measures etc...) Thx JS

On my 2000XJ the orginal shoes are still good at 97K. My Suburban has 75K on those shoes. The wifes car 97 Escort gets about 30K on the shoes, but she drives like a cabbie.
Tom

Whenever they need it.

Oh....NEVER replace just the shoes, do all the springs and adjuster also, don't ask how I know.

Rev

I pull the drums and wash the whole works out with mild dish soap, then rinse, twice a year ( spring and fall). I usually use a set of shoes, to every two or three sets of front pads.
Getting the dirt, mud and salt out of the rear brakes, really helps make them last longer. Sand (or mud mixed with sand) will eat the rear shoes up in a few months or less.

I second cleaning out the drums after muddin.

I've replaced a lot of shoes because of the mud tearin them up in just a few months.

Every 2-3 sets of front discs check the rear for replacement.

pete

Mine lasted 170,000 miles w/ ax15.

I'm at 127k on my 91. Looks like they can go another 30-50k.

Only done the fronts once. Complete overhaul though...new pads, rotors, and calipers.

Not sure how many miles the rear pads have on them, as they are the same ones that were on the vehicle when I bought it. I've put about 40K them. An inspection of the pads last weekend revealed that thay had more than the minimum thickness, but the corners were breaking off at the rivits, and one of the pads was cracking in the center. They'll be replaced over the winter.

Get in the habit of rotating your own tyres about twice a year (four would be better,) and do a chassis inspection while you're down there. When I rotate tyres, I also lube everything, check frontend goodies, look for oil leaks, pull the drums and look in them, and anything else I can think of while I'm about it - and I'm still done inside of a couple hours (per truck.)

If you change the shoes, remember that the "short" shoe (less friction material) goes toward the front - if they're all the same length of friction material, then it won't matter. DEFINITELY change the hardware, and don't forget to clean the adjuster screws (at the bottom, with the starwheel) and relube them using a dry graphite or a dry Teflon/moly lube (since oil and/or grease will collect dust from the shoes.)

I tend to average 100-150K for a set of shoes - but most of the braking force is up front, and I only use both feet when I'm driving a stick. I did once have a g/f that drove an automatic with both feet, and I'd constantly have to explain to her why it wasn't MY fault that I was putting four sets of brakes on that car a year!

5-90

5-90 said:

I did once have a g/f that drove an automatic with both feet, and I'd constantly have to explain to her why it wasn't MY fault that I was putting four sets of brakes on that car a year!

5-90

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I would have told her the first set was free, and she was paying for the 3 others a year!

My 98 is at 300,000, had the rear brakes done for the first time at around 250,000 last inspection.