car servicing, brake checks

G'day Steve

No need to remove wheels to check disc pad wear. Visual, usually with a torch.

If your OEM pads make a lot dust watch for excessive rotor wear ( early/rapid disc rotor replacement is NOT covered under warranty in most cases). Evident with BMW's and Land Rovers to name two.

Good quality after market pads usually fix this problem ( disc rotor wear)

Regards

Paul

Steve
It is almost impossible to see the rear disc pads with the wheels on. You have to remove the wheels to get a good look at the pad thickness. In my workshop all wheels are removed not only to inspect brakes but to inspect other things such as disc rotor wear, shocks and bushes, oil leaks, suspension mounts and joints etc. The most important thing is what if you have siezed slides on one caliper. this will cause one side to wear the brakes quicker than the other and as murphy's law always states, the one you check will be alright, it is the other side you don't check that will have the problem.
Another reason to remove them is to adjust the handbrake shoes. I have not seen a landcruiser that doesn't need the hand brake shoes adjusted and this can't be done with the wheels on.
Sounds like a shonky service to me.
Cheers
120scruiser

I'm sure they use Xray vision, as I'm certain they my rear wheels have been left on when checking rear pad wear. But the last service guys must also be shortsighted as they didn't see the broken shock. Maybe Steve Irwin himself has something to do with the servicing ;^)

Andrew