Hi everyone, how do you know when to change front and rear pads and discs please, other than just going by the look of it?

How thick or worn out should they all be please? What should the precise measurements be?

2006 mk2 Alhamb.

Thank you

Pads Haynes list at 7mm inlcuding the backing plate. I'd guess 5mm of that is the backing plate, 2mm is around the point I'd be expecting hard braking to cause bits to break off.

Discs aren't specified probabbly because its not a simple answer. But they are usually marked anyway. You can also check the specs on Eurocarparts and its specified there (not a simple answer as there are different discs across the models and different front to back - backs are solid, fronts are vented).

The range there says either 22 or 21mm for the front and 8 for the back. mine being an early MK2 has the smaller discs though, yours may be different as most mk2's can't take the 15" wheels as far as I know which mine can. I know there is definitely different brakes on some of the mk2 models.

Obviously there can be other reasons to change brake pads/discs - damage and gouges in the discs for example, warped discs, Etc.

Corrosion of the discs is a common MOT failure.

Thank you both very much, the tip about checking specs on Euros is a great tip.

I have my micrometer gauge ready and will get out there to measure it asap!

Out of interest, Euros list various different sizes of discs and pads, do you know how one can tell definitively which ones are the right size?

Thank You

The most reliable way is to measure the ones you already have. Particually on an older vehicle where others may have owned it before you just in case its been played around with.

As said above, the earlier models used smaller calipers so the 15" wheels would fit. They won't fit later models generally. I belive this should mean you have larger pads going on the later models. You might be able to use that info to judge if there is a large gap between the caliper and wheel? If its quite close, they probabbly have the larger calipers, and would expect the larger discs to go with them.

If it was wearing a Ford badge rather than Seat, you could look up off a parts listing - Microcat or similar like the dealers use will tell you down to the specific vin.

It might be worth ringing your local branch or emailing their customer service team, as they can usually tell a bit more if you provide them with the Reg of the vehicle. Its generally cheaper if you order online though (and if the service is anything like as hopeless as the local branch here, probably quicker for them to deliver to you than to collect it)

It's been a while since I had my mark2 but I think there was 3 different sizes listed when I changed mine. Largest were the v6 ones,diesels had the middle size and smallest must have been for the ones brian refers to?
I measured mine to get the correct ones when I replaced the fronts.

The attached screenshots show what Microcat shows - confirming as said, the V6 is different to all others. It seems otherwise that vehicles with a build date to 31/05/2001 will use different ones to later vehicles.

This only covers the Ford varients though - No idea if anything is different on the Seat. Either get them to confirm for you, or measure them is your best bet.

With the pads, the disc diameter should narrow down your options. I can see 3 options for front pads on my reg, 2 for the 288mm discs (mine doesn't have wear sensors which narrows it down to one option). Rears its showing me 3 different options, but all appear to be the same basic pad (the EBC ones being the other two options). It does show only ones equipped with a wear sensor

Microcat only appears to show two variations looking at the part numbers listed on the rear. Either its a v6 which uses different to all the rest, or its the same across the ones listed either the 2.3 or 2.0 or any of the 4 diesel versions.