Impossible

[TajoeMang]

Hello All,

I do not have a problem, I have an IMPOSSIBILITY. I purchased my 2000 Tahoe LS used from a dealer in 2001 with 40K miles and understood that the brake pads were still good and had not been replaced. Over the years I have put 175K miles on the vehicle, have been through 4 sets of tires and several electric window motors/regulators, but have NEVER changed the brake pads . . . until today.

I heard the unmistakable high-pitched sound of my rear brakes nearing their end and purchased new pads, rotors, and E brake shoes (which has never worked from day 1). Well, as you can see from the photo, I was about one day away from metal-on-metal regarding the rear pads (after 175K miles, mind you!) and the brake shoes had worn into the hub, causing me to need new rotors as well. BUT, when I looked at the front pads I was dumbfounded. If they continue to wear at this rate, I'll have over 300K miles on my front brake pads and rotor. The engine will wear out before my front brake pads!

Has anyone ever seen anything like this before? Is this some sort of world record? Crazy.

 

[Big Buttons]

I know a couple of members on here that have well over 200K on oem bake pads.

 

[JochenWoern]

Hello All,

I do not have a problem, I have an IMPOSSIBILITY. I purchased my 2000 Tahoe LS used from a dealer in 2001 with 40K miles and understood that the brake pads were still good and had not been replaced. Over the years I have put 175K miles on the vehicle, have been through 4 sets of tires and several electric window motors/regulators, but have NEVER changed the brake pads . . . until today.

I heard the unmistakable high-pitched sound of my rear brakes nearing their end and purchased new pads, rotors, and E brake shoes (which has never worked from day 1). Well, as you can see from the photo, I was about one day away from metal-on-metal regarding the rear pads (after 175K miles, mind you!) and the brake shoes had worn into the hub, causing me to need new rotors as well. BUT, when I looked at the front pads I was dumbfounded. If they continue to wear at this rate, I'll have over 300K miles on my front brake pads and rotor. The engine will wear out before my front brake pads!

Has anyone ever seen anything like this before? Is this some sort of world record? Crazy.

I am not quite as fortunate as you are and did replace the OEM's in the back just about 4 weeks ago at around 125K. My front ones however do seem to have plenty of life left as well.

So, overall, I still think this is pretty awesome for pads to last that long on a rig of this size.

 

[TajoeMang]

Uh, so nobody thinks CONSPIRACY!!!??? Doesn't it seem a bit odd that, back in 2000 (and probably long before), we had the ability to create brake pads that would last hundreds of thousands of miles and that since then the technology has been lost?

Seriously, why don't ALL vehicles have brake pads like these? Hmmmm, maybe it's because there's MONEY in brake pad replacement? I tell my friends that "someone at the oem brake pad company really screwed up and created something too good".

Curious, just exactly what are these oem pads made of. It surely can't be anything like what they're using on all other oem vehicles nor what we can purchase at the auto parts store. Maybe the magic is in the rotors somehow?

 

[Jewel or Jalopy]

I do believe it has something to do with the new ceramic brakes. The technology is more expensive than older pad technology, so many companies probably elect not to use them as pennies add up to real money when you build 100k of something.

There might also be a trust issue, I for one feel like something must be wrong if the pads don't wear. But all they need to do is convert energy to heat to work.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

Maybe you just know how to drive...... My wife can wear new pads to metal in 10k, but mine still look new

 

[Donnie Yukonie]

I change my front pads every 30-40k

 

[imi4tth3w]

brake pad wear is a lot about how you drive.

Mine lasted quite a long time as well. but my braking capability pretty much sucks. of course thats what comes with having larger wheels/tires. plan to do hydroboost and z06 caliper swap eventually.

but nothing wrong with oem pads. if you like em, just search up the OE ac delco part numbers for the pads and keep on doin what your doin.

 

[dropmech]

I just changed mine at 160K

 

[Ultim8SVT]

Just like mentioned above. it's all about how your drive. That being said, that tells me you may have one of the most well taken care of 13 year old Tahoe's out there. You drive her just a little over 13k p/year. Good driver, you definitely haven't beat the truck, that's for sure.

 

[wcgaston]

I am the original owner of a 2001 GMC Yukon SLT. I just the replaced the original front brakes at 167K. Had not hit the wear indicator yet, but was close. I replaced them with AC Delco Duralast Ceramics. New rotors too. Hopefully the second set will perform as well.

I've replace the rear brakes twice.

 

[Z-56 Hoe]

I drive to hard and aggressive for mine to last me like that and my wife's the same way too and she waits till the last moment to brake drives me nuts.

 

[Donnie Yukonie]

I must have the most fun when driving seeing as I get so little out of my pads, I get more smiles per gallon

 

[Goodinblack]

I must have the most fun when driving seeing as I get so little out of my pads, I get more smiles per gallon

Cause hunting Zombies comes with a cost.

 

[afpj]

Some tech told me yrs ago they changed the brake setup 2004 or 2005, so they don't last as long as 2000-2003 MY. I will have changed my rears twice before the fronts, and the first rear change was at about 100k miles. Yeah, nice to have overdesigned components (not the tranny for sure though) but as someone else said, they were losing money on brake service so it got changed. This from a GM tech I shoot with.