2002 Venture - Minimum Shoe / Pad Thickness ?

[Buckeye Guy]

All,

I have been experiencing the intermittant red brake and low brake fluid indicators on my 02 Venture now for a couple of weeks. I want to pull the brakes and take a look, but cannot find anywhere what the minimum show / pad thickness thresholds are before replacing? What do you folks normally use as your replace / no replace threshold? For the shoes, do you normally just measure the thickness looking from the side, or the thickness still left between the top of the shoe and the rivet holding the shoe to the bracket?

Thanks in advance for any comments - could not find this info on a search of the web and this site.

Pete

[Airjer_]

IMO, Less than 1/8 inch on the front, 1/16 " to the rivets in the rear. If the rotors are still turnable or in good shape then definitely before they start grinding. If you need to replace the rotors then run them until they grind. Make sure to top off the brake fluid!!

[Buckeye Guy]

Airjer,

Thanks for the reply. I pulled both front disks and one rear drum (breaking the drum off the hub was a bear!) and here are the results:

Rear drum (pass side) - about 1/8" shoe left from the surface to the rivets.

Front Disc (pass side) - about 0.27" each side left

Front Disc (drivers side) - 0.21" / 0.25" inner/outer pad

No noise of clunking from the brakes - only the dashboard indications.

If the pads / shoes are good, I wonder if I just at the edge of the range for the brake fluid. Maybe I should just top it off a bit to clear it. I know not to fill it, as the top will pop the next time the brakes are changed.

Pete

[cjstew4]

Pad and shoe thicknesses seem to be fine to not be tripping the dash lights. I know with my '97 if I am just slightly below the max line on brake fluid, I will get the low brake fluid light. If the dash lights you mention do not go away after getting just above the max fluid line, then check that all 3 rear brake lights are lighting up. May need a bulb replacement or you could have the infamous rear brake light short. If so, let us know and we can walk you through a few proposed fixes. Keep us posted.

[Buckeye Guy]

Thanks for the comments.

I checked the fluid level and it is definitely low. The "Max" level is near the top of the resevoir, while the actual level is right at the center seam of the resevoir. Looks like I need to add some more fluid. Can I grab any DOT approved fluid at the store, or should I only go OEM? Also, I assume I should not put fluid in up to the max mark for fear of blowing the top off when I do push out the brake pistons when they are replaced?

Thanks for all your help.

Pete

BTW - I did check the brake lights and all 3 are good.

[cjstew4]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Guy

Thanks for the comments.

I checked the fluid level and it is definitely low. The "Max" level is near the top of the resevoir, while the actual level is right at the center seam of the resevoir. Looks like I need to add some more fluid. Can I grab any DOT approved fluid at the store, or should I only go OEM? Also, I assume I should not put fluid in up to the max mark for fear of blowing the top off when I do push out the brake pistons when they are replaced?

Thanks for all your help.

Pete

BTW - I did check the brake lights and all 3 are good.

Good to hear it is not the short in the rear tail lights. Fill the regular DOT brand fluid to the MAX line to ensure you do not get that light to come on again. At front pad replacement time, you can always pull a little fluid out with a turkey baster attached to a little tube to reach it better. I usually use a few paper towels/rags and absorb it enough to get down to the MIN line before I do the pads.