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Can I disconnect My Back Brakes?

33K views 118 replies 21 participants last post by  teikyo30 
#1 ·
I have no idea if that's a stupid question or not, I'm a computer guy, not a car guy. When I was at Subaru recently they showed me my back brakes: almost gone. So now a few days later I notice that when I brake, sometimes from the right rear I hear what sounds like empty water jugs bouncing around. I can only assume it's my brakes.

I asked how my front brakes were and the guy said they're fine. I said I didn't notice any issue stopping and he said because the front brakes are doing all the work. I can't afford to do the brakes right now. Like I literally have $10 to my name. Can they be disconnected until I could fix them? What would happen if the rear brakes fail entirely?

I've heard a rumor that I have no idea if it's true or not that when brakes fail they clamp shut on the rotor locking the rotor and it can happen while driving. It sounds too stupid to be true, but like i said: I know computers, not cars.
 
#2 ·
You cannot safely "disconnect" you rear brakes. There are a few ways brakes can fail... they can leak fluid resulting in no braking power, the calipers can seize up (what you are referring to as clamping onto the rotor), and they can just wear until the pad surface is gone and you get metal on metal (which is most common). Saying the brakes are "almost gone" is relative, you could have months left with very little meat on the pads. What will most likely happen is option "3", the pads will wear out and you will have to replace the pads and rotors. I would suggest that you drive the car as little as possible until you can have it fixed, the longer you go, the more expensive it will cost to fix the problem.
 
#11 ·
I haven't had any spinning out issues, and I do realize that stopping is probably the most important part of the car, I just had no idea it was this bad till the other day. This being my only car, and having limited funds, I have limited options. I use the car for work, so not driving it isn't an option. However, if it can last till next Monday I can do the rear brakes then.
 
#13 ·
Stupid questions yield stupid/sarcastic answers.

I didn't even think this thread was serious until I saw how offended you got from Trainrex's post.
 
#20 ·
Seriously, though, most forums temp/perm ban you when you answer what you think is a stupid question with a smartass answer. Glad to know that isn't the case here..........

I thought this was the best/most helpful WRX forum on the net....but then there's a good 50% of you that seem upset that you were born with "shortcomings" or whatever and take it out on people on here. Every time I post a question from radios, to mechanics, to driving, the nutjobs come out of the woodwork to post their comments that have next to nothing to do with the original question.
 
#31 ·
On a slightly different note, I need to know how I can unplug my power chord from my computer? I'm too broke to pay my power bill and I heard I can power my computer just using geothermal wind energy until I can get a new chord installed. Can I please get a sarcastic/humorous answer? No serious comments, PLEASE!
 
#39 ·
By the way, I have had threads taken down on here, and I have had posts deleted for not being a conformist, for not agreeing, or for posting a similar topic numerous times. And trainwreck can laugh but if he goes back and looks at his emails he'll see we talked about that a few years ago. Imagine such a friendly forum taking down or closing my topics.
 
#40 · (Edited)
I don't see how anything that has happened in the past is relevant to this thread.

I can't speak for something that has happened before my time here, but from the couple months that I have been here the mods seem to be great. They don't flame or abuse their power and are very helpful and open. I am sure there was a reason your posts/threads were deleted other than a supposed personal reason.
 
#45 ·
It terrifies people to change their own brake pads.Its not like they'll drop of after you've installed them.Seriously,if you have any doubts go to youtube.Its so simple.DIY & save a whole lot of money since you are short on it anyway.If you have never done them,there's a first time for everything.
Posters,thank you for the Monday morning entertainment.
 
#54 ·
I've seen other people do it, but I wasn't paying as close attention as I should have, but when my neighbor does his he's forever slamming a metal hammer against them to get whatever it is off that he's taking off. Stuff like that scares me. I shouldn't need a hammer to fix a brake, right? I've also noticed some people use some clamp thing to bleed the lines, my landlord says you don't need to do that you can do it from the brake. Everyone seems to do them differently. I let one of my friends do my brakes once, an ASE certified dumbass. I wound up having to call a tow truck because he screwed something up and couldn't fix it.
 
#49 ·
Nope. They are attached to the brake pads. They simply start to squeal once the linings wear enough for them to contact the rotor. Some cars have electronic sensors that attach and wear with the pads. They will light up an idiot light when the linings wear down to their service limit and the sensors contact the rotor.
 
#50 ·
^^ This.

And I just pulled out my old DS2500's, and they don't have the tabs on them. I looked at the OEM rears, and there is only one pad of the 4 that has one of the screetchy metal tab thingamabobbers.
 
#51 ·
Well this was entertaining enough for me to add my .02.

OP.. Brake pads are insanely easy. I had never done them, looked up a DIY, bought the pads and did it in a short time by myself. If money is tight this helps a ton, trust me im paying my way through college while feeding my WRX addiction. Trainrex was answering the question you asked. Dont get offended here. I promise if you posted this on NASIOC it would be WAYY worse. Look up a DIY, ask any questions you have here and you will be fine. Noone is trying to hurt your feelings. As for posts getting deleted....one thread is sufficient. If you posted the same thing in multiple places that is pointless and a waste of space.

Oh and Kevin - Did you seriously google that just for the sake of this thread?? Thats hilarious
 
#55 ·
I haven't heard any squealing sound, or grinding sound. Here's what it sounds like: from the right rear when I brake from highway speeds it sounds like a bunch of empty water jugs are rolling around under the wheel. It's a new one for me. I never heard that sound in any car before.
 
#56 ·
I've worked on cars and computers. Seriously dude, just replace your own pads. I would equate the difficulty to upgrading a video card (including uninstalling previous drivers, and downloading new ones). If you had never changed a video card before, but you had several guides to read through on how to do it, do you think you could?

The brake pads might take a little longer, and you have the chance of banging your knuckles, but who hasn't sliced their hand on a poorly manufactured computer case?

I replaced my first set of pads on my own with no tutorial. Identify the part that needs to be replaced, identify what holds it on, remove that, remove the part that needs to be replaced.. you get the idea. Now I needed some help bleeding the lines, but that's because I did it the old fashioned way (pumping the pedal).



Any way you would go about disabling your rear brakes would seriously diminish your ability to control the car and endanger the lives of other motorists.
 
#61 ·
You don't need to bleed your lines to change the brake pads.

You only need to bleed the lines at the intervals the manufacturer puts in place.

The banging with the hammer is on the rotors to get them to break loose. That's only if you're changing rotors as well or getting them turned. Not a necessity but I'd do it.
 
#64 ·
that works too.. but either way if you're smart enough to build/troubleshoot a computer you can handle a car. The tools are different but the methods are very similar.
 
#68 ·
My last word of advice to the op....Just do it yourself out of principle. Forget the time, forget the money, do it because as a vehicle owner there is nothing more rewarding than finishing a project on your own and knowing you didnt have to go to some mechanic
 
#69 ·
this thread is dripping with sarcasm. pretty great way to start my tuesday morning...'

to the OP: if you were a member on a computer tech forum, and someone asked for instructions on how to do something that would endanger himself and others around him, im sure you would fire back. bottom line, DONT DISCONNECT YOUR BRAKES! If the tech at the mechanic shop was so worried about your brakes, he would have told you "stop driving you car right now." the mere fact that he said that you can keep going for a while, means that they are not worn down to the point of being unsafe and disconnecting them.

If you do not want to DIY, you dont have to. but, there is a great feeling you get when you work on your own car and figure it all out. its a great way to get to know your car better also.

dont be discouraged, most of the responses took place on a monday, and everyone is usually an ******* on monday anyway...
 
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