If I have a 1999 pontiac firebird, hw do I know the breaks need change or inspection? (Time or break squeaks?)?

How often should I change my brakes?

How much would it cost to change them?

And is ';Just Breaks'; the cheapest yet a good auto-part dealer to check and change my breaks?

How can I check my breaks if they are good or bad without anyone fooling me and telling me they are bad just to get money out of my pocket?!



Thank you veryyyyyyyyyyyyy much!

CheersIf I have a 1999 pontiac firebird, hw do I know the breaks need change or inspection? (Time or break squeaks?)?
its not a matter of how often you change them, its when it needs to be done. if your mechanicly inclined, you can check them yourself. heres what you do, take off each wheel one at a time, inspect the front pads. good pads should be at least 1/2 to one inch thick from the metal backing to the front edge of the pad. take a flat bar, like a flat head screw driver and slowly and carefully try to push the brake caliper piston back into the caliper housing. if the piston retracks back in, the caliper is ok, if it dont, you need to have the caliper either rebuilt or replaced. after your finished with the fronts and have the calipers retracted back in. go inside your vehicle and pump the pedel to get the pads back to their proper seating. DO NOT drive the car untill you do this. check the rubber brake lines going to the calipers, inspect them for any cracks. if they are cracked, replace them right. you have 100 pounds of pressure going thru them when you push on the brake pedle, and it only takes one panic stop to make that hose break open and you will lose your breaks and possably have an accident. if you have rear brake calipers, remove the wheels and inspect the rear pads. the rear pads will be slightly thinner than the front pads, but should still be at least 3/4 of an inch thick. again, thats the thickness from where the pad meets the metal backing to the outside of the pad. if you do have rear calipers, you should always use your parking brake. that is the only way rear disks readjust themselves. if you dont use them, the cable that actuates the rear caliper piston will seize up and wont function anymore and you'll wind up having to replace the rear caliper. you can do all this yourself or have it done. you have several choices as to where to bring it. meineke, midas, strauss, pepboys. any ';national chain'; is the best because where ever you go, you will always find one of these stores incase you run into a problem and can go back under warrentte. a ';normal'; brake job will cost you between 80 to 130 dollars providing all you need is having the pads replaced and ALWAYS have the drums or rotors checked and resurfaced to eliminate out of roundness and possable brake squeel. brake them in by no panic stops, do not ride the brake pedle, and avoid heavy brakeing for the first hundred miles or so. do 4 or 5 normal brake stops from 40 miles an hour, this will allow the pads to seat themselves against the rotors.If I have a 1999 pontiac firebird, hw do I know the breaks need change or inspection? (Time or break squeaks?)?
Go ahead and have them inspected just to satisfy your conscience. Disk pads have a wear sensor that will constantly squeal if they wear low enough to touch the rotor. If you wait till that happens, it will cost you more to repair them.