A320 FLT CREW REPORTS DISCOVERING BRAKE WEAR PINS ON PREFLIGHT THAT INDICATE BRAKES WORN BEYOND LIMITS. CONTRACT MAINTENANCE AND COMPANY ATTEMPT TO FUDGE THE SIGN OFF AND MAINTENANCE RELEASE.

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ON PREFLT INSPECTION WE DISCOVERED THE L INBOARD MAIN LNDG GEAR (#2 BRAKE) WHEEL BRAKE WEAR PINS WERE NOT VISIBLE AND WORN TO THE LIMIT. CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALED THE AFT WEAR PIN WORN BELOW THE GUARD AND THE FORWARD PIN BARELY PROTRUDING PAST THE GUARD. MAINT WAS CONTACTED VIA PHONE IN LAS STATION OPS AROUND XA40 FOR A PLANNED XB17 DEP. LAS STATION ADVISED OF ISSUE AS WELL. MAINT DISPATCHED CONTRACT MECH TO EVALUATE BRAKE WEAR PIN MEASUREMENT. NO MEASURING DEVICE NOTED AND UPON COMING TO THE COCKPIT HE ADVISED US THEY WERE 'OK.' PLTS WERE NOT CONVINCED MECH TRULY MEASURED THE WEAR PINS AND QUERIED HIM TO THE MEASUREMENT AND WERE TOLD THAT THE FORWARD PIN WAS NOT PROTRUDING BUT THE AFT PIN WAS 'PLUS' PER OUR VISUAL INSPECTION THIS WAS OPPOSITE OUR OBSERVATIONS AND CAPT RETURNED TO #2 BRAKE WITH MECH TO VERIFY HIS FINDINGS. MEANWHILE; RELEASE CAME ACROSS THE PRINTER STATING THAT THE BRAKE PINS WERE MEASURED AT 1/32 MEASUREMENT AND OK TO CARRY FORWARD. DIRECT QUESTIONS WERE ASKED OF THE MECH: 'DID YOU ACTUALLY MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF BRAKE PIN SHOWING?' WE WERE UNABLE TO GET A CLR; CONCISE; AND/OR STRAIGHT ANSWER AFTER ASKING THE QUESTION MULTIPLE TIMES. MECH THEN AGREED THAT AFT PIN WAS IN FACT BELOW GUARD AND BEYOND LIMIT AND THAT FORWARD PIN WAS BARELY PROTRUDING AS VERIFIED WITH A STRAIGHT EDGE. CAPT AND MECH CALLED MAINT AND ADVISED FINDINGS/EVALUATION. BRAKE DEACTIVATION OR REMOVAL OR REPLACEMENT WERE THE ONLY OPTIONS PER MAINT WITH AFT PIN BELOW GUARD. FORWARD PIN COULD BE CARRIED FORWARD AT 1/32. PLTS REVIEWED WT PENALTY AND FIELD CONDITIONS AND AGREED TO TAKE ACFT WITH #2 BRAKE DEACTIVATED AND DEFERRED. AUTOBRAKES ALSO DEFERRED DUE TO MEL. MECH DEACTIVATED #2 BRAKE AND TESTED HYDS PER MAINT INSTRUCTIONS. DISPATCH COORD MEL ITEMS AND CONFIRMED PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS WHICH REQUIRED A RWY 7L DEP DUE 3 KT TAILWIND ON RWY 25R WHICH WAS DEPARTING RWY AT THE TIME. LAS ATC ACCOMMODATED RWY 7L DEP REQUEST. LNDG PERFORMANCE FOR ARR ALSO CALCULATED TO BE WITHIN LIMITS. ENRTE; DISPATCH ASKED IF CAPT WOULD ACCEPT ACFT IN PRESENT CONDITION FOR SECOND LEG.