Brake rotor failure

[CUMMINZ]

My right rear brake caliper has been sticking for a while and when my son traveled to mountains with trailer to pickup my 1500 4x4 he said brake pedal was real soft. When I got home and climbed under truck here is what I found. Today I replaced rotor, caliper, pads and bearings and races today.

 

[NGuzik]

Isn't that one of those super hight tech slotted weight reduction rotors? haha

 

[B.G. Smith]

Wow! I have never seen one split like that. I stripped the drum from the hub on some Studebaker front drums about 60 years ago. bg

 

[DonFitzwater]

Wow! I have never seen one split like that. I stripped the drum from the hub on some Studebaker front drums about 60 years ago. bg

That's not split! It's been worn down into the core of the rotor........been years since I've seen one that bad.

 

[B.G. Smith]

That's not split! It's been worn down into the core of the rotor........been years since I've seen one that bad.

Ok. that makes more sense. The two pics threw me I guess. bg

 

[CUMMINZ]

I don't think that one pad could have lasted long enough to wear thru 1/4" of steel on the rotor. I think the rotor got hot enough for it to break apart. Either way we were luck to make it home.

 

[jgillott]

I don't have a picture of it, but the left rear rotor looked just like that on our 04.5 when the caliper stuck a few years ago. The caliper wasn't stuck for long either.

 

[CUMMINZ]

Just removed left rear rotor. And glad I did. The inner seal has been leaking.

 

[Tuesdak]

In this case is is expensive to let a brake problem like a sticking caliper go for any distances.

Once the pad wears down to the steel backing plate: the steel is harder than the cast rotor and will grind down the rotor to the fins quick. Autozone pads did this to me: the pad came unbonded from the backing plate. Steel backing plate on cast rotor ate half the rotor in 17 miles. (The distance to get home - I thought a hub bearing was going bad.) First impression was that I had a nail come out of the tire from the thump sound and next stop had to pump the brakes up quick. Stopped fine after that and then I started to hear a grinding noise. Sadly the rotors were new and a big job to change them as lugs had to be pounded out. I don't use zero quality Autozone for anything anymore. Wagner Thermo Quiets I run now stop better as well for me over Autozone's stuff.

Fords used to be famous for a caliper sticking and ruining rotors (Without going all the way through pads). Chevy's get too much dirt and eat rear rotors on some years. Chevy couldn't figure 4 wheel disc out and especially their worthless unreliable parkin brake and went back to obsolete rear drum brakes on their 1/2 tons. Some rotors do rust through the cooling fins and then pancake.

Duracrap failures below. Note where the backing "broke off" at the pad material retaining holes rather than wearing down to them.

 

[DonFitzwater]

I don't think that one pad could have lasted long enough to wear thru 1/4" of steel on the rotor. I think the rotor got hot enough for it to break apart. Either way we were luck to make it home.

As mentioned earlier, Fords were known for sticking calipers and the result looked identical to your failed rotor. The evidence is the remaining metal "skins" between the cooling fins inside the rotor that remain.

 

[BigPapa]

Looks like lack of proper maintenance to me, not "rotor failure". Yes, you were lucky, especially towing. If you know there's a problem, fix it.

 

[rscurtis]

I agree, but feel better that I was not the first to mention it.