2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission front brakes - very uneven wear

[damon]

I read the posts about how easy changing the front pads were, and never doing so on anything larger than a dirt bike, I bought the performance friction pads and went for it.



Very simple indeed, it took me 1 hour for the drivers side and then 1/2 hour for the passenger side. Only tools needed are the lug nut socket and the torx bit (t10 I think) for the caliper pins. I used air tools for both.



The thing that bothered me was the wear rate on the pads. On the passenger side, they wore very evenly and were at about 30-40%. On the drivers side however, the outside pad was about 50% and the inside was about 10% at the top of the pad and less than a millimeter from 0 at the bottom. The squeal marker had been used all the way and I was withing a few miles of metal to metal and ruining the rotor. I found this myself after the dealer that rotated my tires the week before told me I was at 15% left, and should look into brakes in the near future.



The dealer said that the drivers inside pad always wears fastest because it is the closest to the master cylinder. Is this correct, or was it more likely a binding pad ?



I'll be keeping a closer eye on this in the future.

 

[CNichols]

Im sure your brake caliper was sticking on the slides. Causing that pad to ware faster.

 

[Batman]

Ditto to CNichols.



Be sure to lubricate the slides with a good quality side lube.

Additionally, check the inner races of your rotors, I just replaced mine due to failure of the rotor material (the edges were deteiriorating (sp?)

HTH

George

 

[damon]

I did use a light coating silicon brake grease on the pins, clips, and back of the pads. The factory grease was completely gone, but there was no gouging or wear marks on the pins that I thought may be if the pad was sticking.

 

[RustyJC]

2nd generation trucks were notorious for calipers sticking on the pins. I about melted down the right front of our 1996 3500 towing our 5th wheel when a caliper stuck in Houston stop-and-go traffic. By the time I got it home, I was out a caliper, rotor and front wheel bearings! I'm lucky that I didn't burn the truck to the ground, I guess.



Rusty

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

You also need to put grease where the caliper slides against the steering knuckle. I always clean that up a bit with emery cloth and then put a thin layer of grease on it.

 

[10-G]

The rears should be pretty easy also. If they are disc too?



Thanks for the info.



Im needing brakes on my 02. I called the dealer and they advised $217 an axle. After tax and shop fees it will be bumping $500. Then I called a small independent shop and they advised $285 an axle-hardy har har. The guy was rude , it was obvious to me that he has sniffed too much Varsol.



The rotors are in real good shape so I am not going to turn them.

 

[damon]

10-G - my cost was $50 per axle, assuming you already have the tools. I asked the dealer and they wanted $150 labor only to do the job, so I went and bought a pair of 6 ton jackstands to help out and still saved over 100 bucks.



This site has saved me $$ many times, maybe caused me to spend a few $$ too

 

[10-G]

Damon



Thanks for the info.



The only tool I lack is the torx head. I'll pick one up after I pick up the pads and lube.



tks