Front Driver Brake Wearing Faster than Passenger

[bigflatdaddy]

Need a little help. My 03' has about 46000 miles and I am getting ready to put the second set of brakes on the front.



On the first brake job - I noticed that there was a ton of brake pad left (both sides of rotor) on the passenger side, and ground completely down on the driver's side (both sides of rotor).



I was hoping for a pad defect - yes hoping - but it appears that it is something more. I don't have the truck apart again yet, but the brake grinding is only coming from, guess what, the driver's side.



Should I be looking at replacement calipers, or could it be a brake line problem, valve, etc. ????



Anybody else have this?



This will be a haellava truck when I get done rebuilding it.



Thanks! Paul

 

[GerryDrake]

Brake wear

Used to be with drum brakes, the trailing shoe on the RF always wore more. I was told it was because of the fact that you brake during a right turn a lot more often than in left turns, where you often have to stop for oncoming traffic, then turn left. Don't know if this wear comparison transfers to discs or not... I am sure others will likely know...

 

[DPKetchum]

Right caliper may not be working correctly.

 

[Scrappy]

the left one could be sticking also.

 

[DPKetchum]

Usually the one thats working is the one wearing the fastest. "Some" faster wear on drivers side is normal.

 

[steved]

Usually the one thats working is the one wearing the fastest. "Some" faster wear on drivers side is normal.

Don't you mean some faster wear is normal on the caliper side pad... side to side should wear the same. The caliper (or inboard) pad will usually wear slightly faster than the outboard, not much, but some.



I agree, the one wearing faster (both the inboard and outboard pads equally) is functioning properly. The one wearing a single pad is the problem... either the slide pins are hung, the caliper is sticking, etc.



I assume you must tow since this is your second set in less than 50k?? I still have more than 3/4 pad (front and rear) left on the original pads with over 55K... If you are also showing no signs of wear on the rear, you could also have a non functioning rear brake system causing the fronts to wear faster since they are doing all the stopping... mine are about the same front to rear.



You might have several problems...



steved

 

[Hohn]

Aside from a bad caliper (sticking), you may have a problem upline related to proportioning hydraulic pressure. Master cylinder circuit, ABS proportion (if it's four channel) could all be things to look at.

jlh

 

[DGStrate]

Something obscure to check....

I had the same situation on a 1998 Dodge I owned... Turned out after 3 sets of brakes (due to excessive driver's side wear) inside of 17k miles, dealer and I deduced that the SPRING on the driver's side was slightly shorter than the passenger side (you can check by measuring to the bottom of the fender opening on driver's then passenger's side). My truck had a 3/4" difference between the sides. Therefore, when I was braking, the Driver's side was doing more of the work (due to more weight transfer to that side)... This truck was a 1500 and they were known for having weak rear drums, so I saw the results earlier than you may (due to the 4 wheel disc on the newer trucks). I DOUBT that this is the cause of your problem, but it won't hurt to check!! I would also lean towards calipers, abs, prop. valve, etc... Just thought I'd share a bizarre circumstance in case your other items all check out...



(btw - as for the ending of my 1500's dilemma, dealer replaced both front springs and reworked the entire front brake system and I went on to put about 40k on the new brakes after that... just fyi)



Good luck in finding your gremlin!!



-Derek