Looks like a stuck caliper, but its not?

[MarkEkberg]

Looking at the truck yesterday I noticed only a 1/3 of the drivers brake rotor was being used. Thinking it was a stuck caliper I took every thing apart to see.

Side pins move easily
Pistons in caliper move easily.

Pads have uneven wear so I turned them around to see what happens and now only 1/4 of the rotor is being used.

Truck has 216K. original calipers. Do they just get old and start rocking sideways?

 

[BarryG]

I had something happen to me last week and may not be your issue at all but easy enough to check. One of two bolts that holds the caliper bracket (not the slide pins/bolts) fell out on me in the middle of nowhere 500 miles from home. On mine it allowed the caliper and bracket assembly to swing outward when applying the brakes and scrape the inside of the wheel creating a horrendous noise. I limped into a little town and caught NAPA 5 minutes before they closed while he did not have the "real" bolt he had one that worked enough to keep the caliper assembly from swinging. He mentioned that within the last month he had two others come in for the same thing. When I got home I had a bit of a time getting a real one. However dodge did still sell it for $9.00 and they ordered me one from another dealer in the state had it the next morning and put it in last night. While I know this is not your symptom last night when I was putting it on and tightening it down (on the 01 it's spec is 210 ft lbs of tq) I did notice that it did pull the caliper assembly out some as I tightened it down so while I didn't check it may very well of been sitting there a bit cockeyed( did not remove the wheel to put it in). So perhaps you have a loose one. Dealer also mentioned that they fall out though how I don't know 210 ft lbs of tq and Loctite on the bolt but nonetheless apparently they do. If you are unfamiliar with the bolts on my 01 they are 12 point 16mm bolts right by each slide pin. In my case on the second gen in June of 2000 they changed the bolt from the normal hex head to a 12 point why I have no idea as the dealer had one of the older ones but mine was built in November of 2000 and required the newer style so whether it is still a 12pt or back to a normal hex on 3rd gen don't know. In any case might be worth checking and would only take a couple minutes.

 

[MarkEkberg]

Don't think that is the problem, but I am headed out to check anyway.

Thanks.

 

[The patriot]

I suspect the rubber line. Sometimes they experience internal failure and you will not be able to detect it from a visual.

 

[MarkEkberg]

Barry, not the problem. Everything is tight.

Patriot, rubber line failure will cause uneven wear on pad and not touching on parts of rotor?

 

[Tuesdak]

Sounds like a distorted or warped caliper. Possible mounting bolts or mounting also warped/bent as noted above. Possible rotor is dished or warped.

 

[MarkEkberg]

So I am replacing everything at this point? Calipers / rotors and of course brakes?

That being said are there larger rotors available for larger wheels?

 

[cerberusiam]

If you have original calipers and rotors are worn, replace everything. A rotor that far out of spec is going to vibrate. The only way you get uneven wear on the pads is the piston is cokking as it is applied, that is a caliper issue. It has probably worn the rotors weird so they probably need replaced, or turned if they can be.

 

[MarkEkberg]

Well ordered everything from parts house close by. Would rather have gone with a HD truck supply but they needed SN off calipers? No one else did? I spent a little extra to get the caliper brackets just incase mine is bent?

Hope to have drivers side done in the AM before I leave for weekend. Little ones are not in school yet, so lots of can you help, push on swing, play with us........

I was figuring I needed to replace everything, I just hate throwing parts at things not knowing what is wrong. First time for me to have wear like this without a frozen pin or piston?

 

[MGreer]

I replaced the pads on my truck a couple years ago and the pads were worn at an angle also. The problem with mine ended up being caused by rust. Rust built up underneath the stainless steel vibration elimination clips. This expanded the clips to the point where the pads would not slide. I had to use a hammer to get the old pads out.
l cleaned the rust up and applied some anti seize under the new clips. Make sure you get new clips with your pads. I used oem pads and news clips came with the pads. It's been fine so far.
Hope this helps.

 

[MGreer]

I just looked up pads on rockauto and those clips are also called pad drag reduction clips and noise elimination clips.

 

[MarkEkberg]

Doing the brakes on pass side I notice this.... WTH and how did I do that? If you don't see it the whole control arm is bent in from the bottom at the front attachment point.

 

[cerberusiam]

Can't see it, no reference points in the picture and the sun glare messes up everything else.

 

[MarkEkberg]

Will take a better pic tomorrow.

 

[Wayne M.]

I've seen this deal with the rotors with other veh as well. It looks like a quick song on a record, right? Narrow pad contact? IMHO, I think rust gets in the cooling fins between the surface halfs, and jacks them or bulges them out. I think it's the rotor specifically.