I am having issues with my front brakes on my 2005 Expy 4WD. I recently replaced my front pads and rotors with Napa ceramic pads and Napa premium rotors. After a few weeks of use, I started to notice pulsing. I also bled the system.

I have always had pulsing issues on this truck and that is why i bought the premium rotors. I figured they would be less likely to warp.

Some history and observations:

Before the brake job, the left pad had worn out quicker than the right.

The left was at metal to metal.

After the brake job, the left rotor has grooves on it, whereas the right does not.

Any ideas what might be causing the rotor to warp? Bad left caliper dragging? Weak right caliper?

Thanks.

Any way to troubleshoot?

 

Did you check your caliper slide pins for easy nonrestricting movement these will hang up and not allow the caliper to have equal pressure on the pads causing vibration and uneven wear

 

Then your left caliper is sticking on the slides, has a stiff/sticking piston, or the brake hose is no good.

BTW, why have you not considered the rear brakes as the source of the pulsation?

 

The rear pads and rotors were replaced about 6 months ago and the rotors look good. They do not have any grooves in them.

So I should disassemble the brakes and check the slides? Do you think the rotor is damaged or warped at this point?

 

I would say yes, but you can bring it into a shop and have it resurfaced instead of replacing it. Heat can be very damaging, because of such I would consider replacing the caliper and bleeding the fluid out. Even if you clean the slides and everything seems to work okay, at the point due to the overheating the caliper might not hold up in a panic stop. The seal inside the caliper could blowout.

 

I don't want to resurface so I will replace the rotor. Would I need to replace the pads as well?

 

I had this happen after tire change. The tire lug nuts were not tight! Check them when not tight it creates a pulsing effect when brakes are applied-

 

Usually yes you would. The heat glazes them making it take longer for them to stop you.

 

me too. Have had it happen with loose lug nuts and again when the bearing retaiing nut was too loose.