Brakes!!
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FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 23,174
Likes: 1,678
From: Stephensville WI
Brakes!!
Last week when driving home I heard a grinding noise when the brakes were applied, so I figured I better check the front brakes. Saturday I jacked the truck up, pulled the calipers, replaced the pads, and cleaned and relubed the hubs. The old pads looked OK, maybe 30% life left, so I was a little puzzled by the grinding noise, but it seemed to go away.
Driving the truck Sunday, the brake pedal went soft on me and I had almost no braking action. I at first thought maybe I damaged a flex hose in the front, until I noticed a large amount of smoke on the rear passenger side when the brakes were applied.
Aha!
A tear down revealed no inner pad (just about half of the backing plate left), caliper was toasted, outer pad maybe 1/8 inch thick, rotor toasted and gouged deeply on inside surface. Walked to a parts store, got cheap pads and a cheap caliper to get me home. Parts guy sold me a driver side caliper, net result is the bleed screw ends up on the bottom which makes bleeding difficult.
Scheduled truck for a visit to see a mechanic, as the rotor may be welded on. At least I could not budge it.
So, if you hear grinding, do not make the mistake that I did and assume it is front brakes.
Driving the truck Sunday, the brake pedal went soft on me and I had almost no braking action. I at first thought maybe I damaged a flex hose in the front, until I noticed a large amount of smoke on the rear passenger side when the brakes were applied.
Aha!
A tear down revealed no inner pad (just about half of the backing plate left), caliper was toasted, outer pad maybe 1/8 inch thick, rotor toasted and gouged deeply on inside surface. Walked to a parts store, got cheap pads and a cheap caliper to get me home. Parts guy sold me a driver side caliper, net result is the bleed screw ends up on the bottom which makes bleeding difficult.
Scheduled truck for a visit to see a mechanic, as the rotor may be welded on. At least I could not budge it.
So, if you hear grinding, do not make the mistake that I did and assume it is front brakes.
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 745
Likes: 4
From: North Carolina
When i bought my truck i had a heck of a time getting the rear rotors off. I beat them like they owed me money and eventually broke them loose. I used a 4lb hammer. It will totally trash the rotor, but you said they were toast anyway, soo just picture your mother-in-law or something equally agrivating and go buck wild on them.
I'd hate for you too waste your hard earned dollars having the dealer do it.
I also applied antisieze on the hub face before re-assembly, and my rotors slid right off about 18 months later when i did my parking brake job.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,564
Likes: 11
From: Wayyy NoCal, USA
BFH, that's what I did as well since I was replacing rotors.
I started by tapping and then after donning eye protection, started upping the energy. Right about the time I was certain the rotor would shatter on the next blow, it came loose.
I started by tapping and then after donning eye protection, started upping the energy. Right about the time I was certain the rotor would shatter on the next blow, it came loose.
