Hello everyone,
I have a 2004 Ranger 4.0 auto Xlt supercab. It is approaching 32,000 miles, and front brake pads are starting to wear out. I just had new tires put on, as i drive on a lot of gravel roads and the stock Continentals just wore out from the sharp gravel. While i had that done, the guy checked the brakes for me. He told me they had a small amount of wear in them.

That was all fine and good, and i have been listening for the tell-tale squeal that means the wear indicators are hitting. Before the tires were put on, the truck had a vibration which i really really think is from a warped front right rotor. I just made a trip across town, and when coming to a stop light and stopping at a nice easy pace, there was a grinding/vibrating coming from the right front tire. i rolled that window down, and there is a sound that resembles the caliper not releasing all the way. The rim on that side was also really hot to the touch when i got to my destination. I had the tires off a few weeks ago, and there were blue spots every half inch or so around teh rotor, which supports the fact that i think they are warped. Am i on the right track, or am i completely off base? I am having new pads put on next Friday, and will probably have the rotors machined. Do i need to have the calipers checked too? Thank you in advance, i know this is a long post. If any more information is needed, let me know, and i'll try to provide as much as I can.

Red

 

I'd get the caliper checked because it sounds like something is sticking. Make sure if you do new pads, the rotors are machined, and to 'bed' the pads in, otherwise they won't give you full stopping power and may warp shortly thereafter. Bedding requires 4-5 easy stops from 40, then 3-4 fairly agressive stops from 30-40. This allows the two surfaces to burnish in effect... Thats what I do when my brakes are replaced... IF the blue stops look like heat discoloration, I would get that caliper checked as soon as possible; the brake fluid should be flushed too because it may have overheated dramatically reducing its service potential...

 

The grinding may indicate you have worn down the pads too far and there is no longer any pad to metal contact, but rather backing plate to rotor contact... Or you may have simply gotten a stone somehow stuck in the pad....

 

I appreciate it. I'm working two hours from home at an engineering firm for an internship, so there's not really anyone up here i trust to work on it. I'm going home this next weekend, so my first stop is by my mechanics to have him look it over. Luckily for me, he's a good honest man we've known for years, and he's always done me good on my vehicles.

I'm just curious though. Why didn't the wear indicators squeal on that side? I regularly ride around with the windows down, and have never heard them? And what if the rotor is just warped real bad on that side? Could that be the vibrating i feel?

 

The material transfer that occurs when a rotor overheats causes a shuddering feeling when you brake and gets worse as you increase braking pressures. Sometimes my wear indicators squeek, sometimes they don't. I am not 100% sure as to why they sometimes do and dont. Perhaps the pad was cocked to one side and went crooked unevenly wearing the pad down and it is making partial contact with backing plate, but not enough for the wear indicator to make noise. A cocked pad can cause a caliper to overheat and/or uneven friction/pad material transfer...Hope all goes well

 

Check the caliper pins to make sure they aren't frozen in place causing the caliper to not fully release. There is a high temp grease that is used to lubricate them. As for the wear indicators I don't recall seeing any on my 03.

 

The wear indicators arent chirpping because you haven't quite gotten to them yet. Your mechanic only indicated that the brakes are worn, not gone. The guys are right about that caliper seizing up. It's not likely shot, just needs attention. The intermittent blueing and pulsing is like Powerstroke said. Material transfer from the pads to the rotor. I've read several articles firmly stating that 99% of 'warped rotor' complaints aren't from actually warped rotors, but from material transfer from pad to rotor under 'hot' conditions from hard braking and then letting the pads sit stationary on the hot rotor at the end of the stop. I've also read and done it myself that the brake in procedure included some soft and hard stops in reverse. In a parking lot of course, but most of all, get used to easier stops and letting the rotors slide through the last few feet of the stop. This will lessen the chances of material transfer and extend the life of the brakes. Most wear happens at high temp. I've gotten as much as 65000 miles out of a set of rotors and pads, and my nerves have benifited as well.

Fred

 

fflintstone,
that's about the best explanation i've gotten all at one time. I don't doubt the material transfer. What do you do to remove it, or can it be left alone? And what is the proper break-in procedure? Also, i've heard in the past that with disc front/drum back like my truck (or i believe that is how it is), that you need to do some fairly firm stops in reverse periodically to keep the rear drums tight. Or was somebody feeding me a load of hooey? I appreciate your help.

Red

 

Thanx for the compliment and I'm glad I could help. Here's the link to an article found in the technical info thread at the beginning of the forum. It describes the warped rotors myth and the break in procedure is in the text.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/lc/lc.ph...rakedisk.shtml
Good luck

Fred

 

FYI: I have 2004 Ranger and I had warped break rotors too, and I was able to get them replaced under my 3yr/36k mile warrenty.


When the rotors were replaced, my brakes squealed for a good year afterward. My pads and shoes had plenty of life left on them, and the reason, as I was told, for the squeal was the pads were "re-adjusting" themselfs to the new, un-warped rotors. They just recently stopped squealing.

 

Mr Flintstone,
Got brakes fixed on Friday. You were correct. It was material transfer. New pads, machined rotors, and it's all good again. Now i adjust the way i drive, and everything will be prefect. Thanks everyone for your help.

Red