weird rotor wear on '96 GC

I was rotating my tires this weekend ('96 GC Laredo 6cyl 134k miles)and noticed that the front passenger brake pads were completely worn and the brake rotor was HEAVILY scored. The drivers side front brakes and rotor was in good shape with about 3/16" of wear left on the pads. What would make the one side wear so much faster than the other? A couple of strange things about this.

1) I never heard the chirping noise the pads usually make when they're getting to the end of their life, nor did I hear the metal on metal grinding sound of the rotor being cut into.

2) I replace the front shocks about 1,000 miles ago and while I had the tires off I looked at both sides up front and the brakes appeared to be in good shape.

Can anyone shed some light on what may be going on?

Best Regards,

Marcel

Reply to
maleemi
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If both sides of the rotor showed the same heavy wear, the piston in the caliper is stuck or you have a bad hose to that caliper. If just one side is scored the slide pins are bent/stuck.

A lot of the replacement pads do not come with the 'chirp' clips to let you know when you are needing replacement. At 134k, I can't belive you have the original pads.

If the problem started after the shock replacement, I'd be look> I was rotating my tires this weekend ('96 GC Laredo 6cyl 134k miles)and

Reply to
RoyJ

To be more specific, if the pads on both sides are worn evenly, a hose is the likely culprit. If the inboard pads are worse, it is the caliper piston sticking, if the outboard pads are the worst, it is the caliper sliders sticking.

Sometimes brakes can eat clear through each other, and you never hear a thing, sometimes they squeal like crazy, and nothing is wrong, other than the squeal. It may or may not have something to do with shock installation, but probably just a coincidence.

Spdloader

Reply to
Spdloader

3/16 is not "good shape" For some pads that's enough to reach the rivets that hold some brands of pad on.

Wear depends on how you drive and the condition of your caliper piston, slide pins, and rotor. Sligly warped rotors eat pads, as can the occasional rock that gets caught up in there.

Time for new rotors and pads. Easy enough of a DIY job.

I use Stillen rotors and Raybestos carbon/metalic pads.

Reply to
DougW

Thanks for all the replies. The outer side of the rotor is scored but the inner side is clean so from what's been posted I'm thinking the caliper slider is sticking. Unfortunately I don't know which part the "caliper slider" is. I've replaced the pads 3 times so I'm fairly familiar with the setup, could someone please describe which part the caliper slider is and how I would go about unsticking it?

Best Regards,

Marcel

Reply to
maleemi

The two big pins/bolts that hold the caliper on. They have rubber boots on either side.

Reply to
DougW

Reply to
RoyJ

I have never seen 'all' the pads wear out the same. There are too many corners and uneven physics involved.... Even a slightly worn wheel bearing has effect. Hitting a puddle with one side all the time or dirt from a road shoulder even, lots of things.

Yours sound like they just plain wore out and weren't caught in time....

Unfortunately the makers stopped putting those nice wear bars on the brake pads so you had warning before major damage and cost happen. They 'want' the major damage to occur so 'they' get the expense.

When you redo them, I would just recommend some brake grease on all the moving parts like the slide rails the pads slide in and the two pins holding the caliper.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail > I was rotating my tires this weekend ('96 GC Laredo 6cyl 134k miles)and
Reply to
Mike Romain

The rotors on my Wrangler developed some really, really bad scoring to the point that I had to replace them, while the pads still looked thick as new. Go figure. People tell me that there is a special way to break in brake pads, but when an elk or a family of flatlanders wanders into the middle of the highway well you just have to stop right now, don't you?

Saludos cordiales,

Earle

Reply to
Earle Horton

There is a way to break in the rotors and pads, and it works well.

lemme wrangle up that link there..

wrangle wrangle wrangle..

Hmm.. it's in a pdf, so here is the extract from Stillen

(Quote, Stillen break in instructions) Road car installations, the process needs to be as follows.

For the first 10 miles, light braking from 50 to 60 mph down to 30mph if possible in blocks of five. Do not attempt any high speed stops down to zero at this point, as only the outside face of the disc will heat up with the inside mass remaining cool along with the mounting area. For the next 100 miles increase the braking pressures similar to stopping in traffic, again avoiding if possible full stops from 70+ mph. By now, the area around the mounting bolts should be a light blue temper color. This is a good indication that the correct heat soak has been achieved. For the next 100 miles gradually increase the braking effort, only after this can full power stops be used.

Do not leave your foot on the brake when parked after a high speed run.

If you do the hot spot created by the pad can distort the disc in that localized area causing a high spot resulting in vibration under braking. (end Quote)

Reply to
DougW

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