Truck keeps eating front brake pads

[MoparFreak1988]

Alright this will take some explaining I think I got it all but could have missed so let me know and sorry you may want a cup of water or beer and a snack for this one

Ok so two years ago about I had to completly rebuild the front brakes this was at about 200,000 maybee a little less now yes I did not buy it new but the person I bought it from said the brakes had been done at around 130,000 ( back on topick that means in thery I got about 70k from them and I am the second owner) the rotors were original and under thickness before even trying to turn so ne rotors, calipers, pin kit and pads got done and found out rwal or any abs for that matter makes it so jack or jane schmo cant bleed there brakes and you need a scan tool to cycle the pump or modulator? so I was told and have read about and even with pressure bleeding I get no pedal) took it in had it bled.

Now 215,000 comes and passenger soft line blew almost taking the truck with it because I was trying to avoid a deer two new soft lines one for each side I also inspected my pads at this point and the pads were less than half lifepassenger side looked a little thinner about a week after it started pulling to the right i proceeded to pull the wheels and found passenger side is shot drivers side 15 percent or better milage aproxinate 219,000 (those were Napa brand premium pads) so I redid the pads turned the rotors replaced the slide pins (4) and had the calliper mounts (2) cleaned and polished were the pins go put her back together using EBC'S green stuff no pulls, no problems.

Then at 235,000 I here a grinding coming from passenger front oull the wheels low and behold pads on passenger side smoked drivers side 20 to 30 percent another set EBC's (called and complained with receipts and milage recording so i got them free just pay shipping) cleaned pins fresh lube and off we go.

Now I get to 260,000 pads are gone same situation passenger side smoked drivers side good again cheap as I can go put napas cheapys on about 32 versus 60 bucks had to put new rotors on due to them being just above thickness (Napa brand chinesse made horse #!*# :banghead:) so that after they were turned they'd be to thin cleaned up the pins and such and off I went again couple thousand later had to put new soft lines on under warenty for failing on me again( I have stainless braided sitting here ready to put on when these give) and

So now I'm at 275 they were gone again same situation passenger smoked drivers had about 30 percent rotors are good and came from Canada I believe they may be Wagner (Rob put them on for me because I was in a leg cast at the time ) I now have a set of Monroe pads also made in Canada from the local Bumper to Bumper parts store and have installed them with out doing anything else I did also rebuild the rears after 275,000 for the first time I now have one tone brakes in the back for the most part I already made some other tweeks to the proportioning valve as well as wheel cylinders were replaced a while ago but I redid them again for cheap insurance

I guess my questions are does anybody know how to bleed brakes without the scan tool and second off I dont consider this wear normal and am curious as to what you guys are getting and i bet its far better than my results and also were else to look for a problem

As always thanks a bunch guys and gals (not sure if there on here but there are plenty of em drivin Cummins around town) the help and pointers are always appreciated

[guesswho512]

i have the same problem with my 99 ram. local rotors were $160 each. after changing 3 of them, i now do a routine check just for the pads. the drum shoes last way, way longer than the pads. you can read (http://forum.mopar1973man.com/showthread.php/1863-front-pads?highlight=) this thread to see my part of my problem. long story short, i was going into the part store, telling them what my truck is, and taking the lower end of $. come to find out that, at some part stores, they don't list 8800GVW pads under 2wd trucks. they had been selling me pads rated for 7500 or 7700 GVW.

[Wild and Free]

Sounds like either the caliper guide pins are not moving freely or the caliper pistons are not releasing completely due to internal rust or corrosion and keeping a bit of pressure on the brakes all the time.

[dually]

Make sure the backs are working.maybe the proportional valve is goofed?

[cummins2k]

You do not need a scan tool on these trucks to bleed them. As a matter of fact I do not know if you can even use a scan tool to bleed them. As far as I know the official way to bleed these trucks if air was allowed to get past the ABS module is to use Miller 6670 to depress the valves in the anti-lock unit. http://www.amazon.com/OTC-OTC7853-Proportioning-Depressor-Systems/dp/B000K1FVLW

[flagmanruss]

One thought, my mechanic found my front rubber lines had collapsed internally, preventing the calipers from releasing properly. My other thought is see if the pads are correct for your truck. At the least, too small pads will wear too quickly... at worst the missfit might chew the pads all up.

[guesswho512]

One thought, my mechanic found my front rubber lines had collapsed internally, preventing the calipers from releasing properly.

how would you be able to tell? they look fine.....

My other thought is see if the pads are correct for your truck. At the least, too small pads will wear too quickly... at worst the missfit might chew the pads all up.

even though the cheap's were not rated for my truck they are a 100% fit. no play or anything like that. they just wear down faster. i haven't tried pads for higher GVW, only lower...but have thought about looking at the one's rated for 10500 GVW

[Mopar1973Man]

My first I would say is get a exhaust brake... I'm at 178K miles currently and NEVER change the brake pads yet... But Yes I've done plenty of brake service to the truck I've done 2 caliper rebuilds so far. Basically take the calipers off and dis-assemble and clean and check all the pucks for fit, inspect the seals and weather boots. That what I found that gives the life to brakes. I do full brake fluid changes every 30K miles or once a year and about every 4 years take the caliper apart and clean them. I find that the brake fluid builds up on the pucks and they start to bind up so you must take then apart and clean them. Also just bleeding the system isn't enough... I found that even my truck over time will settle water and debris in the bottom of the calipers of course no amount of bleeding will remove it... So the only way it to remove and dis-assemble and clen them... But my stock brake pads still live on...

[MoparFreak1988]

pads were always rated 8800 and Mike out of curiosity how do you change your fluid because I may or may not be doing it right and I also hate rebuilding calipers though there is logic to what you speak and I could see that being a problem very much so if I had over 20,000 miles on each go round which I havnt seen and whenever I do brakes I always clean amd inspect all the guide pins boots and clean and regrease as needed or replace the only thing that may be an issue is the caliper piston itself which I will tear into today looking for an issue and Mike if you dismount your caliper turn it upside down facing the opening of the bleeder to the ground and open up the bleeder with a hose in a glass then hook up my pressure bleeder to the master cylinder wolnt that get most of the moisture out considering I usualy pump half a quart or more through each caliper or wheel cylinder...

[Mopar1973Man]

Still bleeding isn't going to fix it...

What happens as you use your brake the pads heat up the pucks and the brake fluid kind of dries and hards to the pucks and what happens is the pucks grown in diameter. So now you got to check you puck for proper diamension and you find with a seal and trying to put the puck in a empty caliper it wont fit. But now take 600 grist sandpaper and light start sanding and you'll see the dried harden brake fluid on the pucks. Now continue till the pist fall into the empty bore without pushing. Remember this is WITHOUT seals in place.

As for the debris here is what the debris and the harden brake fluid does to the seals it ruins them... Look at all the chew marks from debris... So bleeding isn't going to wash that out...

As for bleeding... This is what comes out...

This is what goes in...

What's funny... With the truck on jackstands and 1 bottle of brake fluid I can do all 4 brake calipers in about 2 hours... Disassemble, wash, dry, inspect, reassemble, bleed, and your done...

Remember this is all I do about every 2 years for disassembly and the full bleed every year... But at 178K miles still running on stock brake pads from the dealer...