Hardcore Rear Brake Wear

[fastbird232]

Fronts and rears (pads and rotors) were replaced in December 2004. By August 2005, the rears were gone and the metal was grinding the rotors (fronts were still fine). We replaced the rear calipers, resurfaced the rotors and slapped new pads on. Now, in April 2006, the rears are gone again and the fronts are still fine having not been replaced since Dec. '04!

 

Is it normal for rears to wear that fast? I thought the fronts would go quicker because they do more work? What am I missing here?

[SigEpCutlass]

Are you calipers operating properly? They could be sticking and causing the accelerated brake pad wear.

[94CutlassSLCoupe]

sounds to me like the parking brake is not releasing all the way

[fastbird232]

I never use the brake. I set-release every two weeks to keep it from sticking, but maybe it's stuck shut?

[Euro]

dang... that kinda sounds like my fronts when i had them replaced

[DOHCRagtopguy]

To me it sounds like your front calipers aren't working all the way. Front pads should wear out before rears because they do the bulk of stopping.

 

This could be due to several things: The sliders hanging up due to not being lubricated enough; the piston(s) hanging up due to corrosion inside; the brake lines being deteriorated on the inside where you can't see them; the actual metal brake line from master cylinder having some kind of kink or major dent in it restricting the flow of fluid to both calipers.

 

Hope this helps ya, good luck!

[fastbird232]

I never thought that the problem could actually be in the front ones... Thanks for that, now I think I'm going to have all of them checked over (before I just told the shop to look at the rears).

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

I put new pads (semi-metallic) and rotors (all part white-box) in Sept 04

 

Rotors are all worn evenly, maybe down like 1mm (I dunno) but still very new looking and should last me a very long time as long as there are no problems..... I use my e-brake every day when I park for the night.

 

Sorry it's not very good advice... probably best to get them looked at.

[1990lumina]

I wish mine would wear down.....I will bet if I remove the rear rotors will have a layer of rust on them.....I'm pretty sure my front right brake does most of the stopping...left front works occassionally

[fastbird232]

Pulled one of the wheels off, and the caliper was dragging on the rotor. So I disconnected the parking brake cable, and it's still dragging. Thoughts?

[cutlsp]

frozen calipers you should use the parking brake every day to keep it from sticking......

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

Pulled one of the wheels off, and the caliper was dragging on the rotor. So I disconnected the parking brake cable, and it's still dragging. Thoughts?

 

Cutting the cable isn't gonna do shit if the caliper is still sticking. Gotta pry it off the rotor, I had the same problem with my 88 GP. It would lock the rear wheel solid to the point my rear wheel would skid along the ground lol

[fastbird232]

Didn't cut the cable, just disconnected it. That's a brand new caliper, though, it shouldn't be sticking!

[GP1138]

I never use the brake. I set-release every two weeks to keep it from sticking, but maybe it's stuck shut?

 

There's part of your problem. I've noticed that the parking brake causes my left rear to stick. When I come to a stop, I can see it smoking, and if I spit on it it sizzles. After about a week, it'll stop. I just never use my parking brake. Try going awhile without using it, sometimes it causes more problems then it prevents.

[fastbird232]

Good call. I called up my dad about this, and he said, "If you've got an automatic transmission, why the hell are you even messing with the e-brake in the first place? Leave it alone."

 

This summer I'll probably remove the whole assembly while I have the interior apart.