Brake Question

Still having an issue with heavy dusting and excessive pad wear on the LF. New calipers both sides, new brake hoses both sides, flushed system, replaced master cylinder (unrelated but replaced). No codes, no pulling to either side.

The only thing I have yet to replace is the rotors - there seems to be a LITTLE visual runout but not enough to cause vibration or pulsation in the brake pedal...

Is it possible the rotor is responsible for this excessive pad wear and dusting? Warped/hard spots that are tearing the pad down? - I would think you'd notice a vibration or pulsation but I'm not.

are you sure the calipers are sliding back and forth? you may have to put some grease on where calipers side.

are you sure the calipers are sliding back and forth? you may have to put some grease on where calipers side.

They are brand new, fully greased and sliding.

you dont mention replacing brake pads,did you replace with ''loaded'' calipers
dont think rotors would be the problem unless hot spots are in the rotor
but you say you dont see any
you can grease as mentioned where caliper meets spindle/knuckle

Still having an issue with heavy dusting and excessive pad wear on the LF. New calipers both sides, new brake hoses both sides, flushed system, replaced master cylinder (unrelated but replaced). No codes, no pulling to either side.

The only thing I have yet to replace is the rotors - there seems to be a LITTLE visual runout but not enough to cause vibration or pulsation in the brake pedal...

Is it possible the rotor is responsible for this excessive pad wear and dusting? Warped/hard spots that are tearing the pad down? - I would think you'd notice a vibration or pulsation but I'm not.


the hub bearing maybe worn. compare both sides for movement . should be none.

also remove the speed sensors, in the sensor hub hole take a sample of the bearing grease. if rusty/red in color the bearing is bad.

Bad hub wont cause that much wear on the pads. What brand pads do you have?

Bad hub wont cause that much wear on the pads. What brand pads do you have?

with the pads replaced ,,,and the problem remains why do you think it is pad material ? these pads have been replaced ,,,,with the same resulting Left front dusting excessive only. a bad / worn bearing CAN cause this..all bearings do NOT fail exactly the same.........

If the rotor was distorted this would surely be felt in the steering wheel when braking.

swaping the rotors would be one last item to try... inspecting the front hubs at this time would be wise move !

I had Napa Adaptive One pads on at first when the problem started. To prove it wasn't them I bought a cheap pair of $20 Autozone pads and threw them on, same results. The only thing left to replace is the actual rotor or go into the bearing. One question, as far as removing the wheel speed sensor to check the grease color, never did that before, what all is involved in getting that off/ to it, just remove rotor/bracket etc?

Thanks..

jcat - 2001 Silverado 1500 4x4, are these hubs sealed or can you replace just the bearing?

No part of his post said pads were replaced even inafogg said that and if the bearing was bad enough to wear the pads that bad he would have noticed by now.

The calipers are sliding but are the pads?

Swap the pads side to side to rule them out.

Pads are sliding just fine. I do notice a FEW symptoms of a bad wheel bearing here and there, very low speeds I sometimes hear a fine squeak (also think this may be a bad u-joint, have them to swap out one weekend) and also here and there a very fine click click click. Nothing beyond that - may be early signs but again is that enough to cause pad wear?

jcat - 2001 Silverado 1500 4x4, are these hubs sealed or can you replace just the bearing?

the problem with these is the whole hub must be replaced..

I guess it would be possible to locate bearings and using a press replace just the bearing but no one does that ...


If the grease is not blue but rust colored its bad ...

removal of the speed sensor [need allen wrench] remove the stud then with light force rotate left/rt slowly and using penitrating oil pull sensor out...do not break ,,,it is cheapo plastic crap....

in the hole you will see the grease..My bearing failed by making a growling noise..brakes/or bearing being loose was not occuring ,,,,BUT the new bearing/hub assembly was much easier to rotate and the rotation feel was smooth..

replacing the hub is a pita...this was rusted into place very securely on my vehicle...lots of penitrating oil and careful hammering force the hub off...with the surface cleaned and lubed with anti sieze the new hub fit in with not much force..

I got my hub at 1A AUTO comes with a one year warrantee and was about 70.oo..........also comes with new sensor..

so far it is working great...

when you remove the rotors swap them lft/rt check all this out....then if you still have the lft side still wearing more this will most likely be this worn bearing with too much end play...movement ..

wire brush the rotor/hub surfaces thoughly on the mating surfaces ,,,,,,when installing the rotors...


when I checked my noisey bearing just for the hell of it I pumped grease into the sensor hole,,,lots of grease...ran vehicle for about one month just to see what would happen...had new hub ready to install,,,,,,,,made less growling noises....do not get worse...

the problem with these is the whole hub must be replaced..

I guess it would be possible to locate bearings and using a press replace just the bearing but no one does that ...


If the grease is not blue but rust colored its bad ...

removal of the speed sensor [need allen wrench] remove the stud then with light force rotate left/rt slowly and using penitrating oil pull sensor out...do not break ,,,it is cheapo plastic crap....

in the hole you will see the grease..My bearing failed by making a growling noise..brakes/or bearing being loose was not occuring ,,,,BUT the new bearing/hub assembly was much easier to rotate and the rotation feel was smooth..

replacing the hub is a pita...this was rusted into place very securely on my vehicle...lots of penitrating oil and careful hammering force the hub off...with the surface cleaned and lubed with anti sieze the new hub fit in with not much force..

I got my hub at 1A AUTO comes with a one year warrantee and was about 70.oo..........also comes with new sensor..

so far it is working great...

when you remove the rotors swap them lft/rt check all this out....then if you still have the lft side still wearing more this will most likely be this worn bearing with too much end play...movement ..

wire brush the rotor/hub surfaces thoughly on the mating surfaces ,,,,,,when installing the rotors...


when I checked my noisey bearing just for the hell of it I pumped grease into the sensor hole,,,lots of grease...ran vehicle for about one month just to see what would happen...had new hub ready to install,,,,,,,,made less growling noises....do not get worse...

I have a BAD feeling you are right with it being seized on, when I replaced my rotors at 70k the bracket bolts were FROZEN and I had to grind them off, I'm at 130k now I can only imagine how these will be. First check is going to be pulling the speed sensor and checking grease. I jacked the front today and had NO play in the wheel, holding at 6 and 12 and rocking it, it was solid. I have no groaning, whirling, grinding, just an occasional squeal at low speeds (again think it may be ujoint OR the rubber boot at the CV as it touches itself makes a rubber squeak). I'm so afraid of yanking the speed sensor out and breaking it off, if/once I get it out, how do you put it back in, just push it in?

I am actually ready for new rotors but I don't want to put new ones on until I rule everything else out and chance ruining them - like I said before I have cheap ass Duralast pads on there from Autozone just as a test so they will be replaced also with the new rotors. I will try the swap and see what happens, I really hope it's the rotor. Thanks for your input, just wondering how to put the speed sensor back in if you can let me know, thanks.

I have a BAD feeling you are right with it being seized on, when I replaced my rotors at 70k the bracket bolts were FROZEN and I had to grind them off, I'm at 130k now I can only imagine how these will be. First check is going to be pulling the speed sensor and checking grease. I jacked the front today and had NO play in the wheel, holding at 6 and 12 and rocking it, it was solid. I have no groaning, whirling, grinding, just an occasional squeal at low speeds (again think it may be ujoint OR the rubber boot at the CV as it touches itself makes a rubber squeak). I'm so afraid of yanking the speed sensor out and breaking it off, if/once I get it out, how do you put it back in, just push it in?

I am actually ready for new rotors but I don't want to put new ones on until I rule everything else out and chance ruining them - like I said before I have cheap ass Duralast pads on there from Autozone just as a test so they will be replaced also with the new rotors. I will try the swap and see what happens, I really hope it's the rotor. Thanks for your input, just wondering how to put the speed sensor back in if you can let me know, thanks.

that squeal is most likely the pads constantly rubbing, when hot make these sounds..

if you use the penitrating oil [NOT WD-40] AND BE CAREFUL AND EASY ON IT ,,,it will come out...putting it back it will slide in ...then screw the allen stud down to lock in place.

wash down the area first / use a small wire brush,,,then apply the pentitrating oils...

One more question - I had the wheel speed sensors replaced under that recall a few years ago. When I first started having this issue I checked for ABS codes (never once had a light come on) and there was some old ones store in there regarding the wheel speed sensors malfunctioning. From what I was told those codes don't stay forever, they clear after so many key revolutions, so it tells me they were somewhat recent. Again, no light ever came on. Do you think a wheel speed sensor error could cause anything like this??

One more question - I had the wheel speed sensors replaced under that recall a few years ago. When I first started having this issue I checked for ABS codes (never once had a light come on) and there was some old ones store in there regarding the wheel speed sensors malfunctioning. From what I was told those codes don't stay forever, they clear after so many key revolutions, so it tells me they were somewhat recent. Again, no light ever came on. Do you think a wheel speed sensor error could cause anything like this??

the recall work done on your vehicle concerning the abs front sensors does not mean these where replaced...this recall was to remove the sensor clean the mounting surface, coat this surface with a zinc coating and then reinstall the same sensor..the sensor was not the reason for the recall ............the rust pushing the sensor out was the reason !

when these hub bearings go, they can cause the ABS sensor to work poorly and cause codes/poor low speed braking..

like I stated before when these bearings do fail , they cause different issues when they go bad...with the inspection as I stated in the prior posts ,,,,,,you can determine whats the problem...

for some reason many stated they had the left front hub fail..

my vehicle the right front failed...the left front is from many reports , the one to fail first...

the recall work done on your vehicle concerning the abs front sensors does not mean these where replaced...this recall was to remove the sensor clean the mounting surface, coat this surface with a zinc coating and then reinstall the same sensor..the sensor was not the reason for the recall ............the rust pushing the sensor out was the reason !

when these hub bearings go, they can cause the ABS sensor to work poorly and cause codes/poor low speed braking..

like I stated before when these bearings do fail , they cause different issues when they go bad...with the inspection as I stated in the prior posts ,,,,,,you can determine whats the problem...

for some reason many stated they had the left front hub fail..

my vehicle the right front failed...the left front is from many reports , the one to fail first...

They actually did replace both sensors, apparently things were too dirty in there, I remember the zeroed out bill saying replace and I remember looking and seeing brand new ones with stickers on them, so they were replaced. I will check the grease condition, if that's ok I will swap LF and RF rotors and see. What a PITA this is.

They actually did replace both sensors, apparently things were too dirty in there, I remember the zeroed out bill saying replace and I remember looking and seeing brand new ones with stickers on them, so they were replaced. I will check the grease condition, if that's ok I will swap LF and RF rotors and see. What a PITA this is.

you are lucky that they did not bill you for the NEW sensors..this is not part of the recall...

many have had this free recall completed only to get a bill for 1200.oo for rotors/calipers/sensors etc....from the dealership/stealership >......

Is it possible the rear brakes are not working, causing all braking to be done by the front? This would cause excessive wear and no pulling. Don't know if you'd notice the difference in stopping distance on dry road surfaces.