excessive wear on the driver side front brake pads

[desimunda]

I did the brakes in sept of 2006 and early this month the front brakes were squeaking... my front pads on the driver side were GONE! the pads on the passenger side still had lots of meat on them prob 2/3 left. when i changed brakes in 2006 premium pads(monroe) were installed.

my question is why would front driver wear down like that? i greased the caliper bolts last time in 2006 and did it again now....bad caliper or some other issue i should look for?

[LeSabre97mint]

Hello

It shounds like your caliper piston is hanging up. Were both pads on the drivers side warn or just one side?

Regards

Dan

[busboy4]

Hi,
GM's are notorious for internal failure of the rubberized hose which connects the caliper to the aluminum tubing from the master cylinder so you might check that too. My Mom's Caddie had a dragging right front brake. I changed the caliper assuming it was at fault, but could then not bleed it due to no fluid flow. The hose had failed trapping fluid under pressure in the caliper. I noticed my Mom's problem because she pulled in the driveway and it looked like steam was coming from the wheel well. The temperature and smell on closer inspection pointed to the brake.
Good luck

[desimunda]

Originally Posted by LeSabre97mint

Hello

It shounds like your caliper piston is hanging up. Was both pad on the drivers side warn or just one side?

Regards

Dan

hi dan, it was both pads.



busboy: there was no smell but i will check on that. thanks!

[wiswind]

I just went through that.
The front brake job, that I posted the pictures of.....needed re-done....lasted about 3 years....and a bunch of miles....
However, I did notice that I got a rumbling.....and a shaking.....like a tire was going flat.....intermittently.
I would go months without it happening....then, it would happen.....and last maybe 3 minutes or so.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I had a bunch of work done.......I had a cracked spring, a slightly worn passenger side wheel bearing, and it needed brakes.
Not wanting to mess with the wheel bearing job.....and having a local independant shop that I trust.....I had them do the work.
They found a torn boot for the driver's side caliper....and recommended that I get "loaded" calipers (a caliper complete with new pads and hardware).

I wonder if you have a sticking caliper also......less likely....but possible would be a worn wheel bearing.
In my case, 11 year old car, with 183K miles....original calipers.....and most everything else in the front end......I can not complain.

While I do a lot of my work myself.....having a competent mechanic go over the front end is something I highly recommend having done now and then.
I would not have found the cracked spring (even though I look them over several times a year...I just knew that they would wait out the 10 year FORD warranty), or the slight play in the passenger side wheel bearing, or the very slight play in the driver's side lower ball joint.

I have to say, that I have never had a vehicle go so long with so little work needing done to the front suspension and steering.
But....when it's time......it's time.....and new pads and rotors would not have lasted very long without new calipers (and possibly the wheel bearing).

As a side note.....I had Monroe Quick Struts installed.......Strut, spring, upper bearing plate, upper and lower spring isolators, and boot kit....all in one assembly.

[desimunda]

wiswind, this is a 2002 windstar.....with 140K on it. i hope the 5 yr old vehicle doesn't need new front end stuff! but i am going to monitor these pads...and will update

[desimunda]

UPDATE:

took the pads back to canadian tire. was told by counter guy that it might be that the passenger caliper has a problem and that the pads on the driver side are doing all the work hence worn down.

[wiswind]

As with pads, if you do need to replace a caliper....it is best to do both sides....so that you have exactly the same deal on both sides.

At 140K miles.....you are only just 43K miles behind me....so this is a vehicle that you are getting a lot of good use out of.
It is good to have the front end checked every few years......to catch problems early.
A good way to do this is to have a front end alignment.

Also, the grease needle trick that has been mentioned a few times.....in my opinion....has helped a lot in making my tie rod ends last this long.
The windstar (and many other vehicles) have no grease fittings on the tie rod ends.....and they can dry out....and begin to bind....causing more work for the power steering system (may contribute to the noisey power steering that many have mentioned)....and wearing out.