My 1997 Sentra Eats Brake Pads... Ideas?
Joe AutoDrill
pads on the right front wheel in 1/4 the time of any other brake surface on
the vehicle. Typically, only the inside pad wears out.
I've changed the pads (3 times)
I've changed the rotor (2 times)
I've changed the caliper (2 times)
I've changed the brake lines (1 time with the first caliper)
I've changed the fluid out each time we did the caliper and lines... Flow is
perfect with the new lines.
As far as I can tell, the front end components are in great condition and
the lines don't get crimped at all after installation, etc. Plus it would
have shown up as drag or a flow issue when bleeding.
I'm out of ideas... What else could possibly be causing the issue?
Creative thoughts other than smashing this car into a million pieces,
burning it and then dumping it in salt water to rust away? It's driving me
crazy...
Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
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V8013-R
nucleus
replace the o'ring, you could expect to see an improvement, IF the
cylinder walls containing the piston and the piston are within spec.
just cycling the piston on such an old auto, does not remove the
microscopic wear debris and other contaminants of many years,
remaining in the cylinder.
Joe AutoDrill
news:4b28741d-6e0d-4e22...@f30g2000yqa.googlegroups.com...
I've removed the entire caliper and replaced it. No luck.
--
Jim Yanik
news:xdajp.2095$9j5....@newsfe04.iad:
> "nucleus" <rose1...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:4b28741d-6e0d-4e22...@f30g2000yqa.googlegroups.com...
>> if you would remove the piston from the caliper, clean the internals,
>> replace the o'ring, you could expect to see an improvement, IF the
>> cylinder walls containing the piston and the piston are within spec.
>> just cycling the piston on such an old auto, does not remove the
>> microscopic wear debris and other contaminants of many years,
>> remaining in the cylinder.
>
> I've removed the entire caliper and replaced it. No luck.
if it "eats brake pads",then either the pads are too soft,the rotor is
warped or too grooved,your caliper pins and guides are not free and
lubricated(sticking caliper),OR ***you ride your brakes***.
does a pad on one side of a caliper wear a lot more than the other side?
that's a sticking caliper. If the wear is even on both sides,then you're
likely applying the brakes too much.
I see a LOT of people driving and their brake lights are going off and on
while they are NOT actually slowing down for anything;they are probably
left-foot braking,and their foot is unconsciously riding the pedal.
(If your reflexes are that bad that you need left-foot braking,then you
should surrender your license.)
Drive the proper way and right-foot brake,as you would for a stick-shift
transmission. You will also avoid "unintended acceleration" incidents.
--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com
nucleus
a junk yard?
Another thought, was this auto ever involved in a wreck, perhaps
from that particular quadrant?
John Henderson
> I have a brake caliper that sticks all the time... It wears out the brake
> pads on the right front wheel in 1/4 the time of any other brake surface on
> the vehicle. Typically, only the inside pad wears out.
Do you know that it sticks? Or are you deducing this from the
uneven wear? Does that wheel drag more when you spin it with the
front jacked up?
Could there be residual pressure in the hydraulics because of
another problem? Due to road camber or wheel alignment, this
just might show itself as wear at the kerb-side disc.
What about excessive play in the RH front wheel bearing.
John
Peter Hill
If the wheel/hub gets hot it's rubbing. Something is sticking, either
piston or sliding pins.
If the wheel/hub doesn't get hot it's wearing under application. That
implies a cracked rotor.
--
Peter Hill
Spamtrap reply domain as per NNTP-Posting-Host in header
Can of worms - what every fisherman wants.
Can of worms - what every PC owner gets!
Joe AutoDrill
>a junk yard?
No. I replaced it *twice* with a rebuilt one from two different sources
about 50 miles apart (that's far enough here in NJ to guarantee two
different suppliers in most cases.) Two different mechanics too.
We basically don't have junk yards here in NJ any longer. There are a few,
but they mostly do nothing except plan for their own closure.
>Another thought, was this auto ever involved in a wreck, perhaps
>from that particular quadrant?
Nope. It's been in the family since it had 10,000 miles on it. It now has
220,000 and this just started a few months ago. I'm the only driver.
Joe AutoDrill
> warped or too grooved,your caliper pins and guides are not free and
> lubricated(sticking caliper),OR ***you ride your brakes***.
Pads replaced numerous times from different sources. I didn't go high end
racing pads yet, but I'd think that I'm not buying cheapo pads each time.
Rotors were replaced.
Calipers replaced.
Hydraulic lines replaced.
Fluid replaced.
Not a two foot driver.
> does a pad on one side of a caliper wear a lot more than the other side?
Yes. Inner pad wears 2X as fast as outer pad on old and new calipers.
> I see a LOT of people driving and their brake lights are going off and on
> while they are NOT actually slowing down for anything;they are probably
> left-foot braking,and their foot is unconsciously riding the pedal.
> (If your reflexes are that bad that you need left-foot braking,then you
> should surrender your license.)
I agree with you, but it's not the case here.
Joe AutoDrill
>> pads on the right front wheel in 1/4 the time of any other brake surface
>> on
>> the vehicle. Typically, only the inside pad wears out.
>
> Do you know that it sticks? Or are you deducing this from the
> uneven wear? Does that wheel drag more when you spin it with the
> front jacked up?
Wheel spins freely. We are guessing because of the uneven wear (inside pad
wears more than outside pad.)
> Could there be residual pressure in the hydraulics because of
> another problem? Due to road camber or wheel alignment, this
> just might show itself as wear at the kerb-side disc.
>
> What about excessive play in the RH front wheel bearing.
Not sure... I've looked at it VERY carefully as have two mechanics. We
have all tried all we can think of to figure out the cause including leaving
it with someone I trust to check it over thoroughly for 3-4 days...
It's a true head scratcher for me... And I'm not a complete novice at this
either. I've done my own brakes on vehicles since I was 18. Total mileage
driven is probably close to 750,000. That's a lot of brakes on a lot of
vehicles and this is a first for me.
--
Joe AutoDrill
> piston or sliding pins.
>
> If the wheel/hub doesn't get hot it's wearing under application. That
> implies a cracked rotor.
I'll repeat from my original post because I think it gets lost in the
replies and / or forgotten:
I've changed the pads (3 times)
I've changed the rotor (2 times)
I've changed the caliper (2 times)
I've changed the brake lines (1 time with the first caliper)
And to clarify, "changed" means replaced with new or equivalent.
--
Jim Yanik
>
>> does a pad on one side of a caliper wear a lot more than the other
>> side?
>
> Yes. Inner pad wears 2X as fast as outer pad on old and new calipers.
that's a clear sign the caliper is sticking.
Perhaps the new caliper you installed didn't have it's guide pins lubed.
there's some reason why the caliper is not floating as it should,thus the
uneven pad wear.
Joe AutoDrill
>
> that's a clear sign the caliper is sticking.
> Perhaps the new caliper you installed didn't have it's guide pins lubed.
>
> there's some reason why the caliper is not floating as it should,thus the
> uneven pad wear.
I totally agree except from my perspective, it is a clear sign that this is
the third caliper that is sticking... In the same exact way as the second
and the original. I've replaced the entire caliper (not rebuilt, but tossed
and put a different unit on there) twice now.
...Still scratching my head at this one.
Jim Yanik
>
> I'll repeat from my original post because I think it gets lost in the
> replies and / or forgotten:
>
> I've changed the pads (3 times)
>
> I've changed the rotor (2 times)
>
> I've changed the caliper (2 times)
>
> I've changed the brake lines (1 time with the first caliper)
>
> And to clarify, "changed" means replaced with new or equivalent.
I have a 03 Sentra Spec V.
I had to replace the left front caliper bracket because the caliper
guide pins had rusted solid with it,one pad had ground down to barely
1/16". Not even a oxy-MAPP torch could get the old pin out of the bracket.
I was thankful the rotor wasn't damaged.
I noticed there's a rubber sleeve that goes on -one- of the new guide
pins(why,I don't know.it's not the pin boot),perhaps yours has swelled and
is keeping the caliper from floating. I had to replace both guide pins and
installled a new boot kit,that came with a new "sleeve" I mentioned
earlier.
Perhaps your caliper bracket has rust or crud in the pin holes.
Are you using the original guide pins or new ones?
did you use proper high-temp brake lube on them? "Sil-pad" or equal?
BTW,Rock Auto is a great online place to buy parts.
Good service and prices.
Peter Hill
<auto...@yunx.com> wrote:
>> If the wheel/hub gets hot it's rubbing. Something is sticking, either
>> piston or sliding pins.
>>
>> If the wheel/hub doesn't get hot it's wearing under application. That
>> implies a cracked rotor.
>
>I'll repeat from my original post because I think it gets lost in the
>replies and / or forgotten:
>
>I've changed the pads (3 times)
>
>I've changed the rotor (2 times)
>
>I've changed the caliper (2 times)
>
>I've changed the brake lines (1 time with the first caliper)
>
>And to clarify, "changed" means replaced with new or equivalent.
Master cylinder or ABS or your foot then.
Joe AutoDrill
No ABS.
My foot will not cause one pad to wear over the other on one wheel only.
I can't see how the MC could do it either.
John Henderson
> Wheel spins freely. We are guessing because of the uneven wear (inside pad
> wears more than outside pad.)
Seeing it's desperation time, try bleeding the brakes again, but
taking care to let the brake pedal up slowly as you're doing
it.
My Nissan workshop manual mades a point of doing that (no reason
given).
Furthermore, that advice once cured a problem with dragging
brakes on one front wheel that I had with my other vehicle (VW
Transporter/Eurovan). At least the problem stopped when I got my
assistant to change their pumping technique, and that was years
ago. The problem had started only during a routine brake fluid
change in which nothing else was touched.
John
Joe AutoDrill
> taking care to let the brake pedal up slowly as you're doing
> it.
>
> My Nissan workshop manual mades a point of doing that (no reason
> given).
>
> Furthermore, that advice once cured a problem with dragging
> brakes on one front wheel that I had with my other vehicle (VW
> Transporter/Eurovan). At least the problem stopped when I got my
> assistant to change their pumping technique, and that was years
> ago. The problem had started only during a routine brake fluid
> change in which nothing else was touched.
I'll give that a shot, right after I keep the brakes under high pressure
overnight to drive any residual air out of the system...
Peter Hill
<auto...@yunx.com> wrote:
>> Seeing it's desperation time, try bleeding the brakes again, but
>> taking care to let the brake pedal up slowly as you're doing
>> it.
>>
>> My Nissan workshop manual mades a point of doing that (no reason
>> given).
>>
>> Furthermore, that advice once cured a problem with dragging
>> brakes on one front wheel that I had with my other vehicle (VW
>> Transporter/Eurovan). At least the problem stopped when I got my
>> assistant to change their pumping technique, and that was years
>> ago. The problem had started only during a routine brake fluid
>> change in which nothing else was touched.
>
>I'll give that a shot, right after I keep the brakes under high pressure
>overnight to drive any residual air out of the system...
Right this is really stupid. Not been given a LH for RH?
Are the calipers on the right wheel? Bleed at top?
Joe AutoDrill
> Are the calipers on the right wheel? Bleed at top?
I guess I can check that... I'd think that three separate mechanics (myself
first, two different repair shops afterwards) would have figured that out
but God knows I've seen stranger things happen!