Two brake calipers in two weeks

[john in la]

2015 Ram with 140k miles factory brakes
Truck does not get used much since I do not drive
Go to town and wife says I can't pin down what is wrong but something just does not feel right.
Get home and you can smell something from right wheel area.
Found you can not turn right wheel by hand
Replaced both front calipers and pads on all four wheels

Two weeks later
2020 Trax with 95k miles factory brakes
Wife comes home and says brakes are making noise
Left outside pad worn down to metal on metal
Other 3 pads about 1/4 left
Replace both rotors and pads
Removed cleaned and put new grease on caliper pins
When I get it back together right wheel spins freely
Left wheel spins but just does not feel right
A very slight drag
Got two new calipers coming and will be here Monday
Back has drum brakes but guess I will put new shoes on while I got the car in the shop

While I'm at it I should replace two tires on car.
Goodyear 65k tires mounted with road haz warranty
Walmart $210 I really hate buying tires from wal mart because of their techs
Goodyear $430 Their shop fees are stupid high
Sams $320
But get this I can get 4 of the same tires from Sams for $460
That is $30 more than Goodyear wants for 2 of the same exact tires

So how long do tires really last in storage.
I only need 2 tires but the deals shops make to buy 4 is hard to pass up.
This is NOT a all wheel drive car.

 

[Mule Meat]

You should replace the rubber hose to the frame every time you install new calipers. Aot of times that is where the problem with sticking calipers can be traced to. They may look fine on the outside but they deteriorate on the inside and collapse.

Sometimes buying cash and carry tires cost you more in the long run than paying a few more dollars at a legit tire shop. When I had my shop. The price I gave included mounting, balance and free rotations for the life of the tire within reason. Tires carried in I charged $30 each to mount and balance and $20 to rotate them each time you wanted it done.

So paying $400 for tires then another $120 to have them put on, add another $40 for having them rotated twice in one year just cost you $560. When I could have did it all for just $450..
You rarely ever win buying cheap carry out tires.

 

[Russ from MN]

I try not to use my brakes, they are a waste of energy, and last over 100,000 miles!

 

[john in la]

You should replace the rubber hose to the frame every time you install new calipers. Aot of times that is where the problem with sticking calipers can be traced to. They may look fine on the outside but they deteriorate on the inside and collapse.

Sometimes buying cash and carry tires cost you more in the long run than paying a few more dollars at a legit tire shop. When I had my shop. The price I gave included mounting, balance and free rotations for the life of the tire within reason. Tires carried in I charged $30 each to mount and balance and $20 to rotate them each time you wanted it done.

So paying $400 for tires then another $120 to have them put on, add another $40 for having them rotated twice in one year just cost you $560. When I could have did it all for just $450..
You rarely ever win buying cheap carry out tires.

Yes I replace the hose as part of the caliper replace
I never use the free rotate and balance
Never had a problem with balance and I rotate them myself

 

[Wdj]

I try not to use my brakes, they are a waste of energy, and last over 100,000 miles!

I try to do it the same but I'm not in MN where the ground is flat and the drivers polite!

 

[john in la]

I try not to use my brakes, they are a waste of energy, and last over 100,000 miles!

The calipers went bad on both vehicles before the brakes wore out.

 

[da.bees]

I've had two calipers do that, 1 on a car then another on a different car years later. You having 2 cars at same time sounds like you have something like road salt or oceanfront.

 

[john in la]

I've had two calipers do that, 1 on a car then another on a different car years later. You having 2 cars at same time sounds like you have something like road salt or oceanfront.

On the truck the piston went bad. It has dual composite pistons and one of them had a chip taken out and a crack. This caused the brakes to lock up.
On the car I believe the slides went bad. The pins have what looks like a rubber spot near the end. I believe this rubber spot is swollen and will not let the slide work properly. That is why the outside pad wore down but the inside pad was still good. I probably could have just changed the pins but for a $125 I’m just going to change both calipers and hoses.

 

[504]

I will let you in on a secret on those South Korean made Chevies. The brake hoses start failing around a 100000 miles. They cause brake drag and brake pulling side to side. Replace the rubber hoses,cheap. I think I bought the last ones on amazon for $30.00 for two.

 

[john in la]

I will let you in on a secret on those South Korean made Chevies. The brake hoses start failing around a 100000 miles. They cause brake drag and brake pulling side to side. Replace the rubber hoses,cheap. I think I bought the last ones on amazon for $30.00 for two.

$15.11 - 20% = $12.09 each from napa
They will be here with the calipers.

 

[Ray,IN]

I try not to use my brakes, they are a waste of energy, and last over 100,000 miles!

Sounds like my dad after he showed signs of dementia/Alzheimers. I was hauling a load of steers to the slaughterhouse and took dad along. I stopped at the intersection of our road and the highway. He looked at me and said, HeII, pull out there, they'll stop.

 

[phil25]

this might save you some time in confirming a stuck caliper...jack the affected wheel that is, hard to to turn, then open the bleed valve on the caliper, if the hose is collapsed(ing), there will be oil pressure which is forced out the bleed valve, and the wheel should turn easier. then change the hose, knowing you found the problem and feel good about that.

 

[Hobo,NC]

I do a complete inspection/test of the new calipers its not uncommon to find a defect. I would say 10% are 1 out of 10 I reject. It should not be this way but it is low bidder got the contract.

How it works at my shop.

Once I sell you a caliper and it has a lifetime warranty I will replace the caliper at no charge every time I do a brake job as long as the parts store will give me a replacement. I keep excellent records I play the lifetime warranty game to the hilt. My mark up is high but I look after my regular customers.

I keep a file for every piece of equipment I own I make a copy of every parts ticket and record what I have done. I go as far as to write it under the hood with a paint marker. Locally I have became famous for this, my customers love how I can in just seconds tell them when filters and such need replacing.

paint marker