3.5 years+28000 miles = THIS?????

[2tough2park]

2006 Chevy Dmax K3500. Not a daily driver but it is driven. Fresh inspection from last August and last month the dealer tells me my spongy brake pedal is due to bad rotors and pads. So I ask how they can be bad after 28000 miles. "Rust" I'm told. Yea, they're rusted alright. But it doesn't add up. The OUTER face is CLEAN. The INNER face is rusted and destroyed. If rust were the problem, wouldn't there be problems all over the rotor? Two co-workers who are ex-mechanics said possibly sticky calipers. Don't think so. Never pulled or prematurely wear out pads(I had a sticky caliper problem on another car). The only other explanation was maybe just cheap, low grade metal in the rotors. On the way are a pair of replacements from SSBC. I'm hoping a nice pair from a name brand will have higher quality manufacture with higher quality materials. I'm crossing my fingers. I need my truck this weekend so this situation is waaaay inconvenient. Anybody ever seen anything like this before? FYI: The rears are the same.
Can't post pics because the site says they are too big and iPhoto won't resize. I'll work on that.

[pete m]

Sorry to say I have a friend with an `04 dually with 15,000 miles, he bought it new, only uses it to tow the race car trailer in summer, when he went to drive it this past summer he had the same problem, took it to his mech. who told him the same thing, said it cost him almost a grand to fix right, that sucks!.

[DmaxMaverick]

More often than not, this is caused by road salt, special (chemical) wheel cleaners and mechanical car washes. The salt/chemicals soak the rotor, and the inside gets less rinsing. It really isn't more complicated than that. It is unfortunate, as these are as good as OEM brake systems have ever been. A combination of the rotor iron and pad compound make for ideal conditions. If you use Simple Green on the wheels (which is also not recommended), it's almost a sure bet. Some other cleaners are as bad.

[2tough2park]

More often than not, this is caused by road salt, special (chemical) wheel cleaners and mechanical car washes. The salt/chemicals soak the rotor, and the inside gets less rinsing. It really isn't more complicated than that. It is unfortunate, as these are as good as OEM brake systems have ever been. A combination of the rotor iron and pad compound make for ideal conditions. If you use Simple Green on the wheels (which is also not recommended), it's almost a sure bet. Some other cleaners are as bad.

The road chemical theory came into question. It's believable. So is there a solution? Maybe drill some holes in the dust shield to allow better rinsing/draining? I guess when I replace the rears I'll just go OE stuff.
Pete- Yea. Dealer repair price was over a grand. Naturally, I refused. Haha

[JohnC]

Drive it more!

You have to scrape the rust off while it is still surface rust. Once it starts pitting it's a quick slide down hill.

[2tough2park]

[QUOTE=JohnC;267880]Drive it more!

You have to scrape the rust off while it is still surface rust. Once it starts pitting it's a quick slide down hill.[/QUOTE

That thought occured to me as well. As this is not my daily driver, I try to take it to work once a week(50 miles one way) to keep things loosened up. I did lapse a bit and it did sit for some time(I was out of town on business for three months last year), bit this has been a bit of an ongoing problem so I don't k ow how much damage was pre-existing. Passed inspection last August so that prettyu h sets the pace.
I'm gonna swiss cheese the dust shields a little to help with rinsing/cleanout/draining. Can't hurt. The new rotors are cross drilled(I know, I know) so maybe that'll help a touch as well.

[NutNbutGMC]

...., as these are as good as OEM brake systems have ever been. ....Agreed. Back when I had a 2002 GMC, I ran that truck for 98k miles with the same brake pads that came from the factory. Traded it off at that point but I suspect they may have lasted a few more miles.

[2tough2park]

New drilled/slotted front rotors. New front ceramic pads. Bled front lines. Replaced fluid in master cyl resivour. Trash rear brakes. Truck stops better than new. Can't wait to fix the rears.

[Mark Rinker]

Sounds nice! What brand rotors? pads? Can you provide a link to their website, or your supplier?

[2tough2park]

Sounds nice! What brand rotors? pads? Can you provide a link to their website, or your supplier?

Nothing special up front, just better quality aftermarket stuff. I suppose, though, "better quality aftermarket" is a matter of opinion, but I went with recognizable brand names. Wagner ceramic pads from Advance Autoparts($65). SSBC Big Bite rotors from Summit Racing($126 each, L/R specific). The bad thing is the liner notes with the rotors specified ceramic pads NOT recommended. Oh well. I'm already two sets in and I'm not buying more. I suppose it's for wear reasons. Beats me.
Braking now exhibits the expected ceramic pad anomalies. Initial bite is low but once the heat builds, they bite HARD. Not too linear but more parabolic. I'll live with it. I'm just happy I can stop now.
Now I have to try and determine how this problem started to begin with.

[Heartbeat Hauler]

Wow, spongey brakes from rusty rotors? Bummer. I was thinking that the pin that allows the brake pad to slide as the pedal is depressed sometimes rusts up purty bad not allowing the pad to move, which then gives the squishy brake feel. I drive mine all the time and my brakes feel spongey. Seems like rusty rotors would clean right up after a good long drive....but what do I know?:o

How are those ceramic pads working out? I have heard, mostly from autocross guys, that ceramic has to get heated up before they work properly. Maybe there is a new ceramic material now that doesn't require the heat?

[2tough2park]

Wow, spongey brakes from rusty rotors? Bummer. I was thinking that the pin that allows the brake pad to slide as the pedal is depressed sometimes rusts up purty bad not allowing the pad to move, which then gives the squishy brake feel. I drive mine all the time and my brakes feel spongey. Seems like rusty rotors would clean right up after a good long drive....but what do I know?:o

How are those ceramic pads working out? I have heard, mostly from autocross guys, that ceramic has to get heated up before they work properly. Maybe there is a new ceramic material now that doesn't require the heat?

The spongy feel wouldn't go away because there was so much rust it was eating up the pads. The pads were worn so unevenly that the inside ones had only some quarter inch contact with smooth rotor surface.
The ceramic pads do require more initial heat before biting. Therefore initial braking is soft until the heat builds up and then they bite. It does take some getting used to, but there's nothing so bad it's not tolerable.

[Quack_Addict]

Here (http://www.thedieselpageforums.com/tdpforum/showthread.php?t=34825) is my strikingly similar experience.


I installed aftermarket rotors that I picked up at Murrays (made in China sticker on the box) and I have had ZERO problems since. Also running ceramic pads (Wagners?) and quite a few miles in since my brake R&R, the truck still stops better than new. Load or no load.