so been noticing lately that stopping has become more and more... pulsating especially as speed decreases, figured just worn out rotors(warped) but then i notice one side has much more break dust than the other on the wheel and it looks burnt not dusty. not to mention the smell that you would expect after trying to stop a trailer driving down hill fully loaded. problem is im not riding the breaks not pulling a trailer. the rim on driver front is unusually hot after driving short distance. what d ya think. seized caliper burning up my rotor and pad?

advice, opinion, signs to help narrow down the problem.

oh btw gas mialage dropped almost 1.5mpg since noticed problem

 

This sounds like a braking issue. Although I understand your description of the wheel being hot and appearing to be burnt, aluminum does not change color when hot like steel does. I would inspect the caliper and check pad thickness. My single biggest problem is that you have not mentioned if the truck pulls to one side while driving....

 

seized caliper sounds about right

 

Burnt brake smell.. Seized Caliper, Or excessive moisture in the brake fluid. I've come across a few vehicles where it was the latter. As the fluid gets hot from stopping, the moisture boils and causes the brake to drag. Pull the caliper and with the inboard pad in place use a C-clamp to push the piston back in to the caliper (Loosen the cap on the master cylinder prior to this.) Tighten the clamp slowly. If it moves back in easily, it's the fluid causing your issue. If you feel a lot of resistance trying to get the piston to move at first, it's the caliper. Rebuild or replace if that's the case. Either way, bleed out all that old nasty fluid.

Pulsating brake. Warped rotor. REPLACE! along with the pads. If you just get it turned, it'll warp again in a short time. and really tick you off. Mostly as nowdays it costs roughly half (If not more) of the replacement cost just to have them turned.

 

It is likely the caliper pins are frozen and not allowing the caliper to slide back and forth with the rotor. When the caliper cannot move the run out of the rotor pushes back on the caliper piston and the fluid intern allies pressure on the pedal and that's why you feel pulsation.

I suggest you replace the front pads, have the rotors resurfaced, replace and grease with high temp grease the caliper bolts, and finally flush the old fluid.

 

Also check or replace the rubber hoses that go to the calipers. They're cheap to buy and it's not unheard of for them to collapse internally and restrict flow (hold pressure in the caliper) even when they look perfect on the outside.

 

seized caliper sounds about right. let us know!

 

Good one Tom. This is an often overlooked issue due to the fact that this problem is not obvious during visual inspection. And given Daimler/Chrysler's apparent love for crap components, would not be surprising.