This is for my wife's vehicle, however, thought you guys might be the ones to give some help.

Anyone have trouble with a pad continually wearing out? Out of the 4 pads on the front, right and left pad on each side, only one seems to rub. If put high temp brake grease wear appropriate including the set screws but I have to keep changing that one pad (and of coursethe others at the same time). It's driving me crazy.

Wife's vehicle:
1998 Dodge Caravan with the level 1 concevience package (cruise, electronic outside mirrir adjustments and tilt).

Mine: 2003 Ram Hemi Quad tow & 4x4 package

 

have you looked at the caliper? sometime the pistons get junk in there and freeze up, leaving you the option of disassembling and cleaning, or replacing the whole caliper. Hope this helps

 

I'd definitely look at the caliper pistons. Make sure the boots are intacted and lubed. Please tell me you bled off the fluid when you replaced them instead of forcing it back into the system with a C-clamp. That's a big no-no with ABS.

 

This van doesn't have ABS and yes I C clamped the fluid back. However, I appreciate hearing that before I have to replace my truck brake pads. Why is that?

Thanks for I the suggestion guys.

 

It can mess up the wheel speed sensors and seals. I've also heard it can mess up the newer master cylinders, but I don't know if there is any validity in that so I always bleed off just to be sure. Brake fluid oxidizes and there is crud in the lines although it is very small and minute. I make a habit to flush the brake fluid and power steering fluid at 30K mile intervals when I do the tranny. Just preventive maintenance. Brake fluid also absorbs water so you should always add fluid from a sealed container.

 

that is interesting what you say there osteodoc08 about forcing the brake fluid that is in your calipers back into the system, especially since isnt it all the same system to begin with? I mean your foot presses the brake pedal that has a rod that compresses the master cylinder that uses brake fluid that is in the resevoir connected via tubes to the caliper which pushes the piston out to apply the pads against the rotor, so it all circulates around anyway... am I missing something here? If you think that there would be contamination in the caliper assembly then it would exist throughout the entire system anyway.

 

Here are just a few blurbs that I pulled off the net that sum it up. Brake fluid does not "circulate" like oil or coolant does. It works on a displacement system that has a bunch of sensors on the ABS telling it how much pressure at each wheel and the special circuitry both electrical and hydraulic to "pulse" the brakes. Also sediment/crap will settle to the lowest point and typically does not become suspended in the brake fluid. Hope this helps. I'll see if I can find some more useful sites.

http://www.asashop.org/autoinc/august97/service.htm
Once an ABS system has been opened up to replace a component, it might be a good time to change the brake fluid. The brake fluid on most ABS systems readily absorb moisture when exposed to air. Moisture in brake fluid leads to a lower boiling point of the fluid which can result in brake fade. Moisture also causes corrosion in the bores of system components, eventually leading to premature seal wear, sticking valves and system failure. In fact, most ABS system failures can be traced to moisture contamination. This can all be avoided with regular brake fluid flushing.
Never force brake fluid back into the hydraulic control unit.
Always use recommended brake fluid from a sealed container. Most manufacturers are currently recommending DOT 3 or DOT 4.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/auto...t/1272446.html
The brake fluid reservoir is vented, so that's an entry point for dirt and moisture. And the rubber brake hoses are permeable–they allow even more moisture to get into the fluid. Dirt and moisture move through the lines. Most goes to the calipers and wheel cylinders, and some may get to the ABS actuator, where it can cause the delicate solenoids or motors inside to behave erratically.

And if you or the shop does a disc caliper brake job, and someone pushes back the caliper pistons, the possibilities are ominous. A lot of the dirty, moisture-laden fluid in the calipers is pushed back, where some of it gets into the ABS actuator. The prospects for an ABS failure go up, up, up.

Even if you don't have ABS, contaminated brake fluid can affect caliper and wheel cylinder bores. The older systems with the reservoir built into the master cylinder are even more prone to contamination, because the reservoir cover gasket may have taken a set and be leaking. Or a lot of dirt may have gotten into the system when the cover was removed as part of a brake job. Even simple moisture in the fluid is a real problem, because the heat of braking will cause it to boil, causing brake fade.

 

hhmmmm interesting, I have always just c-clamped the pistons back, put the new pads in and gone on with life, never had any problems on any of the older cars that I did the brake service myself on, I had a supra that I had put well over 150,000 miles on and never had to replace anything but the pads themselves the life of the car, even from doing it that way, but it didnt have ABS. On any of the more recent "new" vehicles that I have owned, I just always take it to the dealer and have them do the pad replacement so I have no idea how they are performing it and nor do I care, honestly as long as it is still under warranty then I guess to me it doesnt matter becuaae if something fails they will be replacing it at their cost anyway. Thanks for the info... I was an electrical-trim-a/c mechanic through chrysler and so I didnt get any brake tech classes so I am not informed on the technicals of ABS or brake issues. I figure as long as I can step on my brake and my truck stops, I am good...

 

True...True

 

Sounds like this willbe a good oppertunity to get my 16 year son in the vehicle using the "OK put pressure on the pedal - is it to the floor yet?- hold it there till I tell you to pump it up" method.