Total Failure of Front Disk

[jetman]

Rolling down a local highway pulling a small single axle trailer my square seemed to be a little low on power, like it was bucking a headwind. On approach to a red traffic light, I went for the brakes and the brake pedal mashed all the way to the floor. Hit the electric brakes (yes I have E-brakes on single wheel trailer for extra safety), got 'er stopped.

Pulled off to the side of the road, drivers side front wheel smoking hot. Limped back to my shop, pulled wheel. Found inboard disk pad had "released" from its mount next to caliper piston and became lodged between backing plate and rotating disk. WTF!! Front brake pads were installed a year ago, had been working perfectly every since. I have never seen or heard of a pad "falling" out of position. Pads were O'Reilly's Brake-Best, made in China like everything else. Will be replacing pads with Wagner Premium pads and installing on a new caliper. If anybody has any ideas chime in, but whatever you do, Safety First with these old ass trucks.

 

[The88]

I had that happen to me as well when I was 17 in a 89 Dodge ram 50 4x4. I did a brake job and about 6 months later I went play in the mud and later that night I was driving home and had no brakes. Good thing it was a stick. I got it home and low and behold the pad also just gone. Steel was there just no pad. Funny part is it was an O'Reilly special.

 

[Craig 85]

I'm not sure if you just lost the friction material or the whole pad. I always buy rivetted pads, not bonded.

 

[1low4x4]

I came here for pictures and was terribly disappointed.

 

[Rusty Nail]

Lmao @ init4pix

 

[bucket]

Where's the carnage?
Lol.


It probably has more to do with low quality replacement parts and less to do with being an old truck. I've seen the pads fall out of countless newer vehicles. Sometimes neglect, sometimes a part failure.

 

[jetman]

It was a pretty spooky deal, i was half pissed off and half glad to be alive and/or not have hurt someone else. Twas the whole inboard steel pad that dislodged from the caliper and fell between the disk and steel backing plate. Had been braking perfect for over a year. Looking at it I struggle to see how pad could have popped out of caliper..
Will take some pics tomorrow, will be replacing the entire caliper/pad/hose assembly on each of the front corners.

 

[Keith Seymore]

It probably has more to do with low quality replacement parts and less to do with being an old truck. I've seen the pads fall out of countless newer vehicles.

Agree.

K