Brake pad question

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Nov 9, 2008
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Did a pad slap on our CRV in Febuary, gone about 700 miles since then, the other weekend I smelled a dragging brake. Not the first time I've lost a caliper after changing pads. Verified that the caliper seized. Found the outer pad is no longer flush. Rotor feels flat, not worn at an angle.

Obviously I could just replace rotors, pads, calipers but I'm kinda going for cheap here. It's a rear pad on a vehicle that is short tripped (supposed to my son's first car, but he's copped an attitude about getting his license). I'd like to just do a caliper and hope for the best, even if it's cheap money to replace it all.

CRV_brake_pad.jpg
 
Get a piece of 80 grit sandpaper. Or a few pieces.

Drag the pad across the paper.....for a long time. Ideally, have your son do it.
Ooh, I like that, I should have thought of it in the first place. Thanks! That's a no-buck fix for this (outside of the caliper).
 
FWIW I get my calipers from NAPA. They seem to be decent quality.
I'm on the fence of ordering from Rock or just zipping over to Autozone (or similar). Same price but, faster (today) vs better. I should check to see what NAPA has, they are closer to me.
 
The rotor has ring of rust syndrome-- the rust working its way in from the inner and outer edges is thick enough to eat into the pad and prevent it from ever breaking it back down to bare metal (which is what happens when the rust is only minor). Braking effectiveness is reduced since there is less active area.
 
I had almost the exact same thing occur on a Honda Element a few years ago. I took it into an independent shop and told them the wheel was getting very hot/smoking and I was pretty sure the caliper was seized. They did a brake job on the rear (machined rotors and put on new pads) and told me the caliper seemed fined. They didn't road test it. I get home and the back left wheel is hot as fire again so I took matters into my own hands. I put maybe 100 miles on the new pads before installing a new caliper and brake line to the caliper just in case that was the culprit. Even though I had put miles on the new seized pads with the stuck caliper they were totally fine.
 
Did the NAPA Eclipse and sanded the pad a bit. Pedal feels a bit off but no other issues.
 
Pad slap, no no no, sorry but you need to do a Brake Job. New Rotors, clean with Dish soap if greasy, not Brake Cleaner, bed in new brakes, clean lubricate everything, Do not over-tighten lug nuts.
 
Pad slap, no no no, sorry but you need to do a Brake Job. New Rotors, clean with Dish soap if greasy, not Brake Cleaner, bed in new brakes, clean lubricate everything, Do not over-tighten lug nuts.
Bah. That's light rust, most of which wiped away after a mile or two. I grease my brakes every fall, get them ready for winter.
 
Pad slap, no no no, sorry but you need to do a Brake Job. New Rotors, clean with Dish soap if greasy, not Brake Cleaner, bed in new brakes, clean lubricate everything, Do not over-tighten lug nuts.
Agree on all steps except rotors. Hypothetically, the rotors do not always require replacement if the measurements are within specs.
 
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