Left brake pad wears faster & pulls to left
07-11-2006, 12:35 PM
#1
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Left brake pad wears faster & pulls to left
I have a pull to the left on my '98 that has been aligned many times, but the clue is that the left front brake pad wears 3X faster and the left front tire wears and has to be replaced. It appears to me that the slightest vibration (road uneveness to washboard) causes the braking system to engage the left front brake slightly. This seems to be beyond the understanding of the Chevy garage guys, but we know that the system is capable of doing that in the traction control system. I now need my second left front tire and another brake job at 49,000. My only nightmare. Ideas..?
07-11-2006, 01:07 PM
#2
Melting Slicks
My first thought is that there are possibly two problems here: 1)warpped rotor or sticking caliper piston....hence the brake pad wear issue; 2)bad ball joint or bad control arm bushings (assuming the rim is not out of round and has been properly balanced, and a correct 4 wheel alignment was done).
If anything this will at least give you something else to check.
If anything this will at least give you something else to check.
07-11-2006, 02:00 PM
#4
Le Mans Master
Do the simple things first. Pull the left front caliper and remove, clean, LUBE, and re-install the caliper slide pins. You might have to replace the pads IF they are worn at an angle.
You didn't mention if the car pulls under braking. If so, which way?
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
You didn't mention if the car pulls under braking. If so, which way?
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
07-11-2006, 05:50 PM
#5
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Left brake pad wears faster & pulls to left
I omitted that problem was present when vette was brand new so maintenance issues don't seem to apply. My first vette and problem was so subtle it took time to recognize.
Chevy garage said no codes came up.
Coming to a slow stop on washboard, the steering wheel will actually roll to left and change lanes.
Chevy garage said no codes came up.
Coming to a slow stop on washboard, the steering wheel will actually roll to left and change lanes.
07-11-2006, 07:49 PM
#7
Safety Car
I'd try a new caliper They are not that expensive. and if your brake is dragging all the time you are using more gas, tires and brake pads. not to mention the possibility that when you really need the brakes it may be to hot to work right.
07-11-2006, 08:39 PM
#8
Try this. Lift the front end spin the wheel and check the drag compared to the right side and then pull the wheel. The caliper should be able to shift L to R on the glide pins. with the engine off, press the brake pedal hard. then re-check the left and right rotors for free spinning ability. If they both spin equally as well then start the engine and push the brake pedal again and re-check the rotors for free spinning. If the left is still held tight (tighter than the right) pull the fuses to the ABS and try again. What I'm getting at is whether or not the ABS is causing the problem. By pulling the fuse and disabling the ABS the rotor should spin easily if the ABS is causing the problem. I would think that a wheel speed sensor would cause the traction control system to activate so that should be alright.
The first thing to check would be the above. Then remove the upper caliper bolt and gently press on each piston to see if they have free movement. You can re-position them by placing the brake pad against them and with a C clamp, slowly squeeze them in until flush.
If the pistons move freely then remove the other caliper bolt and pull the glide pins out of the caliper bracket. Any signs of rust and you'll need to clean them with steel wool and hose down with brake cleaner, re-pack with silicone brake lube. If they look good and have plenty of lube in the chambers, then remove the flex line from the caliper and pump two strokes on the brake pedal to clear the line. Then with the line still off, press the pistons back into the caliper using the pad to expell the fluid. Reconnect and re-bleed the system. This should resolve the problem.
I would have thought the basics related to the caliper would have been caught by Chevy techs, so I'm leaning to an ABS issue. Checking with the ABS off and on will certainly rule it out. In fact you could do this before pulling the wheel off. Go out and pull the fuses to the ABS and drive it. It can't cause problems if it inoperable. If it's still pulling then replace the caliper. You can get a rebuilt one cheap at any auto parts store. It's not unsafe to drive with the ABS off as it should default to the open line mode.
The first thing to check would be the above. Then remove the upper caliper bolt and gently press on each piston to see if they have free movement. You can re-position them by placing the brake pad against them and with a C clamp, slowly squeeze them in until flush.
If the pistons move freely then remove the other caliper bolt and pull the glide pins out of the caliper bracket. Any signs of rust and you'll need to clean them with steel wool and hose down with brake cleaner, re-pack with silicone brake lube. If they look good and have plenty of lube in the chambers, then remove the flex line from the caliper and pump two strokes on the brake pedal to clear the line. Then with the line still off, press the pistons back into the caliper using the pad to expell the fluid. Reconnect and re-bleed the system. This should resolve the problem.
I would have thought the basics related to the caliper would have been caught by Chevy techs, so I'm leaning to an ABS issue. Checking with the ABS off and on will certainly rule it out. In fact you could do this before pulling the wheel off. Go out and pull the fuses to the ABS and drive it. It can't cause problems if it inoperable. If it's still pulling then replace the caliper. You can get a rebuilt one cheap at any auto parts store. It's not unsafe to drive with the ABS off as it should default to the open line mode.
07-11-2006, 10:57 PM
#9
Team Owner
Originally Posted by IM QUIKR
Try this. Lift the front end spin the wheel and check the drag compared to the right side and then pull the wheel. The caliper should be able to shift L to R on the glide pins. with the engine off, press the brake pedal hard. then re-check the left and right rotors for free spinning ability. If they both spin equally as well then start the engine and push the brake pedal again and re-check the rotors for free spinning. If the left is still held tight (tighter than the right) pull the fuses to the ABS and try again. What I'm getting at is whether or not the ABS is causing the problem. By pulling the fuse and disabling the ABS the rotor should spin easily if the ABS is causing the problem. I would think that a wheel speed sensor would cause the traction control system to activate so that should be alright.
The first thing to check would be the above. Then remove the upper caliper bolt and gently press on each piston to see if they have free movement. You can re-position them by placing the brake pad against them and with a C clamp, slowly squeeze them in until flush.
If the pistons move freely then remove the other caliper bolt and pull the glide pins out of the caliper bracket. Any signs of rust and you'll need to clean them with steel wool and hose down with brake cleaner, re-pack with silicone brake lube. If they look good and have plenty of lube in the chambers, then remove the flex line from the caliper and pump two strokes on the brake pedal to clear the line. Then with the line still off, press the pistons back into the caliper using the pad to expell the fluid. Reconnect and re-bleed the system. This should resolve the problem.
I would have thought the basics related to the caliper would have been caught by Chevy techs, so I'm leaning to an ABS issue. Checking with the ABS off and on will certainly rule it out. In fact you could do this before pulling the wheel off. Go out and pull the fuses to the ABS and drive it. It can't cause problems if it inoperable. If it's still pulling then replace the caliper. You can get a rebuilt one cheap at any auto parts store. It's not unsafe to drive with the ABS off as it should default to the open line mode.
The first thing to check would be the above. Then remove the upper caliper bolt and gently press on each piston to see if they have free movement. You can re-position them by placing the brake pad against them and with a C clamp, slowly squeeze them in until flush.
If the pistons move freely then remove the other caliper bolt and pull the glide pins out of the caliper bracket. Any signs of rust and you'll need to clean them with steel wool and hose down with brake cleaner, re-pack with silicone brake lube. If they look good and have plenty of lube in the chambers, then remove the flex line from the caliper and pump two strokes on the brake pedal to clear the line. Then with the line still off, press the pistons back into the caliper using the pad to expell the fluid. Reconnect and re-bleed the system. This should resolve the problem.
I would have thought the basics related to the caliper would have been caught by Chevy techs, so I'm leaning to an ABS issue. Checking with the ABS off and on will certainly rule it out. In fact you could do this before pulling the wheel off. Go out and pull the fuses to the ABS and drive it. It can't cause problems if it inoperable. If it's still pulling then replace the caliper. You can get a rebuilt one cheap at any auto parts store. It's not unsafe to drive with the ABS off as it should default to the open line mode.
Excellent tips. 
One other thing I might throw into the mix here is that although somewhat rare, I wouldn't completely rule out a defective L/F brake hose either.
This happened to me a number of years ago on another car. Now, in my situation, a changeover to DOT5 Silicone based brake fluid turned out to be the culprit. My L/F rubber brake hose had become so swollen internally that it was, in effect, acting as a check-valve and maintaining some residual brake fluid pressure, thereby causing partial engagement of the pads all the time. Although I didn't notice too much in the way of "pull", everytime I would check the heat being given off by the wheel, it was very hot.
I agree that more than likely, the caliper and/or piston(s) is/are at fault but I just wanted to add some more "food for thought".
HTH,
Robert
07-12-2006, 05:27 PM
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Left brake pad wears faster & pulls to left
I pulled the ABS fuses, and the trouble disappeared; it instantly became a pleasure to drive. Now, to figure out what to do about the ABS...
07-12-2006, 05:46 PM
#11
Originally Posted by jbarclay
I pulled the ABS fuses, and the trouble disappeared; it instantly became a pleasure to drive. Now, to figure out what to do about the ABS...
07-12-2006, 10:06 PM
#12
Team Owner
Originally Posted by IM QUIKR
If you have the receipts from all the visits you've had to the dealership regarding this problem since it was new, I would bring them in and tell them that you finally isolated the problem. With a papertrail, they should make it a warranty item since theynever did fixed it. But then again it's GM we're talking about. Ask them about the lemon law.
And be prepared to ask for the name and number of the GM Zone Manager, if necessary.
