Looking for input on this issue ...

I changed out all the pads in my 85 300D this weekend. Three out of four wheels looked normal. Pads were worn. Rotor ok not great. BUT, the left front unit was toast. The pad material was crumbly. The pad housing was nearly impossible to remove from the caliper. I completed the job. The performance is WAY better but there is still a noticeable brake shudder at high speeds. Now I am wondering ...

1) If I now decide to change the front rotors, how soon need I do it before the new pads are too old to put on new rotors?
2) Is it possible a faulty LF caliper caused the pad problem? It seemed heat damaged and the pad housing was corroded.
3) I did notice that the rubber boot on the caliper piston on the RIGHT front caliper was disintegrated (the boot you see when the pad is removed and the piston is all the way out). Is this a sign that my calipers need an overhaul? Or can I work it out. There is no pull or other blatant brake problem.

Thanks in advance.

1) You need to do it quick, like with in the next few days.
2) IS the reason for #1's answer
3) Calipers need to be rebuilt or replaced NOW! Missing/disintegrated dust boot means you WILL develope a brake fluid leak and possible inability to stop.

Who ever did the last brake job should have noticed the problem, unless all was good and the car sat up for a long time.

For your safety and the safety of others get the car off the road NOW and fix it.

Ok, off soapbox now...

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

1) The new pads will be "too old" if you wear them down to their backing plates. But, you probably should do some hard stops to properly bed the pads to the new rotors.........as normal.

2) The pads can take an extraordinary amount of heat. Although anything is possible.........I'd bet against it.

3) Once the boot fails, water can get into the area of the seal. Failure of the caliper due to corrosion is definitely in your future. You can, of course, replace the boot now and hope for the best.

Any tips on how to replace the boot? The caliper looks ok.

The car is not a daily driver. No brake fluid leaks thus far, at all. Is Grassi being dramatic? You're freakin me out, man.

Sounds to me like that caliper is leaking a little allready. Crumbly pads. A new caliper is not a lot of money on these cars. And they are easy to change. Just make sure you get the same type that is on there now. Or on the other side. I.e.

I wouldn't replace just one front caliper, even if it is the same type.

Neither would I, but sometimes it depends on individual finances.

No dramatics at all.

I have seen wrecks happen because for faulty brakes. I even had a close call myself. Going off the road was the only way to avoid hitting the car in front of me. My brakes failed on my Chevy p/u during a panic stop on 1-20 out side of Abiline Tx. Luckily I was on a flat area. Turns out, the right rear drum brake seal failed. Brake pedal went straight to the floor. The was no warning at all. Brakes felt fine in Ft Worth, just a few hours prior.

Ask your insurnace people about it, or talk to a traffic cop.

Calipers need to be rebuilt or replaced in pairs, just like the rubber brake lines.

Out of all the systems on a motor vehicle, brakes are the most important.

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Can I replace with one of the "reman" ones on the parts page here? It says they are Bendix, but under brand it says "Cardone". I can do 85 a pop. The new ones seem to be double that. I dont want to mangle my girlfriend, who drives the car. I can only joke about that because she is not driving the car today.

Remans are just fine.

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

it seems to me that you dont have to worry about doing it tomorrow. the bad boots will eventually cause it to stick, not likely to fail catastrophically. the pads should be fine, as brian says til they wear out. save up for them if you like imho.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

The boot simply stretches over the cast iron flange. You need four hands to get it done in five minutes or less. Anything less than four hands increases your time exponentially.

Grassi is being overly cautious. I've run the SDL with torn boots for over one year without incident.........but........I wouldn't advise you to do it.

i like the four hand thing.

LOL

tom w

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Overly cautious, that may be. All it takes is the brake pedal to drop out from under your foot while trying to stop. When that happens, you will be overly cautious as well.

The boot is there to protect the piston seal. Once that boot goes away, your seal is subject to all the dirt and water the boot keeps out. If you crank back the piston to put in new pads, you just compromised the piston seal even further, and brought in grit and other crud, which will slowly grind away on the seal every time the brakes are applied. That seal is designed to keep brakefluid in the caliper. On disc brakes, the piston slowly extends out as the brake pads wear. Additional brake fluid remains in the caliper. That is why you will notice the brake fluid level drops over time. When you are using the brakes the pistons push against the pads, gripping the rotor. When you release the brakes, the piston retracts a fraction of an inch. It's the this slight back and forth motion that chews up the seals when the boots are damaged or missing.

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

All true, however, a leak on a piston seal manifests itself as exactly that. A leak. You don't lose all your brakes and your foot does not go to the floor.

Naturally, if you're not watching the reservoir, you'll eventually lose all your fluid due to the leak and you'll then be down to two of the three brake systems.

You may even drive the vehicle for 230 miles on the two brake systems (one functional hydraulic system) when that occurs.