Brake's, make sure your checking the rears also.

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okmitch77

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Hey folks, I am Okmitch77, don't be like Okmitch77. Here is the thing, I tried to be a cheap ass and do the normal front rotor and pad change this weekend thinking hey, the rears do not get used as much I can get by with just the fronts. Well, this is on a 2013, and me being the 2nd owner of this thing I set off to making it happen. I had a warped rotor up front that bugged me, and knew that I had not changed the pads since I owned it around 2015. Whelp, I go make it rain in AutoZone on Saturday for front pads and rotors. I replaced this **** in a apartment parking lot without them catching me and was feeling really proud. I back out of parking spot, and I have a crazy grinding noise. Oh well, must be a new pad thing. Drive it using a new pad rotor thing I found online. Still grinding. Long story short, at about 8PM it dawns on me, hey idiot, the rear has brakes to. You guessed it, right rear rotor was done for. No pad left, rotor destroyed. Left rear, rotor not as bad, but no pad left. I figure when I was being a safe mechanic and set my parking brake (which I have not set since I have owned the thing) is what did me in. In the long run glad it happened because this thing could have been a real deathtrap. Check all the brakes and pads folks. Remember, don't be Okmitch77.
 

atc06jh

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I have a 2014 with 55k miles and haven’t done the brakes yet. Still have a good bit of padding left so I’m hoping she’ll last me another year or more since I hardly drive her. I’m dreading doing the brakes though for sure.
 

crazykid1994

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My 09 VW Jetta had really small rear brakes. Actually swapped the rears to a big brake kit which was technically just larger rotors and a new caliper bracket to account for the larger rotor. Replaced all the pads on that car at 80,000 miles and the fronts still had about 1/4-1/2 the pad left and the rears were about shot. Never understood why they put such small rears on that car compared to the front. Had a 2016 ford 150 transit. Around 40,000 miles I got a weird chirping squeak from the rear so took the van in for work. Found out the rear pads had been long gone and it had been so bad it actually took out a wheel bearing from the heat. I had no warning either except the chirp from the bad wheel bearing. It was a work van that I drove and a shop did the regular maintenance on. They hadn’t told me the pads were worn low at any point. Had no notification of the rear pads being burned off either as the van still stopped the same and no noise up until the chirping. At about 65,000 I took the van in to get the rear brakes checked again and they were extremely low. Still had original front brakes. I do take that with a grain of salt as it’s a work van and I’m not sure if they did the extra work or wrote it up just to make extra money because I asked to see the damaged parts and they explained “everything had been thrown away and it was really bad”. My personal truck I have just over 45,000 and I check them every rotation. Seems to be about half the life left as some of the chamfer is still visible. Front and rear. So they’re wearing fairly evenly.
 

HEMIMANN

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These days on some vehicles the rear brakes wear out first. I don't think it's common on these trucks but I have had to replace rear brakes early on other vehicles... and as you said always good to check them!

I've had this happen too, and don't know why. Towing, maybe?
 

BLUKTY2

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From my experience, if a vehicle has an anti-skid function, the rear brakes will wear out faster than the fronts. The rear brakes are used by the computer to keep the vehicle moving in a straight line.
 

CamperMike

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Kinda funny... I remembered this thread as I did the brakes on my truck. I have 67k on my truck and I heard noise from the front. They were worn. Remembering this thread i checked the rear and they were worn as well. All 4 corners were wearing evenly but they all had very little pad left.
 

PaleFlyer

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Also, don't forget to change the brake fluid! Every 2 years is the recommended interval and is very easy and quite cheap to do.
2 years??? OH CRAP! I don't know if mine has ever been changed... After 5 years!
I've been looking for an "easy" way to check the brake pads, as after 72.8k, I'm still on the factory pads/rotors, and getting that bug to check them, but don't want to have to remove all 4 tires individually on a jack.

Gonna have the local tire shop give the truck a once over tomorrow before we head to FL for the holiday, so I have the piece of mind/paper saying they checked it all...
 

miketx

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2 years for brake fluid is way too often. Brake fluid lasts way longer than that.
 

indept

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I figure when I was being a safe mechanic and set my parking brake (which I have not set since I have owned the thing) is what did me in. In the long run glad it happened because this thing could have been a real deathtrap. Check all the brakes and pads folks. Remember, don't be Okmitch77.
Leaving the parking brake on while driving won't wear the rear disc pad out. The parking brake is a small drum brake inside the rear rotors. You will have seen the brake shoes when you remove the rotor. Hopefully you checked the operation & greased the backing plate on the contact surfaces & cable and adjusted them correctly.
 

miketx

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Most manufacturers recommend every 2-3 years to change the brake fluid.
Of course they do.....the key word is "recommended". In my experience, that's too often, but do whatever makes you comfortable.
 
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danielmid

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Of course they do.....the key word is "recommended". In my experience, that's too often, but do whatever makes you comfortable.
Ram calipers let a lot of dirt past the seals and the fluid gets dirty/contaminated very fast. I plan on using the 2 year mark.
 

crazykid1994

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Of course they do.....the key word is "recommended". In my experience, that's too often, but do whatever makes you comfortable.
I get why you feel that way but regular maintenance at least helps prevent failures or future issues. I change mine every 3-5 years. I’ve seen bad things happen when brake fluid doesn’t get changed. I’ve also seen brake fluid 10-12 years old with no issues and the fluid was blacker than night.
 

Jeepwalker

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Good timing on this old thread ....I hit the 'go button' on new rear binders & rotors for my ole girl yesterday. RockAuto. The friction material is right down there and the rotors have developed a wierd case of iron leprosy. :D

I exchanged fluid a couple years ago. Another thing a guy can do every couple yrs is to suck the fluid out of the reservoir and put in fresh. It's all one system ...Easy way to extend the fluid life a little and kick the can down the road some ..till it really needs it.
 

commander

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On my 2016, I did the rear brakes a couple 3 years ago, still have not touched the front brakes, just crossed 100K on mileage! I have new rotors and pads, but they are still in the boxes in the garage. I might make up some braided stainless lines when I change them out. So far, only 1 set of tires at 55K the ole' girl been a good truck.
 

Jeepwalker

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Braided lines are great for a race car but have pro's/cons for a DD solution. If you do a Google search you'll get some good info. Too much to type right now. But it obviously won't bring life to a halt if you do go that route. I found it interesting the TRX or Raptor preferred to stick with rubber hoses. Cheers!
 

crazykid1994

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I’m not sure what the cons are to braided except cost. I swapped to braided in my truck just for something more durable and noticed no physical downside to them. My only complaint is how rams have their rear brake lines makes it hard to do anything in the rear. Honestly I noticed a slight increase in pedal response when hitting the brakes. Very minutely but I could tell.
 

HEMIMANN

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All rubber cracks with age hardening, depending on type and temperature exposure.

Isn't braided just protective sleeving over rubber hose?
 
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