Could this be brake pads or something else?

[ramnut67]

Hey guys I got a 2006 ram 1500 4x4 with 197000 miles on it. I got a new job so I have not driven that truck as much as I used to back in January. Anyway I was driving it tonite and I had the window down and when I passed a building I could hear something like a chugging sound (like when a steam locomotive first starts going) when I pushed on the brakes. I have had the truck down the highway I dont feel anything in the steering wheel no wobbles or anything. No noise from wheels when driving. So could my pads be going bad? Or could it be rust on the rotors? I did check them there is more rust on the back than there is the front. But the noise sounds like its coming from the right front tire.

Any info would be helpful thank you?

 

[TigreST]

Semi related perhaps: 03 QC 2WD 36000kms purchased from a friend that used it mainly as a horse trailer tow vehicle....then sold the horse. End result , low miles and it sat in the driveway for extended periods. At time of purchase, 2009, the brakes made a similar noise and then developed into a pulse in the brake peddle that you could feel durning light braking. By about 37000kms it (the pulsing) got so bad I couldn’t stand it. The cure? All new pads and rotors. Inspection durning the brake work showed the rears of the rotors to be a real mess (corrosion) as compared to the front sides. Looked like a case of “use it or loose it” to be the cause. Letting it sit unused in weather is not the best thing for brake components !

You might try a simple brake pad re-scuff with some 80 or 100 grit sand paper to clean them up. See how that goes before dropping big coin. For replacement parts I went with UAP top of the line pads and rotors Ultra Blue line I think. Much better corrosion resistance then stock. That said, I think in Canadian winter driving conditions (salted roads) these trucks can be hard on brakes components.

T.