Overly cautious on brakes?

[supton]

Five years ago I had a pad fall off my car (front pad fell off, took a lot of pumping to get brakes back). A week or so ago I decided to check the brakes on my car, mostly to make sure that the pads still slid properly (they didn't; the Sta-Lube I put onto the stainless sliders had completely worn off in six months, need to apply more often I guess). I found this by accident, and more or less flipped out.







All four pads have about the same material, but only the one had these gaps. I think, I didn't check closely the other side. Those are 5 year old / 125kmile pads.

The car had been parked for a couple days, hence the fresh (orange) rust, as opposed to the stuff normally there (dark red). The other rear rotor did not have the pitting but it had lots of ridges.




Unfortunately I didn't take pics of the stainless clips, those were caked with rust and I could not clean with a metal file.

I did find the piston siezed on this side (other side stiff too) so I will be replacing calipers pads and rotors this weekend. But I'm just going to replace front pads and rotors too, strictly on the basis of age. I'm expecting to find 90% plus of the pad remaining.

I realize I'm crazy to replace pads on age, but, ick, it was no fun not having brakes that one time.

 

[Tdijarhead]

While those pads look like they have a lot of life left, they don't look good to me, cracked, seperating etc, I would replace all those parts too if it was my car. Don't you just love northern rust?

 

[Chris]

Technically, you're not replacing them on age--you're replacing them based on effective braking surface left.

I've see stuff like this particularly on cars that are parked outside all the time.

 

[Ol'Rattler]

No, you are replacing on condition. If something is so deteriorated that it is not serviceable, you just replace it.

 

[BadMonKey]

The rust issues you have are just impressive. I still wonder if you have some kind of electrolysis issue from a bad electrical component.

 

[oilhammer]

I'd never bother to try owning anything nice if I had to deal with rust like that. In fact, I am too much of a car guy to even deal with it at all, I'd have to move. That is just awful. I'd imagine Subarus in your area start rusting during PDI.

 

[showdown 42]

Nothing like a slurry of salt, dirt and other road crude to destroy almost any car. Hate winters in NE. BTW how are your fenders?

 

[Chris]

The rust issues you have are just impressive. I still wonder if you have some kind of electrolysis issue from a bad electrical component.

Heck no, that's just how it looks up here

 

[Chris]

I'd never bother to try owning anything nice if I had to deal with rust like that. In fact, I am too much of a car guy to even deal with it at all, I'd have to move. That is just awful. I'd imagine Subarus in your area start rusting during PDI.

At the chassis level, yeah, Subarus are rough (bolt heads twisting off, etc.) but their body corrosion's much better. We sold a '97 Outback last summer that had some rocker panel perforation along with the rear wheel well trailing edges but nothing like in the 70's and 80's.

 

[BadMonKey]

Heck no, that's just how it looks up here

I couldn't handle watching everything i own rust to the ground either. I cant stand looking at rusty stuff.

We hookup negative voltage devices to our field equipment and pipes that are often underground and would rust through in a year or two. I cant believe someone hasn't figured out a auto version that could run off the alternator or be plugged in when parked.

 

[Tdijarhead]

This is just par for the course. Our northeast winters take a toll on any vehicle. It's the daily salt bath we so enjoy giving our cars and truck from about mid November to mid march, every day whether they need it or not. Makes for some ratty looking vehicles. Especially after 6-8 years of that kind of treatment.

 

[tadawson]

I couldn't handle watching everything i own rust to the ground either. I cant stand looking at rusty stuff.

We hookup negative voltage devices to our field equipment and pipes that are often underground and would rust through in a year or two. I cant believe someone hasn't figured out a auto version that could run off the alternator or be plugged in when parked.

Mercedes used to use sacrificial anode blocks for just that reason, but likely stopped when they figured out they could sell more if they let them rot. We had a family friend in PA with an old (190 series?) Benz that was on it's third engine at 800,000 miles plus, and not a mark on the body, just faded paint. It worked . . .

- Tim

 

[Chris]

I own a Chevrolet Volt.

GM has treated its brake rotors with ferritic-nitro carburizing to provide some corrosion resistance.

I do notice that my rotors haven't shown any visible rust after the first winter, so my fingers are cautiously crossed.

 

[supton]

Nothing like a slurry of salt, dirt and other road crude to destroy almost any car. Hate winters in NE. BTW how are your fenders?

Not that bad... dire need of replacement, as the bottoms are gone, and the arch is gone, but I JB Weld'd some flashing over the arches and it passes inspection. All that matters now... I pulled back the wheel liner and JB Weld'd the rocker area too, as that perforated on one side. Did the same on the A pillar portion of the driver's door, and then the pinch weld that likes to go on the rear hatch too.

Given how taxes are up here on property I am starting to wonder if I'll be able to stick it out when I get closer to retirement. Might have to move south. That might fix the rust issues too. But then I have to deal with the heat.

Have to say the Jetta looks pretty good underneath. Also shocking: while the rock chips on the car are huge now, my Camry probably has more chips in the paint than the Jetta. Made the mistake of washing, clay bar'ing and waxing that last weekend, so I found every single chip. I could spend a couple hours touching that up--and to no avail, as some of the plastic bits are just sandblasted now. Good thing I bought that for the short term (10yr/250k), although the wife thinks we'll keep it forever.

*

Changed pads, rotors and rear calipers this weekend. I don't think it brakes any different now, certainly can't tell, as I think there is still air in the line (pedal goes down further). Will bleed again this weekend. In the meantime I can figure out how I'm going to replace the blow CV joint boot, found that while I was up under there.

 

[Chris]

The pedal feel might improve as the pads bed in but another bleed's probably a good idea as well.