Overworn brakes. Need help troubleshooting.

[mango]

Finally got a chance to start digging into a soft pedal issue today, and discovered some ugliness.

Cleaning the mud off of my new front discs, (conversion kit), I found that my brake pads were severely worn.
Caliper bolts were rusty, as were most of the parts. I also removed quite a bit of packed mud. I thought that this might have caused the calipers to stick, prematurely wearing the pads.
Checked the rears and found the new shoes were also very worn. All were worn to the point of needing replacement. All were equally worn.

My brakes are all new with less than 900 miles on them. Manual brakes. No power assist.
New front disc conversion kit. Knuckles are ground for clearance. All new s.s brake lines. New MC. It is the F-250 camper special. I am on my second proportioning valve. The revolver shaped one. The first one leaked where it shouldn't.

I checked the push rod. It has play and is not constantly pushing at the pedal.

The MC reservoir for the front was very low. That could have been my pedal needing pumping. The rear was barely down at all.

Could this be my MC, or the proportioning valve. Safety first. My family is sad that the truck is down. We will do whatever it takes to get her back up and running....So I can go after some of the other issues.

Thanks.
Mango

 

[Smokeater11]

I don't use a proportioning valve and my set up is the same as yours. I run the lines directly out of the MC into the little block on the extended brake line. The rears are run the same was. It looks like something has to have been sticking but I really don't know what it would be unless the packed in mud wasn't allowing the calipers to release. The rears could have simply been adjusted too tightly. You gotta get these issues fixed before March!!!

 

[markperry]

With that much wear, weren't the brakes smoking? What do your rotors look like? Are the rotors a blue color now? The pads look like they wore evenly. Is their any slop in the wheel bearings? That can cause your brake calipers to stay engaged and wear the pads out because the caliper can't disengage!

After looking at the way the pads wore....You have a ridge at the top of the pads.......Check for slop or loose wheel bearings.

Sometimes we think the races are seated, and their not in all the way until you drive it.

Don't ask how I know this%) I could have posted it in the stupid things we have done to our Bronco's

 

[bmc69]

Spend a lot of time in the mud and/or wet stuff? The brake shoes and pads on my EB MX racer would have to be replaced every season..it was amazing how quickly they 'went away' when always run in muddy wet stuff...far less than 900 miles, that's for sure.

Just a thought..

 

[bax]

I agree with BMC, Our mud has so much sand it it that it will eat the linings up in no time. Play in the mud and drive home a few times and that's all you need to get that wear. I always pull my drums and wash out the sand and clean the front disks

 

[mango]

Without question, the mud is a contributing factor. Plus, I have been postponing the cleaning due to cold weather. So I have been driving them packed with hardened mud.

The rotors appear fine with no glazing. I will mic them today to check for wear.

I could hear some grinding moving slow sometimes, but it did not seem like an alarming amount. Never got any smoke from them.

I don't know if the rotor should be a bit bigger, but only 80% of the pads are on the rotor. That is why the big lip you see. Accross the worn parrt of the pad, it is even. Bearings are all new, and were recently checked, and will be rechecked today.

Thanks for the help. Gives me good ideas on areas to check. I am leaning towards mud and rusty parts. What can I do to the front disc pistons to make sure they are not seizing due to rust, and cleaning them?

Looks like I need to be more thorough of the cleaning procedure, and avoid mud. .... I will be getting a pressure washer.

 

[broncnaz]

Do you remember what pads you used? Some pads are not all that good and will wear quick but i would agree I think the mud may be part of your problem still seems a little excessive wear for just mud usually when mud/sand gets in the pads you also get grooves on the pads and rotors.

 

[canrel]

What kit do you have on the front? Do you know what the rotors are off of? Or the calipers?
It looks like the rotors are to small or the calipers are mounted to far out. That is causing the lip on the pads.
If the calipers are from a car they may be a softer material and not hold up on the Bronco. Esp with larger tires.
But that wouldn't explain the rear shoes wearing at the same rate.