What is this part for? (My bearing's not bad, i think it's this thing!)

Hi all,

I posted a thread here about a week ago with videos of a sound my driver side tire was making. The immediate conclusion was that it was bad bearings.

Today, I set out to replace my hub assembly...

I took removed my brake caliper AND suddenly, no noise when I spin the hub!

So, I inspected the calipers and realized this little clip thing was dragging on the inside of the rotor causing the sound.

Is the purpose of this piece to notify me that I need new brake pads?

Also, my inside pad looks considerably more worn than the outboard pad? Is that normal?
The inside one definitely looks due for a replacement, of course, I'll do both.


I'm just looking for confirmation of what I suspect.

Thanks!

Jack

 

OH SHIT!! Yeah, that's what it is for. Also, you have no INNER brake pad!! Look at the difference in pad thickness compared to your outer pad.
It also looks like there's un-even wear on the inner. Notice how it tapers from the thin front to rear thicker?

Make the dealer check and fix both front disks.

 

Pads are done, done and done. Yup that's your little indicator telling you your pads are done. Sometimes they squeal when you stop, other times they make like a grinding noise. Time for an EBC up grade from anything auto. Hit up @eccracer104 . He will set you up.

 

You have the wherewithal to change a wheel bearing but dont know when your brakes are bad?

 

Plus @eccracer104 is right there in San Diego too.

 

yup those are the "Squealers" sometimes if they are bent wrong they can start making noise way too early or way too late. might check them before you install the brakes. also i think my last pad burn out was worse on the inside like yours. and worse on passenger than driver. at least your changing them while theres still SOME pad on there. my pads didn't have squealers attached so i dragged them until it was steel on steel cutting into the rotors .

 

What's causing the uneven wear?
Will new pads / disks fix that - or is there a larger problem at play?
Note: I recently have a wobble when I brake at about 65mph. (Warped rotors).

I knew the pads were bad the second I saw them.

I just wanted to check that the purpose of that little clip is to grind on the rotor when the pads low.

What's the EBC upgrade?

 

That made me laugh!

 

As other have said, they're the sqealers that tell you your brakes are worn down without having to visually inspect them.

 

A cool feature! I just wish I'd known that before I ordered the new hub assembly... oh well!
I can return it minus shipping.

 

EBC is a manufacturer of brakes. they make some good shit. their Stage 5 kit will make your truck stop like a racecar but i burned through them quick. check our their website or they are sold on most online retailers.

https://ebcbrakes.com/

 

How many miles are on your truck. Might want to keep it for when the bearings do go bad.

 

EBC green stuff pads and rotors that at dimpled. Makes stopping nice! And they are decent priced.

 

Have you burned through a set of these yet? what kind of miles did you get out of the pads? i ripped through yellow stuff in 17K but i drive like an ass and have very hilly terrain in my area.

 

65,000 miles on the truck.
It's a dorman hub assembly - I'll probably return it and buy a higher quality set when I need it in the future.

 

Will the uneven wear be fixed with new rotors / pads OR do you guys think theres a bigger issue in the system?

 

Probably jut have to clean the calipers real good and get a brake flush. Those rubber seals on the pistons behind the pads get caked up with brake dust and dirt and grime. They start to stick if not cleaned. That means when you let off the brake pedal, the pistons do not retract back into the caliper(ever so slightly) and cause the brake pad to drag on the disc causing the uneven wear.

 

The uneven wear is probably due to one of the dual brake caliper pistons sticking. They are repairable/rebuildable. I'd flush the brake fluid while I was at it.

 

I'd make sure of this