Brake Service May 06, 2019, 01:59:41 pm Hi all,I have seen a couple of brake related topics. However, here is my question: Our 2005 LD 26.5' has app. 20kmiles on it. Brakes making a squeaking sound when driving slow and brakes are not applied. As soon as brakes are applied squeaking stops.From cars I know, this might mean brake pads are worn down to the indicator metal inside the pad which makes the squeak. So I took of 1 front wheel on the LD. The brake pad has lots of meat left! I tried to remove the caliper because I wanted to apply some Cu-paste between rear side of the pad and piston since this might calm the brakes down. The old paste might have been drying out over the years... My problem is that I can't get the bolts open to remove the calipers... even soaking the bolts in WD40 and working with an extension does not turn them a bit... What is your opinion: might I need new pads after 20kmiles? Or might the squeaking have another cause?Regards,Tobi
Re: Brake Service Reply #1 – May 06, 2019, 03:37:27 pm I don't know if this is your case but on one of my vehicles I had a rock get it's self in bedded in the brake pad and it gave the very same symptom as yours. I think it eventually went away before it drove me nuts.Jon 1 Likes
Re: Brake Service Reply #2 – May 06, 2019, 04:24:31 pm Thank you Jon for you input.On my LD it gets worse over time and it's coming to a point where it starts to drive me nuts...
Re: Brake Service Reply #3 – May 06, 2019, 05:02:36 pm Low speed squeaking is common with E450s, especially when hot and driving through a campground. The disc brake pads are very hard, designed for heavy duty work and not to be quiet.Periodic checking the condition of the pads, rotors and calipers is good idea, brakes jobs usually occur many years apart, due to the low, average annual mileage most RVs accumulate. During these inspections, lubricating the caliper slides is recommend to prevent sticking or frozen calipers.The front brakes usually last much longer than 20,000 miles, more like 50,000+ miles, depending on if you tow or not.Considering the low mileage, on your 14 year-old rig, it could mean the brakes have never been serviced or lubed.I would have the brakes fully disassemble, inspected and serviced by a pro, to be safe and for your own peace of mind.The caliper(s) could be suffering from rust, if the brake fluid has not been changed regularly, brake fluid is hydroscopic and absorbs moisture from the air. Water in the brake fluid will rust the brake system internally.A full flush of the brake system's fluid should be done too and every three years or so thereafter.Larry 1 Likes
Re: Brake Service Reply #4 – May 21, 2019, 09:57:55 pm Hi Larry,thanks a lot for your thoughts! I did the brake fluid flush when I got the camper since I feared to get corroded/clocked calipers or lines. I dropped of the RV at a local place tonight so they will check it out. Good to know that most likely it should not be normal wear but "just" lubricating/cleaning. You are confirming what I have read on other forums that the E450 brakes normally last much longer than 20k. Tobias
Re: Brake Service Reply #5 – May 23, 2019, 09:57:36 am So the local guy called back. They suggest to replace front rotors and pads to stop the squeaking. He says the rotors are glazed. They would charge $1,400. I asked if the brakes are in safe working order regarding pad thickness and rotor thickness. He said yes. The repair would only be necessary to stop the squeaking... So $1,400 to stop some squeaking is too much for me... 1 Likes
Re: Brake Service Reply #6 – May 23, 2019, 12:08:07 pm Quote from: sirtobib - May 23, 2019, 09:57:36 amSo $1,400 to stop some squeaking is too much for me...A complete, high-end brake kit for your LD cost $602 and includes rotors, pads and calipers.It will take an experienced mechanic 2-3 hours to complete the job.Power Stop KC5084-36: Z36 TRUCK&TOW KIT W/CALS | JEGSLarry 1 Likes
Re: Brake Service Reply #7 – May 23, 2019, 12:14:00 pm Thanks for the recommendation Larry. That looks like a great price if the components are of high quality.As for the installation time: If it is 2 - 3 hours for a professional mechanic, I can figure on spending 6 - 9 hours doing it myself. Unless, of course, I have to do some part of it over again to get it right. If I got paid by the hour, I'd be fired. If I got paid by the job, I'd starve.Harold
Re: Brake Service Reply #8 – May 23, 2019, 12:46:35 pm Quote from: Blueox25 - May 23, 2019, 12:14:00 pmAs for the installation time: If it is 2 - 3 hours for a professional mechanic, I can figure on spending 6 - 9 hours doing it myself. Unless, of course, I have to do some part of it over again to get it right. If I got paid by the hour, I'd be fired. If I got paid by the job, I'd starve.A big part of the front brake replacement is installing and adjusting the wheel bearings and seals in the rotor's hubs.The rest is just installing the parts in the right order, making sure to lubricate the slides and the back of the pads.It's not much different than doing the front brakes on most RWD cars except the rotors weighs around 70-lbs each.If the rig is ten years old, or older, consider changing the flexible brake hoses too, they are not expensive.Larry 2 Likes
Re: Brake Service Reply #9 – May 24, 2019, 09:13:16 am Quote from: sirtobib - May 23, 2019, 09:57:36 amSo the local guy called back. They suggest to replace front rotors and pads to stop the squeaking. He says the rotors are glazed. They would charge $1,400. I asked if the brakes are in safe working order regarding pad thickness and rotor thickness. He said yes. The repair would only be necessary to stop the squeaking... So $1,400 to stop some squeaking is too much for me... I just paid $1400 to have the whole shebang done on the front brakes. Rotor and calipers, etc. The resurfaced original rotors gave out. 80k miles.Chris
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Topic: Brake Service (Read 306 times)
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