suburban brake repair

CHEVROLET SUBURBAN

PSERACUSE

MEMBER
1 POST

I recently had a friend help me replace my brake pads on my 97 suburban and in the process he also had the discs and drums turned (is that the right word?). This was less than a month ago and less than 2000 miles ago. I just noticed that my brakes feel really bad - metal on metal. I took it back over and after taking the brakes apart, he noticed that the pad on the driver's side have almost completely worn and the pad on the passenger front are completely gone and the disc is scored.

Although he knows a lot about cars, it seems too coincidental to me that the brake pads on both sides wore so quickly after the change and that there may be something that is specific to suburbans that maybe was overlooked in the pad replacement. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated as I don't want to repeat the same situation in the next 2000 miles.

Thanks for any help

Mar 13, 2007 at 11:32 AM

CHEVY22

✓ASE Certified Mechanic
1,375 POSTS

Hi
what did you guys use to depress the caliper pistons ?? if you didnt use a pad tool there is a chance you may have cocked the pistons in the calipers causing this problem, the easiest way to check is to take the calipers off crack the bleeders and see if the pistons move at all or struggle to go back in

Jim

Mar 15, 2021 at 10:36 AM

ANOTHERVIEW

MEMBER
20 POSTS

My guess would have been bad pads.

I don't know how the calipers not moving well would cause the pads to disintegrate . That does not mean it won't. The other responder knows a lot more than do.

Although, did you test it before you put the tires back on? Did you spin the wheels, and press the brakes a few times to see how it functioned?

Mar 15, 2021 at 10:36 AM

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