66 Brake Pad Question

[Peter J.]

This is what I found for the second time, first time just changing pads. This time putting O-rings in the calipers. Is this normal for pads to wear an uneven amount front to back? While putting new tires on the car I looked at the pads (from the front of the caliper and it looked like a good amount of material left but now that I have the brakes apart, I found the back of the pad rivets have worn thin and made contact with the rotor.

[Wayne M.]

Re: 66 Brake Pad Question

This is what I found for the second time, first time just changing pads. This time putting O-rings in the calipers. Is this normal for pads to wear an uneven amount front to back? While putting new tires on the car I looked at the pads (from the front of the caliper and it looked like a good amount of material left but now that I have the brakes apart, I found the back of the pad rivets have worn thin and made contact with the rotor.

Wow; that's severe. Is your rear caliper mount bracket bent ? ie. with caliper mounted with no pads, the dimensions should be the same at front and back between edge of caliper casting and the face of the disk ?

[Michael W.]

Re: 66 Brake Pad Question

How many miles on the pads?

[Joe L.]

Re: 66 Brake Pad Question

This is what I found for the second time, first time just changing pads. This time putting O-rings in the calipers. Is this normal for pads to wear an uneven amount front to back? While putting new tires on the car I looked at the pads (from the front of the caliper and it looked like a good amount of material left but now that I have the brakes apart, I found the back of the pad rivets have worn thin and made contact with the rotor.

Peter------


I have yet to find a 65-82 Corvette brake pad that wore completely evenly from front to rear. Of course, they're SUPPOSED to wear evenly but I've never seen one that did. Why? I think there are lots of reasons but a lot of it involves the fact that these brake systems, including all relevant components, were not manufactured to what would today be called "world class" standards. In addition, in service the caliper mounting brackets "distort" to one degree or another for a variety of reasons.

[Peter J.]

Re: 66 Brake Pad Question

Mike & Wayne,
Maybe fifteen thousand miles. I haven't got to the back ones yet but they weren't worn like this several years ago when I first found this condition. This is the same condition to both sets of front pads, one is not quite as bad as this other. I have a spare set of caliper brackets and will try to make a comparison. Any other ideas I could check on besides?
Thanks guys,
Pete

[Michael W.]

Re: 66 Brake Pad Question

I would worry about the rate of wear rather than front to rear differences. 15K miles is not much.

[Edward J.]

Re: 66 Brake Pad Question

Pete, a few things come to mind, caliper piston hanging -up, a imploaded brake hose( this is when the inner layer of hose has clasped onto the outter layer and is holding pressure on the disc caliper pistons and will accelarate wear on the pads). Another possaiblity is the master cylinder push rod adjustment. If this adjustment is off with no free play it would be causing the caliper pistons to be applying even without touching the brake. Good luck.

[Steven S.]

Re: 66 Brake Pad Question

Pete, a few things come to mind, caliper piston hanging -up, a imploaded brake hose( this is when the inner layer of hose has clasped onto the outter layer and is holding pressure on the disc caliper pistons and will accelarate wear on the pads). Another possaiblity is the master cylinder push rod adjustment. If this adjustment is off with no free play it would be causing the caliper pistons to be applying even without touching the brake. Good luck.

To add to this list, if the master cylinder was rebuilt many times a check valve is included in the rebuild kits that is not used for disc brake applications and it gets installed as most people are not aware of what it is. This would cause some pressure to remain on the system at all times accelerating pad wear. Just a thought.

Steve

[Peter J.]

Re: 66 Brake Pad Question

Guys,
Thanks for all the input. I am switching to a power brake master cylinder and am rebuilding the calipers with O-ring pistons. So it will be a clean slate as far as m/c issues go and since I have a spare set of NOS caliper brackets I will put those on as well.
I will be moving on to the rears today and hope to finish up this weekend without any more surprises.
Thanks again,
Pete