I have a 2003 OZ LANCER and I have to keep getting the brake pads changed every 10000 miles (or less). Most of my driving is on the freeway so I don’t use the brakes much.
Detail on the problem - the front right brake pad starts making noise (metal on metal grinding). When we remove the brake pads, the left one is usually in pretty good shape.
What is causing this? What can I do? Please help!
Probably your caliper is binding–not releasing completely. You can lubricte the guides to make sure it can move freely, and see if that works, or go ahead and replace the caliper.
If the calipers are over torqued when the pads are replaced, the bushing (aka caliper pin) can become barrel shaped and cause the caliper to freeze in place when the brake pedal is released. This wears out the outer pad much faster than the inner pad.
Your calipers are sticking but not from rust on the slides although that contributes to the problem. The pistons in the caliper are stuck from rust on the outside and from the inside. You see brake fluid is hygroscopic whichs means it absorbs water and with the water is dirt. New brake fluid is clear with a faint yellow tint. What color is your fluid? It’s dark like strong tea. you need to purchase a pair (not 1) of rebuilt calipers, pads, fluid. Check to see how much it cost to turn your rotors at a parts store or if they are cheap get new rotors. Putting new pads on unturned rotors could make excess brake dust, rapid wear on the pads and even squeals. when you get the calipers off clean the slides with wire brush and lube the slides with sil-glyde or something like that. when installing the calipers make sure the bleeder screws are on top. when complete open the master cylinder, fill with fluid and open the bleed screws. Let the fluid flow and keep the master cylinder full. I call this gravity bleeding. You do not need to have anyone pump the brakes.
if the one side is the problem, change the caliper.
the only problem is you are going to have to ‘bleed’ each brake afterwards.
One caliper can be changed but doing it in pairs is better. If the piggy bank says no way on a pair, do one. Bleeding brakes is easy, I always do by myself with no helper to pump the brakes.