US1 Fountain

iTrader: (1)

The dealer replaced the rear rotors and pads, when they replaced the 2 PS hoses to the hydro boost unit, saying they were leaking. Dealer also claimed the front pads were near the wear indicators, but for some reason my sister told them to pass on the front. She claimed the braking feels better now. She bought new front pads and I was going to replace them. When we pulled the front wheels off, the pads weren't even 1/8 worn. Almost new looking. The rotors were fine too, nothing not normal. This '03 truck only has 50k miles and the brakes were/are original. I told here in my opinion nothing wrong with front, and then questioned why the dealer wrote on bill they were near wear indicators????? interesting. Of course this led to questioning the rear brake replacement job. I told her to take it back to the dealer and have them put it on the lift and show her why those new looking pads need replacing. So she did, and the talk of the spongy pedal came up. The mechanic and service manager said the rear rotors were rusty and the rust gets imbedded in the pads, causing the spongy feeling and that this was common in that yr truck do to the metallic pads used then. They also said this is why they are still spongy, cause the front rotors are rusty. I guess in my over 30 yrs, someones going to have to show me what a rusty rotor looks like, and why it would cause a spongy feeling??? I can see a low braking problem, but spongy to me has always been air in lines, as air is compressible. She has no brake fluid leaks, and I seen no signs of leaks. Even with her saying complaints of the spongy pedal and stating it felt likes air in lines, they did not attempt to do any bleeding as all the bleeder screws were untouched.
I think she is going to have the front rotors and pads replaced by the dealer as they are pretty confident in the rusty description. So hopefully this does it. I'm a little leary myself, along with others. But then I've never dealt with this setup or ran across the dealers rusty exclamation. (Keep in mind this is a 50k mile truck that sits in garage except once a month during summer, so rust could be a factor, but I'd think just surface rust???)

ChargeIt

I assume since you have been working on it the basics have been checked, like the fluid level.
The feel is probably more due to the nature of the brakes as described but the system is known to get very hot which will lose fluid.
All fluid has a limited life. The high heat is also very hard on the fluid so it is not a bad plan to flush every 3-4 years. Dont know when the lines were replaced or how much fluid may have been added at that time?
A shop with a BG exchange system is much more thourgh than one that just does a partial replacement by sucking fluid out of the resivior.
http://www.bgfindashop.com/bgservices/pwrsteering.htm

US1 Fountain

iTrader: (1)

Yes
I've looked at the front while the wheels were off and eyeballed the rear since that was just done last week to make sure it did have new rotors and pads. Checked the calipers for sticking, and all worked fine. Also did the simple thing, spin the wheel, touch the brakes. Wheels stop, then release as normal, discounting a stuck piston. As stated, I saw no wet fluid stains and she has never added fluid. Even worn pads could require fluid top off, but hers never got much past the new wear condition= full.

Never been a mention of fluid change. The lines replaced were not brake lines, but hyd lines for the booster from the PS pump
Thanks

Rippem

because all rotors are china junk castings or recycled junk iron- IE not virgin...
my theory is that when they get rusty and the integrity (beam) of the iron isn't ALL there in the webbing, the webs develop small fractures that allow the faces to subtly deflect under heavy pedal...
this is also why warping is a huge problem on all OE larger dia. rotors...the metalurgy isn't what it used to be!

most shops I know just throw em out when the webbs are reasonably rusty. The chances of turning them and/or throwing pads at them and not having the customer back in a week just isn't worth it
they potentially have fractures...

there's no way to magnuflux the webs to know

and besides...rotors are cheap.
EXACTLY!

also the straight petroleum fluid that comes in these things from the factory attracts moisture over 5-7 years certianly and gives a chitee pedal feel regardless of miles...
changed mine out completely for synth and really helped the pedal...

some of this may sound crazy, a reach, but been there done that with these trucks

Unlimited jd

iTrader: (5)

A fluid change or flush does wonders for pedal feel in these trucks. Also the center of the rotors the vents rot out prematurely and the 2 faces of the rotor actually squish together, but this causes more of a pulsation than a spongy pedal

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

I be put SS brake lines on each of my trucks, Ford and GM.
Much better pedal feel.

US1 Fountain

iTrader: (1)

Replaced the rotors and pads last nite. All is good now! Rotors and pads had almost zero wear, but you could see the back sides of rotors looked to have been surface hardened from the original pads rubbing them and making the surface to slick/hard to provide any friction for stopping.
Just a FYI for the early 2000 trucks. Dealer said they see this often.