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chili34
Novice
Mar 26, 2010, 7:22 AM
Post #1 of 9
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2004 Cadillac CTS, 3.6 eng. w/sport suspension, 4W ABS, 29000 miles , not "V"
Just re-did my front wheel brakes. Inboard side of both rotors are severely rusted and needed replacement. The outboard side of both rotors were clean and smooth. Left side inboard pad had partly separated from the backing but was not frozen as it fell out when the caliper was removed. The left inboard pad looked worn but ok. It was not frozen either. Brake fluid was at the full mark. The anti rattle pieces were dirty but not sticking. I replaced them anyway.
My question is; what caused the inboard rotor surfaces to severely rust, unless the inboard pads (both) were not wiping the rotor (but both pads were worn)? And will the problem reoccur?
(This post was edited by chili34 on Mar 26, 2010, 7:27 AM)
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Mar 26, 2010, 11:28 AM
Post #2 of 9
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Re: CTS front brakes
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I find by the time and it happens here in Rustachusetts a lot. IMO at the low miles and if calipers are really free then I'm blaming that the pads don't (obvious with one) hit/touch properly as the reason for that.
Guess is inboards don't dry out as fast so will do that first or at least the last 10 sets (happens that much) the "asbestos" falls off entirely or chunks more on inboard.
To add: That means just looking thru the wheel to guess at how good your brakes are just ain't good enough!
More: Some replacement rotors are much less apt to have issues as well as the pads. That's why there are price differences you may have noticed doing this yourself,
T
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 26, 2010, 11:41 AM
Post #3 of 9
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Re: CTS front brakes
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To add to the whole issue:
Low mile and especially outdoor stored vehicles it's worth taking calipers off for complete inspection and re-lubing the pin/spots that are supposed to be free. No lube on friction surfaces of course.
Another issue is rotors that just pull off of hub rust between rotor and hub unseen which must be scraped off clean. I will VERY sparingly use high temp grease to about stop that from recurrence. Don't use gobs of grease - it gets warm/hot there and you don't need grease getting all over the place especially on the friction surfaces.
Rotor rust, pad separation and the hub to rotor thing is so common that some new cars that are a year or more old have to get all new stuff with no miles yet on them!
The surface area is shinned up clean with use of the brakes. I've seen them "gun" rust simply overnite in wet outdoor cars just looking thru the wheel! Ugly - and you can't paint that up as it's a friction surface - arggh,
T
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chili34
Novice
Mar 27, 2010, 2:09 PM
Post #4 of 9
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Re: CTS front brakes
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 Thanks guys for taking time to address my problem with rusted rotors. I'll go with the low mileage as a probable cause for the CTS. I live near Chicago and the amount of salt used on our roads may be the real culprete. The cars are garaged unheated indoors and perhaps that slowed drying time. All the snow and melt on the floor raise the humidity. For the repair I used Centric upgrade rotors with ceramic disc pads. I hope they last.
 But I've a 2003 Honda Element with fewer miles and those rotors are fine. In all the years I have owned cars this CTS is the first one to have this problem.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 28, 2010, 4:59 AM
Post #5 of 9
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Re: CTS front brakes
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You said it all - Chicago! Same rust issues as here. Jeez - they use more salt than it snow sometimes and it does a number on cars overall and brakes included.
You picked what I like best - Centric rotors are awesome and worth the couple extra bucks and I did use ceramic in two so far (retired now) and they are holding up beautifully. With those the big claim was no noise and long life without brake fade - I don't drive mountains enough to test that.
You should be all set now but take a good look at the cheap brake pads for another model. Dang - they almost start rusting in the box!
T
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Sidom
Veteran
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Mar 28, 2010, 1:15 PM
Post #6 of 9
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Re: CTS front brakes
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Interesting Tom, I'm sure you've run into and have some solutions for problems I'll probably never see due to rust being outlawed back in the 90s in CA so we never see it..........
The cars that do roll in for brk & suspension work with East coast plates usually go to the Jr techs.....
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 28, 2010, 3:28 PM
Post #7 of 9
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Re: CTS front brakes
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Sidom - It can border on OUTRAGEOUS here! I've had to replace entire rear differentials because the housing rusted so bad it couldn't center coil springs and nobody wanted to touch that.
Frames rust - even strong box beamed ones fall right to the road along with the older bumpers with the absorption things rot right out and the dang bumpers fall right off! That's what you were supposed to jack those type cars up by with the jacks that come with them! Jeez - talk about corrosive. You heard of bridge girder steel rotting right thru too I'm sure.
I don't know why they still use plain rock salt except it's lots cheaper than alternatives. Spent a Winter in Colorado ages ago now and they outlawed use of salt! Instead they just used the slag (dark crunchy soot) from coal burning electric plants which didn't hurt a thing but sure was dirty but you could safely use it and not hurt water supplies.
Arggh!
T
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nickwarner
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Mar 28, 2010, 5:32 PM
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Re: CTS front brakes
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Here in Wisconsin they use salt like its a religion. Any car older than about 2002 requires underbody parts to get torched to get out half the time. Brake lines rust through and break so often I keep a 25 foot coil of steel line in stock at all times because I never have to worry about it gathering dust. I've probably done the better part of 400 feet of line in the last year! I've had trucks with frames so rusted that they cracked when I tried to lift them up on the hoist. Salt is evil.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 28, 2010, 5:55 PM
Post #9 of 9
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Re: CTS front brakes
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One other thing you want to look at here are the caliper slides. Frozen slides will commonly do that because it will keep the outboard pad partially applied all the time.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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