'97 Grand Caravan Brake Question

Mark wrote:

> I get the feeling its just something with this van as well. The rotors warp
> pretty much as soon as you put them on and get progressively worse. Rather
> than complicate the original post - yes I do have alloys. With the last
> change, I went as far as using a scotch brite pad on the rim's mating
> surface. I'm waiting for my magnetic mounting base to arrive so I can do a
> runout measurement on the front axles & hubs.

Good idea - I didn't see this until after making my previous post.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')


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Mark wrote:
> A while back I posted looking for recommendations for good brake rotors due
> to my van's warped rotor syndrome. I wound up getting Raybestos PG + rotors
> and the quiet stop plus pads (ceramic) I also replaced the rear shoes and
> cylinders, flushed the system & put a combo kit on the rear axles. The van
> warped the new rotors while using the lightest braking while breaking in
> the rotors and pads. ( and yes, I use a snap on torque wrench religiously )
> The steering wheel now literally wags back and forth when stopping for
> lights. It just gets worse and worse just like all the other rotors I put
> on this thing. I know its the fronts because it stops smooth via parking
> brake. I'm thinking now that the hubs must some how be warped, causing
> rotors to go all the time. ( I should have resolved the brake issue when it
> was new, I already noticed warping on the drive home from the dealer with 24
> miles on the odometer. By the time I made my first complaint, I was over
> the 12k mark & the dealer said I was SOL, so I've lived with this prob for
> 87k now.
>
> Any ideas on what to look for ?

I've not used these type of pads, but does the break-in procedure call
for very light braking during break-in? The break-in procedures I've
read typically call for moderate to heavy braking during initial
break-in to avoid glazing the pads and rotors. Usually, you make a
series of reasonably hard stops with adequate cooling time in between to
avoid warping the rotors.

It is possible to "warp" the rotors without actually warping them. The
theory is that with braking that is too light, you can cause the rotor
to have uneven friction around its circumference and this causes pulsing
that feels like a warped rotor, when in fact the rotor is just fine
dimensionally. I've read that it can sometimes be cured with a series
of fairly heavy stops to break the glaze.

If you feel the braking is already so annoying that you are ready to
replace the rotors again, then you have nothing to lose by trying a few
hard stops to see if it helps.


Matt

Mark wrote:
> A while back I posted looking for recommendations for good brake rotors due
> to my van's warped rotor syndrome. I wound up getting Raybestos PG + rotors
> and the quiet stop plus pads (ceramic) I also replaced the rear shoes and
> cylinders, flushed the system & put a combo kit on the rear axles. The van
> warped the new rotors while using the lightest braking while breaking in
> the rotors and pads. ( and yes, I use a snap on torque wrench religiously )
> The steering wheel now literally wags back and forth when stopping for
> lights. It just gets worse and worse just like all the other rotors I put
> on this thing. I know its the fronts because it stops smooth via parking
> brake. I'm thinking now that the hubs must some how be warped, causing
> rotors to go all the time. ( I should have resolved the brake issue when it
> was new, I already noticed warping on the drive home from the dealer with 24
> miles on the odometer. By the time I made my first complaint, I was over
> the 12k mark & the dealer said I was SOL, so I've lived with this prob for
> 87k now.
>
> Any ideas on what to look for ?

I've not used these type of pads, but does the break-in procedure call
for very light braking during break-in? The break-in procedures I've
read typically call for moderate to heavy braking during initial
break-in to avoid glazing the pads and rotors. Usually, you make a
series of reasonably hard stops with adequate cooling time in between to
avoid warping the rotors.

It is possible to "warp" the rotors without actually warping them. The
theory is that with braking that is too light, you can cause the rotor
to have uneven friction around its circumference and this causes pulsing
that feels like a warped rotor, when in fact the rotor is just fine
dimensionally. I've read that it can sometimes be cured with a series
of fairly heavy stops to break the glaze.

If you feel the braking is already so annoying that you are ready to
replace the rotors again, then you have nothing to lose by trying a few
hard stops to see if it helps.


Matt

We were going through brakes like candy.. Rotors, pads, etc... we moved up
to the same rotors and pads that you posted about. What ended up being
the problem was the transaxil. Both front end axils went out. The other
things, do not by after market axils. We did this, and within 3 months,
they went out. Take it to a garage, and have them put them in, so that
you have a warranty. Good Luck!!!!

We were going through brakes like candy.. Rotors, pads, etc... we moved up
to the same rotors and pads that you posted about. What ended up being
the problem was the transaxil. Both front end axils went out. The other
things, do not by after market axils. We did this, and within 3 months,
they went out. Take it to a garage, and have them put them in, so that
you have a warranty. Good Luck!!!!

new rotors

Mark wrote:

> A while back I posted looking for recommendations for good brake rotors due
> to my van's warped rotor syndrome. I wound up getting Raybestos PG + rotors
> and the quiet stop plus pads (ceramic) I also replaced the rear shoes and
> cylinders, flushed the system & put a combo kit on the rear axles. The van
> warped the new rotors while using the lightest braking while breaking in
> the rotors and pads. ( and yes, I use a snap on torque wrench religiously )
> The steering wheel now literally wags back and forth when stopping for
> lights. It just gets worse and worse just like all the other rotors I put
> on this thing. I know its the fronts because it stops smooth via parking
> brake. I'm thinking now that the hubs must some how be warped, causing
> rotors to go all the time. ( I should have resolved the brake issue when it
> was new, I already noticed warping on the drive home from the dealer with 24
> miles on the odometer. By the time I made my first complaint, I was over
> the 12k mark & the dealer said I was SOL, so I've lived with this prob for
> 87k now.
>
> Any ideas on what to look for ?

new rotors

Mark wrote:

> A while back I posted looking for recommendations for good brake rotors due
> to my van's warped rotor syndrome. I wound up getting Raybestos PG + rotors
> and the quiet stop plus pads (ceramic) I also replaced the rear shoes and
> cylinders, flushed the system & put a combo kit on the rear axles. The van
> warped the new rotors while using the lightest braking while breaking in
> the rotors and pads. ( and yes, I use a snap on torque wrench religiously )
> The steering wheel now literally wags back and forth when stopping for
> lights. It just gets worse and worse just like all the other rotors I put
> on this thing. I know its the fronts because it stops smooth via parking
> brake. I'm thinking now that the hubs must some how be warped, causing
> rotors to go all the time. ( I should have resolved the brake issue when it
> was new, I already noticed warping on the drive home from the dealer with 24
> miles on the odometer. By the time I made my first complaint, I was over
> the 12k mark & the dealer said I was SOL, so I've lived with this prob for
> 87k now.
>
> Any ideas on what to look for ?

They are new ! This is like the third or fourth set of bendix, raybestos,
brembo ....

I just got my magnetic dial indicator base, I'm going to get to the bottom
of this today ! ??? Hopefully I'll find a shot hub (s) or axle (s) I
wonder if the van fell off of something on the way to the dealer lot. I've
owned it since new, this problem has been a royal PITA. Because it's brake
related, I've never been able to convince Chrysler that this is anything
other than an normal wear item.




"mic canic" > wrote in message
...

> new rotors
>

They are new ! This is like the third or fourth set of bendix, raybestos,
brembo ....

I just got my magnetic dial indicator base, I'm going to get to the bottom
of this today ! ??? Hopefully I'll find a shot hub (s) or axle (s) I
wonder if the van fell off of something on the way to the dealer lot. I've
owned it since new, this problem has been a royal PITA. Because it's brake
related, I've never been able to convince Chrysler that this is anything
other than an normal wear item.




"mic canic" > wrote in message
...

> new rotors
>

Matt,

You may be right. I put the new magnetic dial indicator on the rotors & low
and behold one side was out only .003, the other .006" - I measured both
sides for runout - the side with the .006 is a thickness problem. Either
way - I'm sure that's well within spec. I took my die grinder with a scotch
brite roloc to the outside surfaces to rough them up a bit. Made a series
of hard stops - under hard braking it is smooth & has powerful braking -
easily got the abs working. Its still not quite right on the normal stop.
I may take the wheels off and rough up the inside surfaces as well - but
I'll first drive around a bit with some heavy braking. ( with my last set
of rotors were really warped, a mountain road helped with the warping - the
things were toast) I have to say that having a dial indicator is going to
be pretty useful for these sort of problems in the future.

Mark


"Matt Whiting" > wrote in message
...
> I've not used these type of pads, but does the break-in procedure call
> for very light braking during break-in? The break-in procedures I've
> read typically call for moderate to heavy braking during initial
> break-in to avoid glazing the pads and rotors. Usually, you make a
> series of reasonably hard stops with adequate cooling time in between to
> avoid warping the rotors.
>
> It is possible to "warp" the rotors without actually warping them. The
> theory is that with braking that is too light, you can cause the rotor
> to have uneven friction around its circumference and this causes pulsing
> that feels like a warped rotor, when in fact the rotor is just fine
> dimensionally. I've read that it can sometimes be cured with a series
> of fairly heavy stops to break the glaze.
>
> If you feel the braking is already so annoying that you are ready to
> replace the rotors again, then you have nothing to lose by trying a few
> hard stops to see if it helps.
>
>
> Matt
>