Fiat Ducato Brake overhaul

[SVMC15]

A bit of background first.

I've done 35k miles in 10 years, while the kids were young we were away most weekends but living in Cornwall we never had to drive far.

Every summer we have always done a big trip in Europe, except 21, due to COVID we tried Wales! We've crossed the Alps six times trying a different pass each occasion, and also gone over the Pyrenees twice.

Today I changed my front pads and discs, even though I had 7mm on the pads and the discs were in spec with just a slight lip. Apart from the slider pins on the driver's side not returning as well as they should have, nothing seemed untoward.

Until I got to removing drivers side brake pads!

As you can see there is quite a chunk missing, MOT brake test passed in December, less than 100 miles since then, and nothing to indicate that there was anything this wrong.

I am putting it down to possibly age or either a manufacturing defect or to the heat cycles from the mountain passes!? Anyone got any thoughts, or seen this before?

For those who are interested, brembo pads and discs were used to replace, £124 from Autodoc. I did have to reuse the spring clips as the ones supplied didn't fit around the new discs!

It took four hours, the hard part was removing the caliper carrier bolts and torquing them back up. Oh and trying to pop on the gators for the slider pins! I gave everything a good clean, used Lanoguard on the subframe and also renewed the track rod ends, febi bilstein £15 each from parts in motion. The gator on the near side had split, drivers side was not far off but they were both still free.

 

[gus-lopez]

Quite common when hardly any mileage & standing around a lot. They usually stay in one piece until you remove them& then they fall apart. If used in wet ,parked up & then it drops below freezing,then the pads can crack & heave the same as floor surfaces ,

 

[bornagain]

I had to change the rear discs and pads on our old Toyota Avensis which had done the better part of 100,000 miles on the original brakes, when I took the brakes apart the pads simply fell to bits in my hands.
I assume that this was due to a combination of age, corrosion to the metal backing and many many heat cycles.

 

[Carolyn and Kev]

We have a little 2 seater in the garage that I love and adore to bits. Its done 500 miles in two years. Passed its mot in January just gone having done 40 miles since its last mot. The brakes were very much like what you have got here. I can only assume its down to peeling away from the backing plate? Ferrodo brakes too. Hey oh...

 

[L' Hobo]

If you want me to be honest, and you have not checked them in 10yrs, (including a number of mountain trips,) might I suggest neglect?

Remember, your brakes have to put up with all weathers, salty road and every extreme known to man.
They, as you know, (or perhaps not ) if they are looked at every couple or so years, it one of the easiest jobs on you vehicle.

Wait for a sunny day each year, and give them a check!

PS. There looks like quite a lip on your discs, perhaps you should have changed those too?

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[Just smiffy]

Almost certainly age… can’t believe you haven’t serviced the brakes in ten years especially that you do it yourself… give yourself a good slap around the ear…

I expect my pads to last 3yrs at most, mainly because I’ll do a lot of miles..

 

[SVMC15]

If you want me to be honest, and you have not checked them in 10yrs, (including a number of mountain trips,) might I suggest neglect?

Remember, your brakes have to put up with all weathers, salty road and every extreme known to man.
They, as you know, (or perhaps not ) if they are looked at every couple or so years, it one of the easiest jobs on you vehicle.

Wait for a sunny day each year, and give them a check!

PS. There looks like quite a lip on your discs, perhaps you should have changed those too?

That's the point in the story I suppose. Full strip down required more often! As you say it is easy just getting to the pads.

They get looked at annually when the other servicing gets done, they still have that least 7mm on the pads. The sliders are still free, just not perfect one side this year. Brake efficiency is always good, never borderline at MOT. Discs well within specification, that lip is only 0.78mm (just measured it )

The discs got changed.

 

[SVMC15]

Almost certainly age… can’t believe you haven’t serviced the brakes in ten years especially that you do it yourself… give yourself a good slap around the ear…

I expect my pads to last 3yrs at most, mainly because I’ll do a lot of miles..

I obviously don't use the brakes that much!

As my reply to L' Hobo, I look at them every year, as there has been plenty of pad left etc, I've not needed to change them.

However as I've now seen I'll be changing the pads no matter what in five years, unless I magically start doing lots of miles!

 

[L' Hobo]

I obviously don't use the brakes that much!

As my reply to L' Hobo, I look at them every year, as there has been plenty of pad left etc, I've not needed to change them.

However as I've now seen I'll be changing the pads no matter what in five years, unless I magically start doing lots of miles!

Often it's not the mileage but the regularity of use.
If the vehicle is stood for long periods, especially over winter, rainwater and frost gets into components and behind panels and rusts.

I take mine for at LEAST a 20mile hilly run, once a fortnight.
This allows most components to get fully warmed up and air blown in and around the van to displace any water then dry it out.

 

[donkey]

The best advice I can offer, is to use the correct lubrication. Ditch the copperslip and get some proper ceramic grease. Keeps everything moving freely for thousands of miles. I never have pads sticking in callipers and when servicing everything comes apart like new.

Geoff

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[bobandjanie]

Our 2017 camper is in today for disks and pads 86000k so 8 years old probably could have got a bit more, but we have experienced that mountain in Austria and not wanting to stop. Bob

 

[jezport]

A bit of background first.

I've done 35k miles in 10 years, while the kids were young we were away most weekends but living in Cornwall we never had to drive far.

Every summer we have always done a big trip in Europe, except 21, due to COVID we tried Wales! We've crossed the Alps six times trying a different pass each occasion, and also gone over the Pyrenees twice.

Today I changed my front pads and discs, even though I had 7mm on the pads and the discs were in spec with just a slight lip. Apart from the slider pins on the driver's side not returning as well as they should have, nothing seemed untoward.

Until I got to removing drivers side brake pads!
View attachment 1021060

As you can see there is quite a chunk missing, MOT brake test passed in December, less than 100 miles since then, and nothing to indicate that there was anything this wrong.

I am putting it down to possibly age or either a manufacturing defect or to the heat cycles from the mountain passes!? Anyone got any thoughts, or seen this before?

For those who are interested, brembo pads and discs were used to replace, £124 from Autodoc. I did have to reuse the spring clips as the ones supplied didn't fit around the new discs!

It took four hours, the hard part was removing the caliper carrier bolts and torquing them back up. Oh and trying to pop on the gators for the slider pins! I gave everything a good clean, used Lanoguard on the subframe and also renewed the track rod ends, febi bilstein £15 each from parts in motion. The gator on the near side had split, drivers side was not far off but they were both still free.

And what about the rear ones? You really need to remove the discs for a full inspection including hand brake. Mine were shocking after 7 years!