Disc truck brakes

If you want something torn up good give it to a truck driver that doesn't pay for the repairs.

But seriously this is a class 8 single axle truck.
As you can see the left outside brake pad is completely gone.
The caliber pistons are riding right on the rotor.






The right side is even worse.
The outside pad is gone; one of the caliber pistons is gone; and the other piston is about to fall out.
How someone could drive this truck and not notice something was wrong with the brakes is beyond me.











But my question is.
I can understand the pistons might be able to fall out with no pad to hold them from over extending.
What I do not understand is how did the pads fall off.
I just can not believe both outside pads broke apart and came out in pieces at the same time.
I thought calibers were made to where even if the pad was worn down to the metal there was still not enough clearance for the pad to fall out.

Your thoughts

My thoughts are probably the same as yours. I haven't worked on those disc brakes so can't add much about that.
So much for pre-trip inspection.
In NY DOT is very active/persistent. I have noticed where I am now many trucks with insecure loads, no cover,(just saw this morning an aluminum storm window had blown off a truck and in the road with glass all over) lights not working ect. Obviously they do not inspect and write tickets like NY.

Maybe the ignorant people involved, wasn't limited to just the drivers that drove it! Maybe the mechanic didn't put it together right. Put it together WITHOUT them. There are mechanics out there, that are just as DUMB as some of the drivers!!

My other guess would be, that they wore so bad, that the backing of the pad was no longer one piece, and what ever was left (not much), just fell out.
But for this to happen, I would of thought there would of been significant wear/damage to the rotor. Usually when the wear part of the pad is gone, and the backing is all that is left, the rotor wears just as bad or worse than the pad backing. That's why I'm thinking, my first suggestion is not out of the realm of possibility's.

Never dealt with truck disc brakes, but some automotive and light truck brakes the pads can fall out.

Doesn't take long for it to happen once the lining is gone. Also seen them fall part way out, wedge and lock the wheel!

Any vehicle requires regular inspections of critical parts (brakes for instance) and follow up maintenance as required. Doesn't look like the truck owner (or owner / operator) did their duty to see that inspections and maintenance were done.

While you are blaming the driver, how about the truck owner's responsibility to provide the driver with a safe and properly maintained vehicle to work with?

By this late date, the company should know how long a set of brakes will last - assuming they do regular maintenance and keep records of that maintenance. Road tractors require a federal inspection annually. State inspections can supersede that IF the state inspection is at least as strict and comprehensive as the federal.

A proper pre-trip inspection would include checking brake adjustment, but NOT measuring brake linings. There is nothing in a pre-trip inspection that should require any more tools than a tire pressure gauge. Anything that is not up to standards should be noted and reported on the VCR. Any out-of-service conditions would prohibit the driver from going on the road with that tractor - EXCEPT to take it to a repair facility.

Also note that not every brake problem is readily apparent on an air brake system. You won't feel an out of round drum or disc through the pedal. Many times noises are far enough removed from the driver as to be drowned out by other noise - like a diesel engine growling at you or road noise in a Freightliner in particular. Some of those newer IH cabs can be pretty noisy as well. Here is one case where you can't entirely fault the driver.

Service Man failed to check for pad wear.
I am guessing that the steel pad back got ground up until the brake looks like it do.
There is or should be a wear indicator pin that shows pad thickness.
Perhaps a little education for a service man is in order.

I have repaired vehicles with similar failure. The backing metal can be completely worn and fall between the caliper housing and rotor One I fixed was worn so much that the piston wore into the ventilation holes in the rotor and locked the wheel.
Jim

Law or no law I am not crawling under a truck for an inspection. I make good money but if I work on a truck I charge twice as much. Ill do the lights ,wipers glass and make sure the load stays on the truck. Worn brakes are not my problem

I was a fleet mechanic for 30 years. Our trucks came in every thirty days for a minor inspection, brakes, hoses, leaks, mainly safety, every ninety days they were serviced, didn't matter if they moved out of the yard (believe it or not, the spare trucks suffered from lack of use). We didn't care what the CDL laws were, our mechanics took the safety of our fleet seriously. We appreciated it our drivers brought a problem to our attention, but didn't rely on them.

While you are blaming the driver, how about the truck owner's responsibility to provide the driver with a safe and properly maintained vehicle to work with?

I tend to agree with you..

I can't hear the brakes squeaking unless I pull in the garage and the sound bounces off the wall.

I used to drive Scouts and had a small IH dealer near me, a one or two-man operation. Went in once for a part and he had a Travelall that one pad wore surface halfway through the disk. Just the fins showing.

Checking slack adjuster travel is not 'working on' a truck. It is a basic check of the proper adjustment of the brake. If you have a helper (like another driver?) you don't need to get under the truck at all. You can eyeball the amount that the slack moves when brakes are applied. Long ago, when I went to CDL school, a quick check was to look at the ANGLE of the slack adjuster to the brake apply rod while the parking brake was applied. If the angle was 90 degrees or less, it was usually out of adjustment. If the angle was over 100 degrees, they were usually OK.

In any case, most trucks today have automatic slack adjusters that actually work like they are supposed to. Makes a quick look a bit simpler.

And how many times did dispatch tell them they would get it fixed when they got back or if they would not drive it got crapped on for a week or longer because it po ed Dipspatch. Or the company chastises The driver for reporting a defect. then disc brakes are the scourge of the earth for durability. The Pins or what ever they slide on stick/rust or what have you then only one pad wears so now you have one new pad and one junk rotor and pad. I'll keep my drum brakes. I don't want to hear the BS about better stopping or shorter stopping and all that BS either. I never had a set of drum brakes fail to stop nor hold if they are kept adjusted. Most don't do that. The worst were those wedge lock adjusters for rusting up so you could not adjust them.

The same way as years ago. You'd see pieces of brake drums and shoes laying on side of the road.

I have read all the replies so far. Everyone can blame who everyone they wish. When the DRIVER leaves the yard THE DRIVER IS RESPONSIBLE. not the owner, not the mechanic, not the tooth fairy. If the driver gets in a crash, see who gets charged!

Company I drove for had a 4-5 man repair shop plus a tire guy. 30-40 tractors and 50+ trailers. Tractor I drove had air starter, coming home from Chicago getting loaded, turn on ignition key, push air start button and it spins to life, I turn lights on and instantly the alternator belt starts squealing, turn lights off and squealing stops, pull out of dock, stop & close doors, get in turn lights on and squealing starts again then decreases and stops. I drive the 150 miles home, drop trailer and go home. Next morning I pop the hood, check oil and water, give alternator belt a wiggle, about an inch or two of slack, drive to terminal, or shop, or more correct, the Junkyard, shut tractor off at the fuel pump, let shop supervisor know I need the alternator belt tightened. I pick up at same place that night as the night before, start tractor, turn parking lights on to pull out of enclosed dock and the alternator belt instantly starts screeching. It finally quieted down, made it the 150 miles home and drove home, Saturday morning I went out with my 12 cresant wrench and tightened the belt. MR. GOODWRENCH never touched it. Wasn't hard, took me a minute or two.

Law or no law I am not crawling under a truck for an inspection. I make good money but if I work on a truck I charge twice as much. Ill do the lights ,wipers glass and make sure the load stays on the truck. Worn brakes are not my problem