Break pad wear question

[BoxMN]

So I just put new pads and rotors in my 98 Malibu (150k). Only the inside drivers side was really bad, and it was gone - I knew I was getting past due, and used up ALL the pad

But the passenger side wasn't even really that close to the wear indicator, and the driver outside still has plenty of pad left.

All pistons pushed out fine, that I could tell, and the slides were all pretty good - no binding and still had lube from the last time I did it. Last time I used premium pads but can't recall if I did rotors or not, I think I did. No real bad grooves in rotors - doing the brakes was easy with no issues.

So my question - does it mean anything when just one pad seems to take the brunt of the wear? Does inside drivers side wear tell me anything about other issues? The bearings seem good, no slop up/down or left/right. I had an alignment when

i put on new rear struts a few years ago. It actually still drives pretty nice too. Tires are not showing odd wear patterns.

Thanks for any advice. Maybe that pad was just a soft one, though I did get decent mileage from this set...

[Macgyver55]

]Without seeing/knowing which style mount it has, its hard to say, but if the pads themselves were free on the mount,(not tight or seized) in general that type of wear is often caused by the caliper not sliding freely on the mounting pins. The grease on the pins can be contaminated due to worn or dried out guide pin boots not sealing and the pin and bore in the caliper get corroded. A good cleaning of the bore, cleaning or replacing of the pins, fresh grease and new boots will usually cure it.

[Jeremy airjer W]

i would bet the pads where pretty stiff in the slides when you removed them. The news ones should have moved around freely after install. If they did not than removing the shims from the brackets and cleaning all the rust off the bracket would be a good start. You can also apply high temp anti-seize under the shims to help slow down the corrosion in that area.

[BoxMN]

Yep I think you guys are both right from my inspection when taking them off. I think the ones pin was a bit dry, and the boot seemed "loose" but not cracked or ripped. I wish now that I would have gotten new rubber for them. Maybe I still will.

I did clean the mounts with wire brush and used some caliper grease under the new shims (the shiny new pieces between the mount and pad, right? where the pad slides a bit?) and also between the shim and pad. They are and were moving freely, both new and old - actually I am not sure of old, as they came out real easy but not sure if moving smoothly..

I might make it regular practice to install new boots every other brake job maybe.... Thanks guys!

[Jeremy airjer W]

You did it spot on!