Brake Noise caused by products?

[Kitzy]

I've had a lot of experience with GMCs having brake issues.  If one caliper fails the other one will wear faster because it's the only one working (as far as the front is concerned).  Also, like you mentioned, if it's stuck and the piston doesn't retract it will also wear out faster.  Either way I'd expect some pulling and I don't get any.  I'm just going to get new calipers next time around and see what happens.

[texbigred1]

 

[Old Dogg™]

On the original topic, I always wondered what the long term consequences of using harsh or strong cleaners do to all the rubber gaskets, seals and o-rings in the brake system.
Is it better to flush the crap out or is it more harm to let it accumulate?

When I first started driving I used to try and wash the family car so I could drive a clean car and my Father used to always say...
"NO! It drives just as good dirty as it does clean." 

[Rollingrock]

when doing the air bags this weekend, I may pull a front wheel and really inspect all the brake parts to see what the deal is. 

[Too Stroked]

It's not uncommon on Super Duties to have corrosion build up on the caliper bracket underneath the stainless steel sliders for the pads. When this happens, it causes all sorts of weird problems like pads hanging up and making noises. I've helped do enough brakes on SD's on our fleet to see this many times. So we always take that bracket out and carefully clean / sand / chip / file all corrosion out befor reinstalling everything.

Another common problem is the actual sliders freezing up. Make sure you clean them out and apply the correct slider lubricant. (Do NOT use Never Sieze.)

Finally, you don't have to replace rotors every time you replace the pads, but many folks recommend it. There is a decent theory that says you'll be mating a new pad to a new rotor and therefore will break them in together and get longer life out of the set. We only replace rotors when we have to and rarely turn them. Avoid cheap (white box) rotors at all costs.

Hope that helps.