Jim Grant's Tech Tips

'02 Chevy Silverado, Brake Eater

Q: My ’02 Chevy Silverado K1500 eats the right rear brakes. The truck has only 43k miles and I’m now on my third set of rear brakes. I had to replace the right rear brake rotor at 18k because I didn’t hear the brake pads grinding and it damaged the rotor. The truck didn’t even make it to 30k miles when the right rear brake was worn out again. Now with 43k I am looking at another brake job on the rear. The front brakes look like new and the left rear was never more then 75% worn, but was replaced each time when the right rear brake was replaced. The mechanic says this is a problem with GM trucks and that it doesn’t matter what brand of brake pads I have put on it will still wear. What’s the deal? Doesn’t GM know how to build trucks that don’t eat up brakes?!

A: Oh yes, that infamous right rear brake pad problem. GM has had a problem with the rear brakes on their light duty trucks. There is a fix. The ALLDATA Information System shows GM Technical Service Bulletin # 00-05-23-005B, which to simply describe is a mud flap kit. This kit addresses rapid brake pad wear problem that is found on most GMC and Chevy trucks made from ’99 to ’04. The right rear brake caliper and pads are located in such a manner that road dirt flies right into the brake pads. This steady diet of dirt causes the brakes pads to wear out really fast. The GM mud flap kit is installed to block bombardment of road dirt and debris that is causing the brake pads to wear out so quickly. The GM kit part number is 15765007 and is pretty easy to install. Before your next brake job I would suggest installing the mud flat kit. I think if you check with your dealership they be very agreeable to install the mud flap kit.