We were driving around the wilds of Nebraska today, investigating the river that is 'a mile wide but only an inch deep'. We we heard disturbing sounds from the passenger side front wheel. Did not sound exactly like a bad brake pad tho but happened occasionally when the brake was applied. I thought maybe it was just starting to grind.On this truck from the time you hear the first sound of grinding to a destroyed caliper is only a matter of a few hours so no delay can be considered.Got back to the campsite and got out the brake pad gear and parts. Jacked up the truck, inspected the pads, not great but still at least 3/16th of an inch of pad showing. Hmmm...??Get ready to pull the caliper off when I notice that the top bolt holding the caliper is gone, and the caliper has rotated maybe an inch!Looks like I did not torque that bolt down enough, being of the packrat tribe I had saved a bolt from the the last time, in my bolt box, I replaced the calipers and got that installed and really torqued down...heh. probably got distracted last time I worked on it.

Got lucky, I’d say. While back I was in the dealers waiting room while my ride was being fixed and in cane a guy not so lucky. Brand new truck, but it seems the manufacturer had done exactly what you did. The owner had come to a red light, stepped on the brakes, and left front wheel completely locked up because the caliper rotated right into the wheel. Destroyed caliper, rotor, wheel, tire and bent tie rod. Guy was lucky he didn’t wind up hitting anything. Kudos to the dealer who couldn’t get parts (back ordered) but went out to his new truck lot and took parts off one of his inventory to get the guy back on the road home. Did I mention guy was from out of state on vacation with wife and kids?

I’d say don’t worry about it, I’ve done the same, but that would be too incriminating....

naturist wrote:Got lucky, I’d say. Yeah that's part of it, plus we are hyper-alert to the slightest unusual sound from any of the wheels and don't put off checking it out when we do hear something. This issue lasted from Pinedale WY, up thru ID, all thru Missoula MT and up to Hwy 2 and all the way across, then most of the way across ND then down south thru ND, SD and almost all of NE. And that includes some awful washboarded roads (Bechler ranger station at YNP and a number of other places). We didn't detect a thing until today at Methodist Cove COE almost at the KS border. Several thousand miles later.

Haven’t done that but plenty of other dumb stuff.

Yep, always something. Today got out of truck and smelled brakes burning from drivers rear....stuck emergency brake. Hammered it loose but now can't use til I get home and fix.....next ?'

Carelessness strikes again | Good Sam Community

miltvill
Explorer II
Aug 18, 2020
I did an oil change on my 1999 Chevy 1500. Then went to get some lunch when my oil lite came on. I pulled over and checked my oil. The dip stick did not show any oil. I had forgot to tighten the oil bolt. No damage to my truck but made one big mess of the road leading back to my house. Lucky for me the bolt did not fall out and I had tools and oil with me. NEVER change your oil when your hungry.
agesilaus
Explorer III
Aug 17, 2020
For caliper bolts, I don't see where it could hurt that much, at least in my case, Florida doesn't have winter. I really think the cause of mine was the tires were so out of round, that it just vibrated loose.

My guess is that first I didn't get it tight enough, and second all those washboarded roads we went down vibrated it loose. I'll be checking all the brakes when we get home in a few days and will be using blue locktite on them.
mudfuel07
Explorer
Aug 17, 2020
Grit dog wrote:
I had Another one of those moments A few years ago. Only hand tighted one of the Oil drain plugs on my bike Apparently? Only logical explanation) Lost the plug and the oil and fortunately only cold seized the piston at about 12,000 rpms. Got lucky, didn’t hurt the top end or rotating assembly at all.
By the above method, I would loctite a steel drain plug into an aluminum case, on a bolt that requires frequent and regular removal??
See where this is going? and don’t be a gomer with the loctite!

For caliper bolts, I don't see where it could hurt that much, at least in my case, Florida doesn't have winter. I really think the cause of mine was the tires were so out of round, that it just vibrated loose.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Aug 15, 2020
I had Another one of those moments A few years ago. Only hand tighted one of the Oil drain plugs on my bike Apparently? Only logical explanation) Lost the plug and the oil and fortunately only cold seized the piston at about 12,000 rpms. Got lucky, didn’t hurt the top end or rotating assembly at all.
By the above method, I would loctite a steel drain plug into an aluminum case, on a bolt that requires frequent and regular removal??
See where this is going? and don’t be a gomer with the loctite!
Grit_dog
Navigator
Aug 15, 2020
agesilaus wrote:
You can bet I put locktite on all components now.

I was thinking about that, I have a tube of the blue in my toolbox.

Rethink your safety plan here. Loctite is a bandaid for something else in the wrong applications. Sure it may keep an improperly torqued nut or bolt from backing out in the short term, but it will not fix the root cause ( not tight enough) and not tight enough will lead to other problems, generally, in the longer term.
What you guys are saying is akin to using Draino regularly to unclog your drain from dumping bacon grease down it. Short term solution with long term consequences.

This PSA is in hopes of preventing people from half @ssing repairs, for their own benefit and that of the next recipient of their “work.”
agesilaus
Explorer III
Aug 14, 2020
You can bet I put locktite on all components now.

I was thinking about that, I have a tube of the blue in my toolbox.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Aug 14, 2020
^ I can relate! Lol
But I don’t like loctite on anything that doesn’t require it, unless it’s a bandaid for an issue that isn’t normal.
Maybe that’s because of my upbringing in the rust belt where most bolts would self loctite after 1 winter anyway and by year 5 they seemed to be welded in!

Brake caliper bolts are the first thing I put anti seize on....them and the
lug nutz.
mudfuel07
Explorer
Aug 14, 2020
Done the exact same thing, but I wasn't as lucky. I did put both caliper bolts in, but the tires vibrated one loose. It happened when I was about 15 miles from home, I thought maybe I could limp it back, the caliper rubbed a hole in the rim, tire went flat and I barely got it off the road. Being stubborn, I did make it home. It only cost me one new 37" tire and 4 rims since they quit making the ones that I had anymore. You can bet I put locktite on all components now.
Thunderbolt
Explorer
Aug 14, 2020
I haven't done that, but I did replace the engine in a truck once and had all the bell housing and motor mounts in. I happened to walk to the passenger side and there was the flex plate sitting on the floor.
memtb
Explorer
Aug 14, 2020
This is sorta an ongoing saga with me. I’ve got so many different projects going or need to be started....I’m often working on one, while thinking of another! I can’t multi-task.....mentally or physically! memtb

Forum Discussion

Carelessness strikes again

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

GM Strike

Disaster Strikes

GPS strikes again

Bird Strike...

Lightning Strike