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Tractors and Catch 22

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(@mathteacher)
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Took my car to?ÿ the dealer today for annual NC inspection. Saw this beauty outside the service department. It has at least one new tire which may indicate that the old girl is still running.

?ÿ

PXL 20210930 141438769

The inspection revealed that one of my rear brake pads is nearly worn out. Now this is a 2018 Ford Edge with 21,000 miles. I asked about the warranty; it expired 23 days ago. Price to replace is complicated because the pads come two to a box so they do both regardless for $400+.

So I call the 800 Ford number for service questions. Turns out that brake pads are warranted for 18,000 miles or 24 months, so there's no help there.?ÿFord Edge forums on the internet acknowledge that this has been a continuing problem for years.

I love the car, and it still smells new, so I'll pay the price, I guess. It's a tad disappointing, but I do have another story to tell at our next curmudgeon gripe session.

 
Posted : 30/09/2021 7:40 am
(@bill93)
Posts: 9834
 
Posted by: @mathteacher

Price to replace is complicated because the pads come two to a box so they do both regardless for $400+.

I replaced multiple sets on the front of my previous Dodge Caravan over the years I ran it, and never any on the rear, so there is something odd about your car. The caliper must be binding up instead of floating in its mount.

If all you do is replace the pads, the labor is about 20 seconds more to do both pads on a wheel rather than one.?ÿ The last time I replaced the pads, the set of 4 pads for the two front brakes cost around $30 (a better grade was also available), so it's mostly labor in your quote, and far too much for the time it takes a well-equipped shop to just do the pads. Sometimes they sell customers additional service to the brake system when doing pads, so maybe that's involved.

?ÿ

 
Posted : 30/09/2021 7:59 am
(@bill93)
Posts: 9834
 
Posted by: @mathteacher

Saw this beauty outside the service department.

I still see that model in use now and then for light duty. I remember the weird shift pattern on the transmission.

My grandpa and my dad each had an 8N Ford, and that was enough for the small farming operation. One of my cousin's sons restored grandpa's tractor to look new and has driven it in parades.

 
Posted : 30/09/2021 8:05 am
(@holy-cow)
Posts: 25292
 

That would be very close to 70 years old.?ÿ We had a 1950 and a 1951.?ÿ The main way I could tell which was which was the seat attachment to the main frame.?ÿ Everything else of concern to me was identical.?ÿ Spent way too many hours seated on them, bouncing through a field.?ÿ We used them to do just about anything around the farm.

 
Posted : 30/09/2021 8:49 am
(@norman-oklahoma)
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21,000 miles on a set of brake pads is ridiculous. Something is wrong there. Is the e-brake not releasing or something? I've got 140,000 on my truck and still on the original rear shoes. I'd want answers before I gave the go-ahead on that.?ÿ As a matter of fact, since the dealer hasn't seen fit to proactively offered such answers I'd probably be looking for an alternative service provider.?ÿ

 
Posted : 30/09/2021 11:37 am
(@mathteacher)
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@norman-oklahoma?ÿ

I usually don't go to dealers for service, but I procrastinated and the inspection deadline forced me to go where?ÿ I could. The current new car shortage and dearth of cars on the dealer's lot really makes me wonder how important service revenue has become.

On the other hand, it is a probabilistic world, and events like 21,000 miles on one wheel's brakes that are way out in the distribution tail do happen. I'll have my go-to mechanic look at it and go from there.

It is very disappointing, though.

 
Posted : 30/09/2021 12:31 pm
(@flga-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2)
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Did you happen to see the rotor on the bad one? If it is scorched the emergency brake may have been partially engaged for a while.?ÿ

 
Posted : 30/09/2021 4:00 pm
(@mathteacher)
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I haven't looked at it, but they tell me that everything except the pad is ok. They do think that the brake was partially engaged for a period of time whether due to the emergency brake or sticking.

I had a Ford station wagon back in the 80s that had the emergency brake cable rust and cause a problem with the rear drums. But that was at maybe 50,000 miles.

Although I know that driving habits cause wide variability in brake wear from owner to owner, I think that Ford's limited warranty on brakes is an indication of the quality of the initial build.

I really like the car and fixing that won't break (brake?) the bank, but it is disappointing. It's not as bad as my '96 Lumina that had to have a new transmission at 28,000 miles. When I finally sold it in 2012, it was like new. Everything down to the front seat cupholder had been replaced!

?ÿ

 
Posted : 30/09/2021 5:50 pm
(@richard-imrie)
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Posted by: @mathteacher

They do think that the brake was partially engaged for a period of time whether due to the emergency brake or sticking.

Ahem. That possibly raises a technical challenge to Fl-man's theory. Would it not be the case that the e-brake is a separate system of pads, on drums?

 
Posted : 30/09/2021 5:57 pm
(@mathteacher)
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@richard-imrie?ÿ

Good question; I don't know. I never use the e-brake, but there is a heavy-duty light on the dash that informs when it's engaged.?ÿ

I'll just be thankful it was found, get it fixed and roll on.?ÿ

?ÿ

 
Posted : 01/10/2021 10:22 am
(@mightymoe)
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one thing you don't want is bad brakes.

 
Posted : 01/10/2021 10:35 am
(@richard-imrie)
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As I understand it, hybrid vehicles like the Prius are regenerative, such that under normal foot pedal braking, the brakes are not activated but instead braking is achieved by motor energy to charge the battery. Which is good because it means you use your brake pads/rotors a lot less.

 
Posted : 01/10/2021 2:02 pm
(@holy-cow)
Posts: 25292
 

@richard-imrie?ÿ

Wait a minute!?ÿ Why did I just get a mental video of Fred Flintstone braking by putting his feet on the ground?

 
Posted : 01/10/2021 3:13 pm
(@richard-imrie)
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@holy-cow?ÿ

Experienced Gordon Lightfoot's like myself can pretty much get around without needing to use the brake at all.

 
Posted : 01/10/2021 5:48 pm