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PSA: found rust hiding under brake dust shields on a 2012 F-150
Last Wednesday I had a 2012 F-150 in my bay in Denver for a brake job. Customer said the pedal felt spongy. I pulled the rotors and found rust bubbling under the dust shields on all four corners. Had to replace the whole hub assembly on the passenger side because the rust ate through the bearing seat. Cost the guy about $400 extra. Anyone else peel those shields off during inspection or do you just let it ride?
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anderson.piper25d ago
OH SURE, just let it ride and hope for the best, right? Because nothing says "quality brake job" like finding out your bearing seat turned into swiss cheese. Classic penny pinching, pay way more later approach.
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bennett.evan25d ago
That Denver thing about the bearing seat rusting through is a good warning, but I gotta push back a little on the cause. Rust under the dust shields usually happens because moisture and road salt get trapped behind the shield, not because the shield itself is failing. In places like Denver where they salt the roads in winter, that's almost always the main culprit. Taking the shields off might help you spot the rust earlier, but it won't stop the rust from forming in the first place. The real fix is to pull the shields, clean the area, and hit it with rust inhibitor before putting everything back together. Just peeling them off without treating the metal underneath is asking for more problems down the road.
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My uncle had a similar thing happen on his 2008 Silverado up in Wyoming. Pulled the shields and found a whole colony of rust that looked like it had been growing there for years. He ended up having to replace both rear knuckles because the bearing pockets were shot. Cost him close to a grand.
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