What makes calipers go bad on a truck?

Brake calipers?
Is this a smog inspection?

The calipers are the things that determine the pressure of the brakes. I’m surprised that they’d need replacement after only 50,000 miles.

Is it possible that the shop is just trying to drum up business? Can you get a second opinion on the inspection?

@Dog Not a smog inspection. In Virginia you have to have your car inspected each year. No clue if they are brake calipers? My husband said it is because it is 4WD, so maybe the added weight is hard on the brakes and I guess it would make sense that it is related to the brakes.

@cwilbur He is getting another opinion today. We have 3 (or is it 7?) days to get it fixed. He has to drive with a rejection sticker in the meantime. Then they reinspect after the work is done.

Does this inspection place also do repairs? If so I would seek another opinion with another shop (preferrably one that does not stand to make a profit from the repair)

Brake calipers can cause a car to fail inspection if they look real hard. Most shops just check that the brakes are functioning. I had calipers on a car go bad one time because I hit a speed pump to fast. I was only going aboout 25 but it cracked the caliper. I just didn’t see the speed bump. It was across a road in a gated community to keep traffic slow. I’m not sure how mechanically inclined you are, but they are not hard to change yourself if you have the tools.

If he does a lot of hauling with his truck then the calipers could go bad early (50,000 is early) because they’d have to do extra work to stop all the extra weight. . Get a second opinion and see what they say.

If they are bad, you could always change them yourself…. it’s not very hard.

Brake wear is not consistent from one vehicle to the next. Driving conditions, vehicle load, weather, and especially driving habits are all going to have an effect. For the front calipers on a truck to go out at 50,000 is not unheard of, but that particular model is pretty light. How much does he normally haul in it? Is he a leadfoot?

I would definitely have someone else look at them before agreeing to a repair. Warped calipers are very evident when driving, so if you don’t feel any unevenness in the braking force, or hear the telltale pulsing, you probably don’t have them. They should be inspected by a mechanic with a runout gauge and visibly inspected for cracks and grooves.

Thanks everyone. He is taking it to another shop today so they can look at them. He doesn’t haul a whole lot, but he is a last-minute fast breaker (which drives me nuts) so that could have contributed.

He probably could change them himself, but I don’t know when. He never has any free time and I sure don’t know how to do it! At least he works for an auto parts company and can buy the parts (the least expensive part of the entire thing, of course) at a good discount.