Front Brake changeout only vs both back and front each time

[Nomore9-5]

I'm going to come off looking cheap but I wonder about this. Since stopping your car tends to wear out front brakes much more quickly than back brakes there is a school of thought that back brakes are done every other time as fronts need to be done.
So I'm wondering if any motorhome owner/ back yard mechanics time their back brakes this way as well.

[5picker]

Brake pads/shoes only need replaced when they are worn to the point of needing replacement regardless of front/rear position or time.

Now... does that mean if a caliper stuck on the LF wheel and wore out the pads on that side would I not also change the RF pads... likely yes since they can only be purchased in sets anyway.
Would it be absolutely necessary... no.

Back in the day when we riveted on our own brake linings (before the bonded days) we often only replaced the lining on one single shoe.

I'm rather easy on brake lining and can often get 75k+ on the fronts and NEVER replace the rears during ownership of the vehicle.

[clr]

I normally replace the brakes on an axle when an inspection shows that work is needed. The rule that I go by is that all brakes on the same axle must be done at the same time.
as a minimum.
I have also replaced the brakes on all axles while in there, when another axle shows that it will be required shortly in the future.
There is no such rule that I have heard about that says to replace the rear brakes every other time that you replace the front brakes. The work required depends upon the type of brakes that you are talking about here. When cars had disk front brakes and rear drum brakes the rears would sometimes wear out prior to the front. With front and rear disk brakes the front brakes and normally larger than the rear due to the extra braking effort of the front end. So they need to be checked at the same time, in my oppinion.

[Dodge Guy]

If only the fronts are worn down then those are the only ones that get done. Sometimes cars can go 3-1 on front brakes. It all depends on who and how it’s driven.

[IDguy]

Originally Posted by 5picker

I'm rather easy on brake lining and can often get 75k+ on the fronts and NEVER replace the rears during ownership of the vehicle.

Me too. Have never changed the brakes on any of my RVs. I buy new RVs (mostly) and mostly keep them about three years. Most was a 1985 Class C that kept ten years and 100,000 miles with no brake changes. And it had a three speed trans with no tow/haul mode. I live in Idaho so everywhere I go involves serious mountain passes and little traffic.

My approach is to use the engine and transmission to control speed on the downs. I only use short brake pumps to cause downshift. Much easier with today's six speed trans and tow haul mode, even with a 4,100 pound Jeep pushing my Class A.

Have a brake buddy on the Jeep but it rarely activates.

[NXR]

Originally Posted by Nomore9-5

I'm going to come off looking cheap but I wonder about this. Since stopping your car tends to wear out front brakes much more quickly than back brakes there is a school of thought that back brakes are done every other time as fronts need to be done.
So I'm wondering if any motorhome owner/ back yard mechanics time their back brakes this way as well.

i have no idea (yet) but I'd think that the rear axle usually carrying twice as much weight and having twice as many tires as the front axle would mean the rear brakes get more use in a motorhome. A car usually "dives" on braking but with a much heavier rear end on a motorhome that might not happen so much (because cars usually are front-heavy.)

Ray

[RELHUB]

Originally Posted by Nomore9-5

I'm going to come off looking cheap but I wonder about this. Since stopping your car tends to wear out front brakes much more quickly than back brakes there is a school of thought that back brakes are done every other time as fronts need to be done.
So I'm wondering if any motorhome owner/ back yard mechanics time their back brakes this way as well.

The factory OEM pads wear out at almost the same rate however the back wear just a little faster. So If the Front needs them then the backs are 100% ready to be serviced.

I purchased our MH New, I just did Front and Rear brakes @ 53,200 miles.
On our 2013 it is the same Part number for the Front and Rear pads.
I purchased from the FORD dealer because I wanted factory OEM Ford Pads.
I have not found any aftermarket pads that will last as long as OEM without killing the rotors.

fyi... The rotors are really costly and while ceramic pads will last longer they wear out the rotors faster. So for me factory OEM pads are for me.