Dear Jim,

A friend replaced the brakes on my 1998 Chevy Astro (4.3L, V6) about 7,000 miles ago. The other day, the van started pulling to the right when I brake, so I took it to a specialty brake shop in town.

Apparently, the right front brake is completely worn out, and I need to have everything replaced, including the calipers and rotors. This isn't cheap, but I don't want to put it off. How did the brakes wear out so fast, Jim?

(Not signed)

If your car is pulling to one side, bro, there's a problem, but you shouldn't need everything replaced after only 7,000 miles.

Whoever you talked to at the shop is definitely right about the calipers, though. Whenever you step on the brake, the caliper's job is to put pressure on the brake pad, which then grips the rotor and slows the vehicle down.

The front right caliper on your Astro is sticking in this position, which means the pressure is now uneven with the left side -- that's why the van is dragging over to the right when you push the pedal.

So it's the caliper that's causing trouble, not the whole front brake set.

If your brakes aren't squeaking, then the brake pad on the right side hasn't worn all the way down yet. The rotor is fine, because there's no metal-on-metal contact that would damage it. Only the right-side caliper needs replacement, as well as both pads, left and right, because they have different thicknesses now due to the uneven pressure problem. That should be all you need: one caliper and two pads.

Why did the mechanic tell such a different story? Think about this, brother: Specialty brake shops only do brakes -- it's the only way they make money, so they'll very often do what they can to keep their profits up by selling you whatever they can. Don't let that happen without getting a second opinion.

Tip of the Week:

Hey, drivers: Like the customers in my shop hear me say all the time, never play around with any kind of brake problem. A lot of people will delay getting theirs checked even when they know something's not quite right, just because the trouble doesn't seem too serious.

That's a mistake. Brakes aren't air filters -- they're the things that stop you in emergency situations. When they feel wrong, do whatever you need to make them right, and pronto.

Buffalo Jim, owner of Allstate Auto & Marine Repair in Las Vegas, writes a weekly column. Send your automotive questions to him at buffalojim@lasvegasniftynickel.com. If Jim picks your question to answer in Nuts & Bolts, you'll also be the proud recipient of a deck of official Buffalo Jim playing cards, presented in a classy, tin box bearing his hairy image.