My son had new discs and pads fitted to his Escort last year and has done about 12k miles. The nearside outer pad has worn down to metal but the other is fine, and the offside is in good condition.
I have fitted a new disc and pads to keep him going (i know I should have done both sides but it seems ok) - no problem with caliper sliding etc, nothing seized up.

Any suggestions for the uneven wear?

They will be single piston, sliding type of calipers.

Pressure retained in the system would wear out both pads evenly - especially if you're sure the sliding mechanism isn't seized. So it's a bit difficult to say what's caused it.

[Edited on 6/1/09 by JAG]

sounds like the pressure is still being applied to the piston in that caliper when the pedal is released. I would do some further investigation.

IMHO You should always do both sides of the braking system when doing discs and pads.

[Edited on 6/1/09 by stuart_g]

prob the brake hose has collapsed therefore holding pressure to that caliper,seen it many times on escorts

Which pads/caliper are they? If its the later ones (rounded ends on the pads), then they stick where the pin goes through the slot in the bottom of the caliper. Take out the pin and the tin guide in the slot and clean/file out the rust and rebuild.

adrian

I've change more than a few brake hoses on Escorts because of the same symptoms

Most likely cause is the caliper seal is foobaar --- the fluid seal rubber has gone hard due to overheating or contamination or just age.

The caliper seal has lost its elasticity, it will still seal but the inner fluid seal is the only thing that pulls the piston back. Every time the brake is pressed the shape of the seal distorts(elastically) very slightly when the hydraulic presure is released the seal returns to its normal shape and pulls the piston back only a fraction of a mm but enough to clear he disc.

The piston will operate fine and push back ok if levered back because when you push the piston back or if the pad moves to take up wear it slides on the surface of the piston.

Other things to check are that the rear piston on the maste rcylinder isn't sticking on crude at pedal end of the mastercylinder bore, the pad can move freely in the caliper.