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Front Calipers Sticking

turbojimmy

turbojimmy

Full Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
244
Location
NJ
Anyone have this happen?

I replaced the pads, rotors and caliper brackets a few months ago. The truck was fine and the brakes felt good.

I left for vacation - a 3 hour trip, all highway - and an hour into the trip the truck developed a noticeable shudder. I took the nearest exit and when I stopped I could smell the distinct smell of hot brakes. I pulled over and the right front wheel was smoking and the rotor was discolored from the heat. It wasn't pulling to the right so I'm thinking maybe both calipers locked up? I turned around and got it home - I actually had to give it some gas to get DOWN some hills.

It doesn't do it around town, only after driving at highway speeds for a long period of time. Any ideas? I don't know where to begin troubleshooting. The only thing that I changed recently is the steering rack. The steering wheel alignment is off a bit which causes the Stabilitrak and Traction Control to disable itself after about 20 minutes on the highway. I doubt that's causing the brake problem, however.

The only other thing that's odd is that when I first did the brakes the pedal felt great - better than I can ever remember. But now it's back to being pretty mushy.
 
Had it happen to the rear brakes on my '02 2500.
The calipers had gone bad.
I seem to recall hearing that the calipers with phenolic pistons are having this problem more often.
Yeah, I know. Cheaper, lightweight, corrosion resistant....
It's PLASTIC, guys. They are putting crap in our vehicles. It is getting really tiresome. Lol!
I went to a caliper rebuilder and picked up a set of reman calipers, and it's been fine since.
So when you take your calipers off, see what the piston is made of. If it's phenolic, it's likely junk. Just change 'em.

CarMech1969
 
CarMech1969 said:
Had it happen to the rear brakes on my '02 2500.
The calipers had gone bad.
I seem to recall hearing that the calipers with phenolic pistons are having this problem more often.
Yeah, I know. Cheaper, lightweight, corrosion resistant....
It's PLASTIC, guys. They are putting crap in our vehicles. It is getting really tiresome. Lol!
I went to a caliper rebuilder and picked up a set of reman calipers, and it's been fine since.
So when you take your calipers off, see what the piston is made of. If it's phenolic, it's likely junk. Just change 'em.

CarMech1969
Click to expand...

Thanks! The calipers were not pretty but I didn't replace them. My brother had a similar issue on his Suburban and said calipers fixed it. But I wanted to get some opinions here before I did the work. It sounds like my brother is right!
 
GEt new Calipers...

90% of the time a stuck pad that is draggin is due to bad caliper that does not let the piston retract a bit when yuo remove foot from brake pedal...

 
I'd change out the front rubber lines while you have the calipers off. You'll have to bleed the system anyway and they're pretty reasonable.
 
Okay every automotive job I've attempted this past week has ended in a complete clusterf---. This caliper job is the latest.

I installed the calipers. Rebuilt Power Stop brand from Rock Auto. Snugged up the lines with new copper washers. Pressurized the system with a self-bleeder. Fluid is pouring out of both connections at the calipers. I tightened the right side down more than I wanted to but it sealed. Left side won't seal. Bought new washers. Still won't seal.

So you think it's a crappy caliper? Or the line (I did not get new lines as suggested - that could turn into a real mess if I can't get them loose at the frame)?

The local Advance Auto has both the caliper and the line in stock (I can return the caliper to Rock Auto if it's defective). Do I flip a coin?
 
Oiy, no fun.  Since you have calipers already, I would just start with new lines and if you still have an issue then move onto different calipers.  Make sure you hit everything with penetrating oil, especially where the line bolts into the control arm.  I snapped the head off of that bolt on both sides.  I was able to extract the passenger side but not the driver side.  I ended up using a hose clamp on the driver side to secure it.
 
frito said:
Oiy, no fun.  Since you have calipers already, I would just start with new lines and if you still have an issue then move onto different calipers.  Make sure you hit everything with penetrating oil, especially where the line bolts into the control arm.  I snapped the head off of that bolt on both sides.  I was able to extract the passenger side but not the driver side.  I ended up using a hose clamp on the driver side to secure it.
Click to expand...

Yeah that control arm bolt is long gone. I use wire ties to attach it, which seem to hold up ok. I have new upper control arms so I really just need the bolt.

I hit everything with PB Blaster tonight. I'll do it again before work in the morning and get back at it tomorrow night.
 
Rather than mess with it anymore, I got a new caliper, hose and bolt for the right side from Advance Auto. It's all sealed up. I'm just going to return the Rock Auto caliper.

I was not comfortable with how tight I had to make the left hose bolt so I removed it. The part of the hose that contacts the caliper was pretty badly corroded (it was dark last night as I was wrapping up). So I replaced that line and bolt as well.

It's all sealed up. Just need to finish bleeding it and then I can call it done.
 
I spoke too soon.

Master cylinder is leaking now. I used a power bleeder at 15 PSI. Must have been too much for it. New MC on the way....
 
frito said:
Ugh, that is frustrating.  Hope it gets better from here.
Click to expand...

Turns out I'm just a dope. The MC wasn't leaking - it was fluid that spilled out when I removed the bleeding tool.

I took the truck on a 70-mile trip to work this morning (thankfully I only do it once a week) and it was great. Calipers must have been hung up for a long time. I thought the truck was just old and down on power. Turns out it was fighting the front brakes! It feels great, but the right rotor is grinding. I had replaced both the rotors and pads a few months ago. When I did the calipers, I replaced the pads again because they were cracked from the heat. Maybe the rotors are damaged, too. (and no, I don't have a pad in backwards :) )



 
You may want to consider that right wheel bearing hub as a possible source for the grinding sounds.

Just a thought.
 
Cool, glad that's one issue down.  (y) Yeah, I suspect that if the calipers were seizing to the point you blew through pads in just a few months that rotors are more likely than not warped.  I'd be inclined to at least turn them if not replace them.  Make sure you bed in the pads/rotors.  I always wrap up my brake projects at night so I can bed them in without having to deal with traffic.

Another thought just popped in my mind.  Are you sure it's the rotor grinding and not the wheel bearing.  When my wheel bearing went out I had a horrible grinding noise on medium to hard stops.  I initially thought it was the breaks but it was actually the bearing.  I actually had this on two different vehicles.
 
EXT4ME said:
You may want to consider that right wheel bearing hub as a possible source for the grinding sounds.

Just a thought.
Click to expand...
Ha, great minds think alike.  (y)
 
If you drove it a long distance with sticking calipers... yeah you may have other issues.

I would replace pads and rotor.
Reaplce brake fluid since it might have boiled or got very hot and burnt.
Check front hubs and any ball joint nearest rotor...

They can get very very hot when dragging... and do nasty things...

Hence why always take short 30-40mph test drive after doing brakes... (less then mile) and then walk around truck and check for hot brakes... sure sign they are sticking.
 
Thanks all - I'll check the hub. I really think its brakes though. I had been driving it for a while with the sticky calipers. The grinding started with the replacement of the caliper and pads yesterday. The rotor doesn't seem warped (no shuddering) but something feels/sounds like it's contacting the rotor that shouldn't.

I have to pull the wheels anyway to bleed it again - the pedal is still spongy.
 
So it's the right REAR that's now grinding. I must not have had much braking action out of the back with the front locked up? I dunno. But now that the front is fixed the back is grinding. There's nothing left of the pads or rotors back there.

In my defense, I don't drive the truck much. I got a new car a year-and-a-half ago and drive the truck once every few months tops. When I'm not driving it, the kids are using it. God forbid they tell me there's something wrong with it.

So I'm going back brakes now.
 
Do the second gen trucks have the parking brake shoes inside the rear rotors like the first gen trucks?

Might be worth a look if they do.

???
 
EXT4ME said:
Do the second gen trucks have the parking brake shoes inside the rear rotors like the first gen trucks?

Might be worth a look if they do.

???
Click to expand...

Yes they do. The parking brake has never worked in the 10 years I've owned it. I bought new shoes probably 6 years ago. Maybe now is the time to actually install them!
 
Okay - there's nothing left of the rear backing plates and I can't get the discs off because the parking brake drum is hanging up on the parking brake shoe. I noticed there's threaded holes in the drum, presumably for a puller. Googling disc or drum brake puller doesn't come up with anything that looks like it will work. Any ideas?

Also, the manual talks about an adjustment screw on the parking brake shoes but I don't see anything. Is this something I can get at if I pull the drum out an inch or two?
 
If I remember right the thread are for you to put a bolt in it and it will press against the axle flange and force the rotor off.

But since the backing plate is gone BFH (Big XXXXing Hammer) since you are going to have to replace the parking anyway.


 
MS03 2500 said:
If I remember right the thread are for you to put a bolt in it and it will press against the axle flange and force the rotor off.

But since the backing plate is gone BFH (Big XXXXing Hammer) since you are going to have to replace the parking anyway.
Click to expand...

Ah - that makes sense. If I had a backing plate.

Thanks!
 
When I did my brake job for the first time at 105,000 miles I had to literally use a 20lb sledge hammer and hit the rotor to loosen them. they were like welded to hubs in front and the axle flange in the rear. 

I learned to put some high temp grease(Anti-Seize) on the faces so I could take them off in the future.


http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php?topic=132422.msg1958599#msg1958599
 
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