So last November I replaced all the hardware, pads and lines on the front of the EX. At the same time I replace every single brake component on the rear axle. Backing plates, parking brake shoes, hardware, calipers, caliper brackets, pads and rotors. Complete brake fluid flush with a vacuum flusher.

Thursday coming home the right front caliper locks up. Pull it in the garage and 40 minutes later back on the road after caliper and pad replacement and turning the rotor.

Friday I stop and get tires on the front after work and the tech comes and gets me and says feel your left rear hub. I had them pull the rear tires to put it on the front. The shop did the alignment for me after all the work in the fall. I touch the hub and sure as crap the left rear is hotter then the rest and we couldn't rock the rotor like we could on the right side.

I pulled the caliper,pads and rotors when I got home and exchanged pads and caliper. Rotors got turned for free.

My 2 questions are: 1) is there anyone that makes a rear caliper with steel pistons(i can not find anyone that offers this)? 2) is there an issue going on with the brake system that i am not picking up on?

I honestly believe the rear issue is caused by the phonelic pistons. This is the second rear caliper that has stuck since I owned the truck. The front caliper was the original and I have 184k on the truck. The only things that I have not replaced in the brake system is the master cylinder and steel lines.

The good news I can have both brakes off either axel in about 15 minutes!

 

Have you changed the rubber lines from the metal lines to the caliper? You may also need to pull the caliper slider pins clean,and grease them.

 

the ONLY 3 things that have not been changed are the 1)left front caliper 2) steel lines 3) master cylinder.

When I did all the work the other 2 nights the slide pins still moved free just like they did last fall when I did all the work.

 

where are you getting them? what brand(s)?

 

What ever the top of the line is at O'Rielly's.

The NAPA by me seems to be closed when I need something. I will have to make sure to call this week during normal hours.

 

are you changing the caliper mounting bracket as well? I seemed to be going thru this last year. I was told a while ago the bracket holes egg out over time, causing the whole assembly to rack. When the brakes start hanging up I change the bracket as well as the caliper and haven't had any problems since.

Don't know about oreillys here in the commonwealth(not) of Taxachusetts.

 

On many of the automotive forums I've seen issues in the last few years an increase of complaints about caliper piston lockup. I have no proof of this but it is my belief that whomever is supplying the aftermarket rebuilding industry with replacement pistons has what we call a swell and growth issue.

It's happened with phenolic pistons in the past, when the supplier does not use the correct resin or reduces the bake cycle. When the piston heats up the resin relaxes and expands just enough to bind. The other issue with rebuild calipers is if the rebuilder just shot beads the casting and does not do a phosphate wash to remove all traces of oxidation. If the oxide at a minimal level is still there the oxide will grow.

As far a steel pistons, there are not used in an attempt to prevent brake fluid boil while is a major concern on this weight and towing capacity of a vehicle.

I'm not in the business anymore so I can't give firsthand experience to date, but when I need rebuilt calipers for my truck I will be getting them from Ford. Motorcraft put a higher requirement on the quality of their aftermarket parts for the Motorcraft lineup then do the other retail and commercial aftermarket sorces.

 

I have seen the swelling before in the pistons. I have had a few calipers where the pistons sheared an an angle.

The shot/bead residue is another issue, but how do you deal with it besides tearing the caliper apart and cleaning it?

I will call around and see what the dealers locally want for calipers.

As a former Test manager, how many vehicles did you kill?

 

In 30 years, only two from accidents.

 

I had this same sort of thing happen in three vehicles in one year. Come to find out, I had a bad jug of fluid. I have no idea what happened to it, and it wasn't all that old. But, the symptoms were identical to what you are describing. I ended up replacing a couple master cylinders, as well as having to drain and clean brake systems on three different vehicles. Major pain and expense!

 

I had the brake system flushed at the local garage when I did all this a few months ago. I would hate to think the fluid they used absorbed water that fast. I watched them open up 2 new bottles. I will have to keep this in mind if it reoccurs.

 

Mine looked and smelled almost as though it had diesel fuel in it. It had me wondering if someone went into my shed and sabitaged my brake fluid.

 

For whatever reasons, my truck definitely has the same trouble. My passenger rear caliper is the worst - ready to replace it for a fourth time in 3-4 yrs (68K mi right now). But I have had each of the front calipers take their turns. I too have tried everything but the steel lines and master cylinder. I flushed the fluid myself - thought I had it all fixed until a few weeks ago when the rear started binding again. I don't have any great advice - I will return this caliper and get a new one under warranty. My kids know the smell - "Dad the brakes again!" - very frustrating.

 

Both front calipers began dragging last year (~70K). So bad I had to get AAA to haul me home. After reading some discussions on FTE, cleaned and greased all caliper pins and put new Ford rotors and pads up front.

Within the month the left rear began seizing so hard I could barely move the truck off the road. Luckily we were at Red Robin so we had some burgers waiting on AAA to haul me 2 miles to the Ford dealership. That resulted in new rear calipers, rotors and pads. Last month the left rear started smelling again - techs couldn't find anything since a light rain had washed away the stench. Since then nothing. Ran across this forum today and just had to chime in.

Sure wish we could find a good aftermarket caliper solution to fix the problem for good. I don't like driving a truck that has brake issues...

 

I'll just add that I do not tow and I live in FL where it is FLAT. My brakes barely get a workout (there is also little traffic in my area). Various local shops have blamed salt air, but the problem has always been the piston getting stuck. If I let it sit over night it will usually unbind so I can replace it in the next few weeks (it will still bind intermittently and stink, but no smoke)