"calipers sticking"
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
"calipers sticking"
Just took a drive to Home Depot, hopped out of the excursion and got a whiff of burning brakes. I'm thinking i have a stuck caliper on the rear driver side just enough to cause the smell but not enough to slow acceleration or speed up deceleration. What do you guys think...should i just grease up the calipers?
Tuned
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 296
Likes: 2
From: Denver, CO
I could be wrong on this but I believe the sliders are part of the caliper mount, not sure if they can be greased or rebuilt. A buddy just went through the exact same thing on his 01' F250 SD but on the front, had to replace the mount itself.
Check both pads, if there is uneven wear between the two that is the major sign that the caliper isn't able to float as designed.
Good luck!
Check both pads, if there is uneven wear between the two that is the major sign that the caliper isn't able to float as designed.
Good luck!
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 8,304
Likes: 28
From: Salem, VA
2 things
1. If the pads were changed recently and the pins not greased then they won't slide and they will just hold in place. Mine did this a few months back and I had to go behind the shop that did mine (I didn't have a place to do the work at the time) and correct the issue. Just take the wheels off, remove everything and inspect and if it all looks good then re-install correctly.
2. Give this bad boy a look
1. If the pads were changed recently and the pins not greased then they won't slide and they will just hold in place. Mine did this a few months back and I had to go behind the shop that did mine (I didn't have a place to do the work at the time) and correct the issue. Just take the wheels off, remove everything and inspect and if it all looks good then re-install correctly.
2. Give this bad boy a look
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 19,402
Likes: 38
From: Bonita Springs FL
The only way to know how hot your brakes and hubs are is with an infrared temp gun. Unless the problem is so obvious that you can't get your hand near the hub because of the intense, baking heat, then going out and buying parts or spending any time "fixing" the "problem" is just as likely to be a waste of time and money. Brakes are supposed to get hot. It's normal to get a whiff of hot brakes, especially just after you've slowed down and pulled into a parking lot.
Unless you have noticeable, excessive heat coming from the wheel area, you're probably fine. If you're worried about it, stop at a brake shop and have them see how hot the parts actually are. An infrared temp gun is a pretty handy thing to have around the garage, and they're not that expensive either.
Unless you have noticeable, excessive heat coming from the wheel area, you're probably fine. If you're worried about it, stop at a brake shop and have them see how hot the parts actually are. An infrared temp gun is a pretty handy thing to have around the garage, and they're not that expensive either.
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Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
haha yes the parking brake is off.
Ill have to wait until tomorrow to pull the tire off and check to see if the sliding pins are stuck. if they are then ill grease them.
I was in some stop and go traffic but nothing more then what I normally encounter.
This truck is my baby so when ever anything feels, smells, or just doesn't seem right I like to solve the issue ASAP!
Thanks for all the responses guys.
Ill have to wait until tomorrow to pull the tire off and check to see if the sliding pins are stuck. if they are then ill grease them.
I was in some stop and go traffic but nothing more then what I normally encounter.
This truck is my baby so when ever anything feels, smells, or just doesn't seem right I like to solve the issue ASAP!
Thanks for all the responses guys.
Senior User
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 281
Likes: 0
From: SoMD
I had several stuck pins on my truck when I bought it. I bought a couple new brackets to replace the worst of them. I think the brackets were only $25 each or so. I would've replaced all 4, but they weren't in stock at the local auto parts joints and I was in the middle of the job. I did replace the pins on the other two brakes as those weren't completely frozen. This is something I plan to revisit as a regular maintenance item since I've never seen a set so bad. These weren't corroded, just stuck big time. I beat the crap out of them after I was done and still couldn't free them. They were welded.
http://www.guzzle7pt3.com/cu.php
On some cars you can remove the slide pins and regrease without removing the calipers. Unfortunately not here.
http://www.guzzle7pt3.com/cu.php
On some cars you can remove the slide pins and regrease without removing the calipers. Unfortunately not here.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 8,304
Likes: 28
From: Salem, VA
Reps sent!!!! (Nevermind, have to spread it around some)
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 26,410
Likes: 6
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
I had sticking pins on my previous Ex and I could feel the extreme heat from just placing my hand on that rim after driving.
On my current EX It just smelled like it was the same but was actually a leaking rear hub seal.
On my current EX It just smelled like it was the same but was actually a leaking rear hub seal.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 256
Likes: 5
After a drive see if one wheel is hotter than the others. It should be noticeable if anything is sticking. Could be slides or piston. When I first bought my truck I had a locked up rear caliper. Not the slide pins but the piston itself. Put a new pair of calipers on it and it was good. A couple months later, same thing happened up front. Another pair of calipers for the front and everything has been working awesome since. Apparently it is pretty common on these trucks.
This is what it looked like after the front caliper stuck. The other side was warm to the touch but not at all "hot".
This is what it looked like after the front caliper stuck. The other side was warm to the touch but not at all "hot".
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,180
Likes: 83
From: Georgia
How many miles on the X? I had the same problem soon after replacing my pads. Had been 108K miles and then I changed pads and the right rear locked up. Mine was not the pins. First time piston was stuck when I removed it, but it was well baked. The second time about 400 miles later. The culprit was the rubber brake line shredding on the inside and holding pressure on the caliper. All lines, front and rear were replaced and no problems since. just something to think about.
