Should Front Wheels Spin Free?
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Cross-Country
Joined: Jun 2016
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Should Front Wheels Spin Free?
Hey all, I have an 86 F250 4x4 and last time I drove it I noticed at least one of the wheels lug nuts got really hot to the touch, this was awhile back so I can't remember which wheel I felt or if it was both. Anyway I planned on doing a dump run today but decided to jack up the truck and take a look. I jacked up the passenger side and tried to spin the wheel and there was a lot of resistance, I could turn the wheel but it wouldn't spin on it's own at all, also shook the wheel a bit and it felt good and tight. I was under the impression that front wheels should spin easy and free correct? Again passenger side only, driver side was still on the ground, truck was off, in park and brake on (not that any of that should matter). Thinking wheel bearing or hub or stuck caliper but want to hear what you guys have to say.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Northeast, OK
The calipers drag pretty badly on these 4wd trucks. They don't spin like the 2wd trucks do. I'm not saying you don't have a problem because I don't know how badly it drags, but mine won't go half a turn regardless of how hard you spin them.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: 0,0,1
You could try taking the wheel off and using a clamp on the caliper, move it enough to take the pressure off the pads. Put the wheel back on and give it a spin. This will show you the difference with and without pad drag and perhaps answer your question.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
A very common problem with these trucks are stuck calipers. They get stuck two ways; The whole caliper gets stuck in the bracket. You can tell if it's been this way awhile, one pad will be thinner than the other. Another common way they get stuck, rust inside the caliper around the piston makes them stick. This commonly happens right after you put new brake pads in, when you take the c clamp and squeeze the piston back in over the rust behind it, it will start sticking.
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Cross-Country
Joined: Jun 2016
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After a closer look I found you guys were right about the calipers. The passenger side is better off than I thought, I can actually get a full spin out of it if I try hard enough. I checked the driver side while I was out there and that's a different story, I can barely get that one to budge at all. Is there any quick fix or do I need a whole new caliper?
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FTE Legend
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From: Angier, NC
It depends on the cause the brake is hanging up as there are a few ways this can happen.
Caliper does not move back and forth on it's slides. You can pull the caliper off clean up the slides, little anti-seize on the slides and put it back together.
Caliper piston stuck. Rust on the piston & bore keeps it from moving back in a little so it needs to be replaced.
Rubber hose bad. The rubber hose to the caliper has broken down in side and keeps the fluid from returning to the master, replace the hose. I would replace all rubber hoses to be safe.
Dave ----
Caliper does not move back and forth on it's slides. You can pull the caliper off clean up the slides, little anti-seize on the slides and put it back together.
Caliper piston stuck. Rust on the piston & bore keeps it from moving back in a little so it needs to be replaced.
Rubber hose bad. The rubber hose to the caliper has broken down in side and keeps the fluid from returning to the master, replace the hose. I would replace all rubber hoses to be safe.
Dave ----
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