Front disc brake engineering question
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Freshman User
Joined: Aug 2007
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Front disc brake engineering question
This may be a really dumb question, but what keeps the front pads off the front rotors when the pedal is released? I just replaced those pads, along with new rotors and bearings in my 93 and I couldn't readily see any counter force to the hydraulics in the system. It's obvious on the the rear, what with all those damn springs, but not on the front. For reference my setup is the rail slider front disc.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2013
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From: Roseville, MN
Nothing, same as every other disk brake setup. The disadvantage is that there is slightly more drag in disk brakes than there is in drums. The advantage is that the pads wipe the disks clean so you don't get the exciting feeling of no brakes for the first few yards when you apply drum brakes after driving through a puddle.
(disks have other advantages too, that aren't related to the fact that the pads stay against the rotors)
(disks have other advantages too, that aren't related to the fact that the pads stay against the rotors)
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2016
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The O ring between the piston and the bore is shaped to cause the piston to rock back a tiny bit when pressure is let off. Some calipers (not the ones on our trucks) have anti-drag clips that hold the pads apart to further reduce friction.
FTE Emeritus
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: springfield Missouri area
The Gold star goes to Arse_sidewards!!!
Correct the oring is actually square and it flexs when brakes are applied, then flexes back to pull piston in just a tad off of the rotors.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Denton, TX
So if one caliper was dragging notably harder than the other, is it a bad caliper? I've swapped it twice with the same results.
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I had the same problem with mine where one side would pull much harder then the other (and sometimes take longer to release) and it turned out to be the hose was collapsing, which didn't let the fluid come back quick enough when letting off the brake
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