brake woes
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
brake woes
My brakes are driving me nuts. My truck is a '93 4x4. Initially, the front brakes were grabbing. I just installed new wheel bearings (inner and outer) and hubs (the automatic ones died, so I converted to manual), so worn wheel bearings are not the source of the grabbing. I've had the truck to a mechanic, and he found nothing wrong with the brakes. Now, the grabbing seems to have switched from front to rear, although the fronts still grab under hard breaking. The truck is getting to be nearly impossible to drive on wet pavement, and even grabs so bad the tires squall on dry pavement. I am about at the end of my rope. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Would a Ford dealer be better able to diagnose the problem? I've got to get this fixed before I get hurt. If I can't figure this out, I'm going to have to get a new vehicle, and I can't afford one right now.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,940
Likes: 2
From: Eastern WA
Grabbing is commonly associated with pads that are contaminated. Also, I've noticed that some Ford brake shoes seem to absorb water on days when it rains hard; the end result is that the RABS doesn't respond fast enough and a rear tire(s) locks.
You may want to try cleaning the pads/rotors with lots of spray brake cleaner and also inspect for a brake fluid leak or other source of contamination. Did you make sure not to contaminate the pads while working on the wheel bearings and such?
You may want to try cleaning the pads/rotors with lots of spray brake cleaner and also inspect for a brake fluid leak or other source of contamination. Did you make sure not to contaminate the pads while working on the wheel bearings and such?
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
That may explain the rears locking, a cylinder went out a few weeks ago and leaked all over the shoes, but the fronts have been grabby for a long time, with 3 different sets of pads. Lately, they have been very grabby though. I'll try cleaning them.
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
After driving the truck this morning, the rear that is grabbing is the side that the cylinder went out on, and the shoes did have brake fluid all over them, which I only wiped off. Hopefully cleaning them will fix the trouble. Anybody have any ideas about the fronts? They have been grabbing for a while, so I doubt that dirty pads are the cause. I had hoped that the wheel bearings would fix it, but it didn't. Could there be something wrong with my calipers?
Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Conroe, Tx. USA
I have had calipers stick in the past due to the Phenolic material used for the piston part of the caliper. This usually happened on one side and was certainly dangerous. I think the piston would swell up and not totally release and then the next time you got on the brakes, that side would lock up.
I am not sure if the calipers on your truck have Phenolic pistons, but you may be able to find that here on this site or at your parts house.
I replaced the calipers w/ either new or rebuilt units specifying non-Phenolic pistons and didn't have any more problems.
Good luck.
I am not sure if the calipers on your truck have Phenolic pistons, but you may be able to find that here on this site or at your parts house.
I replaced the calipers w/ either new or rebuilt units specifying non-Phenolic pistons and didn't have any more problems.
Good luck.
