Yesterday, I noticed that my right front brake caliper seemed to be sticking. This morning I jacked up the front end, and could barely turn the right front wheel when it was off the ground. So, I have concluded that that caliper is sticking. (If anyone has a better idea I'd love to hear it.) So, here is the question(s): what is the best way to repair this (new caliper, rebuilt caliper, or rebuild it myself), do I need to do both sides the same or can I just do the one that is acting up, and should I expect to pay. I have some mechanical ability, but that Haynes manual doesn't make too much sense to me. Getting it professionally repaired is extremely inconvenient, I need to be back at school (300 miles away) Tuesday evening, and probably couldn't get it in to get it done before then.
Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Ian

 

A quality rebuilt is easy and convenient. I don't know to the nearest dollar what they sell for; but it's not all that bad. Maybe have a look on rockauto.com for examples. As for replacement, just pull off the tire, look at how the caliper is secured to the knuckle, remove it, remove the pads, and remove the hydraulic line. Assemble in the reverse. You should be able to get by with just bleeding the RF and LF calipers in that order. No Haynes trash needed; use that for a firestarter or deposit it in an outhouse somewhere. As for replacing both, that would depend on mileage and how often the brake fluid get's flushed. A shop would want to sell you two if you wheeled it in; if time is tight fixing the problem will probably be fine. This would also be a good time to flush the system if it's been awhile.

**You will find the bleeding to be easiest if you have a helper. Also, sometimes they use pad adhesive between one of the pads and the caliper. If so, make sure you resore that.

 

Thanks, Bill.
I guess I will replace that caliper today.

 

hi john112deere
i had a the same problem with a ford escort.
it ended up being the flexiable brake line for that caliper.
just my 2 cents

 

you should replace both calipers for even pressure and you need new pads the old ones will not bite the same with a new caliper. it is also a good chance your pad has tiny fractures in it from extense heat caused by dragging.

 

OK, I did the caliper. The right front wheel is still dragging real bad. The left is equally hard to turn. Driving the truck, it feels like I have a couple hundred pounds of cargo in the back, which I assume is the brakes dragging. Both front rims were warm to the touch after driving only a few miles, at speeds less than 40 mph.
Anybody got any ideas?
Thanks,
Ian

 

Anybody?
I can't drive it, and need to get it fixed tomorrow if at all possible.

 

try re-bleeding the system. it's a pain but it may help. as mentioned above it could be a line, but start with the cheap attempt and re-bleed the brakes. start at the back and work forward....always start with the farthest wheel from the master cylinder.

 

OK
Thanks- I guess that will be my night's entertainment.

 

Any chance your power brake booster is malfunctioning and holding the pedal down a tad? With your toes, try to lift up on the brake pedal. Ideally, it will already be fully up and you wound be able to move it.

 

Had the same problem with my BIII can't tell you which fix did it for sure but it sounds like you have gone thru the same ones I did.
Last and final fix was replacing the second brake hose. I had replaced one with no change. After doing that and at the same time I bled the system completely and refilled with synthetic brake fluid and haven't had the problem since.
Dave

 

I had a sticking front brake problem and read in several forums about the flexible hoses being the problem. I have done my own car work for at least 30 years and I have never heard of this, so I dismissed it at first. But apparently it does happen.

It is actually very easy to verify. If it is harder than normal to push the caliper back with a C clamp, but it becomes easy when you open the brake bleeder, you know that the brake fluid isn't being allowed to return to the master cylinder. Close the bleeder and loosen the fitting where the flexible line meets the metal line. If the caliper still won't retract, it has to be the hose.

 

I can vouch for that, inasmuch as it happened on my '94 Taurus SHO. I replaced the hose and fixed the problem.

(Old thread, but a point that's worth reiterating.)