Left front STILL dragging!
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 499
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From: southeat Ga.
Left front STILL dragging!
Ok I've been fighting this thing for a while now and am at the end of my rope. The left front brake on my 03 is dragging and I've changed the caliper, the rubber line, the bearing assembly, and the fluid (twice); I've changed everything brake related on the left side except the rotor. What now? Any ideas here? I can jack the front up and spin the right tire and I get tired of counting how many times it turns but the left side I only get about 1.5 revolutions before it stops. I clean the wheels and in two days the left front is lightly covered in brake dust. Help! And btw yes, if I pry the pads away it spins fine so it is the brakes and nothing else that's dragging. Thanks for any help here it's really getting old.
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 713
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From: Minneapolis, MN
Ok I've been fighting this thing for a while now and am at the end of my rope. The left front brake on my 03 is dragging and I've changed the caliper, the rubber line, the bearing assembly, and the fluid (twice); I've changed everything brake related on the left side except the rotor. What now? Any ideas here? I can jack the front up and spin the right tire and I get tired of counting how many times it turns but the left side I only get about 1.5 revolutions before it stops. I clean the wheels and in two days the left front is lightly covered in brake dust. Help! And btw yes, if I pry the pads away it spins fine so it is the brakes and nothing else that's dragging. Thanks for any help here it's really getting old.
Elder User
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 749
Likes: 2
From: Phoenix, Az
Did you replace the springs that hold the pads apart? V shaped looking ones on the outer edge. And it sounds like the right side is looser than normal. Both sides of mine spin very little with the wheels off the ground, when spun by hand.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: southeat Ga.
I pull it up to the concrete pad, shut it off, jack it up, and try to spin the wheel. Yes the truck is off and if I pry the brakes apart so it free spins then hit the brakes enough to stop the tire, let go of the brakes and spin it again, it drags. And, yeah, I changed the little v-springs when I last changed the pads. The truck rarely pulls ot one side or the other when stopping, I think when it does it's because of uneven road pulling on the tires.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,859
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From: USA
Did you lube where the pad sits against the bracket?sometimes they get a burr worn in that area it will hold the pad from backing away.
How many miles on this truck ?
Are your rotors down to the wear marks yet ?
If the caliper has to push out to far sometimes the pads will get misaligned also.
Rich
How many miles on this truck ?
Are your rotors down to the wear marks yet ?
If the caliper has to push out to far sometimes the pads will get misaligned also.
Rich
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Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: No.Va.
Any chance the bracket that holds the pads is worn ?
Does the outer pad sit squarely on the bracket?
Does the outer pad sit squarely on the bracket?
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: southeat Ga.
Well the new caliper came with a new bracket so that's not worn out yet (didn't think to check that though)
Yes the outer pad seems to set pretty flat and square in the bracket.
Where are the wear marks on the rotors? It's got 229,000 miles.
What's a residual pressure valve and how do I check it?
If it's ABS related I guess I'll have to take it to a brake shop but none around here are very good.
Thanks for all the input guys, I'll look closer at that bracket tomorrow.
Yes the outer pad seems to set pretty flat and square in the bracket.
Where are the wear marks on the rotors? It's got 229,000 miles.
What's a residual pressure valve and how do I check it?
If it's ABS related I guess I'll have to take it to a brake shop but none around here are very good.
Thanks for all the input guys, I'll look closer at that bracket tomorrow.
Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2008
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It is a valve that keeps disc brakes under a slight amount of pressure (something like 5 PSI) to keep the brake pad close to the rotor and account for wear. Sometimes they will fail and hold too much pressure in and cause a caliper to drag. I have diagnosed the problem in the past by feeling how much force it took to turn the wheel, then opening my bleeder valve and seeing if the force required is significantly reduced.