Gentlemen,

I've got my 2000 Expy, 4wd, up on the jack in the driveway, in neutral, and I find that the wheel is a lot more resistant to turning by hand than I think it should - suspect sitcking calipers.

With the wheel on, I can barely turn it with one hand on the tire tread. Both hands it takes some effort and it stops spinning within 1/16 rotation after I let go. With the wheel off, trying to turn it by the studs, it's a real effort, I gotta put some back into it to turn it at all.

Tried both sides, left and right - same thing pretty much. I had noticed a while ago that the rotors were warmer than I think they should be after a drive.

And the reason I've got it up was to spin the wheels to see how they spin 'cause I suspect the bearings are going on the driver's side - new grinding noise started two days ago, like driving on a fine washboard, and getting rapidly worse. So I figured Ispin the wheels to see if I could detect anything, but there''ll be no spinning like this. But now I wonder if over-heating for a few months with sticky calipers might not have affected the bearings and that's why they're going....

Thanks.

Update: just tried the sme thing on the car (front wheel drive) - MUCH easier - turns easily with one hand, eqasy to get it to spin 1/2 turn after I let go..day and night...darn...

 

Have you tried removing the caliper?

If the caliper is a bitch to get off, that will probably point at it dragging. And once it's off, if the hub spins relatively easier, that's your problem.

However it should be pretty obvious if it's dragging that bad, like you should be getting a distinct "hot brake" smell while driving.

 

It should definitely spin a whole lot easier than you describe.

I would remove the caliper - how hard it comes off does not effect whether it's seized or not - and see if the wheel is any easier to spin. If it's still hard, then it points at the bearings. If it's suddenly easier I would replace both calipers.

Is this front or rear? If it's the rear it could also be the parking brake assembly, which is inside the rotor.

 

Ya, taking it off is the next step I guess.

I'll keep this thread posted.

 

OK, next day - took the calipers off. I had to pry them apart before they'd even move. Then, once off, nice free-wheelin' hubs.

I'm thinking that before I go to the expense of replacing the calipers, I'll try lubing up the slider bolts and everything and put it back together and see if that fixes things.

Seems a bit odd the pistons of both would start sticking like that.

 

The pistons should compress pretty easily. You should be able to do it with a pair of channel-locks. Also check around the seals for leaking fluid. If there are any leaks replace them.

 

Our '99 Expy had a front caliper problem on the passenger side. There are two pistons and one was sticking to the point the rotor was worn in a 'wedge' shape. I replaced that entire caliper/rotor but still have issues - far more brake dust generated on that side than the driver's side.

 

OK - took a closer look at the calipers in preparation for lubing them. First, they were all crudded up. The padss weren't really able to slide. But worse, the anti-ratlle clips on both calipers had been dinged by something bad enough to bend them. On one side it had got hit right on where the pad frame was, bending the foot of the frame in against the slide rail, seizing it there. One pad I had to beat out with a hammer it was so seized.

So, I straightened the clips, cleaned everything up, lots of high temp brake grease, work the parts together making sure everything slides nice, put it all back together, pump the brakes a few times, and - the moment of truth - take the wheel in hand and give it a spin - hallelujia, it spins freely. Take it out on the road to warm them up, come home, back up on jacks, give her spin - and still spinning freely. You can feel the difference on the road, feel it glide.

On top of that, the pulsating brake pedal is gone.

So, a couple issues cleaned up with nothing more than some brake lube. I think I might make this an annual affair.

Thanks everyone.

With the brakes now out of the picture, I can turn my attention to the original reason I got into this - the grinding noise, which now seems can only be the bearings going. And since some great guy recently posted a hub change thread, no problemo.