2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Brake caliper sticking

[GAmes]

About 32k miles ago I replaced my front calipers, hoses and brake pads. While on my last trip the truck began pulling to the left. When I got home I jacked both tires off the ground and measured how much force it took to rotate them forward using a spring scale. The right side took about 5 lbs, the left about 17. No problem, I just have a bad caliper, right? NAPA replaced it and I installed it only to have even more resistance to rotation than before The hub turns freely and there is no sideward slop. (No heat after driving either). Before I call NAPA and get another caliper,have I overlooked something? I flushed the entire system when I did the brake job. The lines are not rusty and as I said, the hoses are new. The boots and sliders are lubed. What else can cause the caliper to not fully release?

 

[mwilson]

A defective hose maybe??



Inner liner of the hose has detached and is not letting the fluid back out of the caliper??



Crack the bleeder screw at the caliper to relieve any pressure and spin the hub again.



Mike.

 

[Joe Mc]

Mike, I was scratching my head after reading GAmes' post, considering everything is new. Even new parts (in this case probably the hose) can be bad. Can't wait to hear what GAmes finds out on this one. Good call Mike.

 

[fest3er]

When you installed the new caliper, were the pads well clear of the rotor? That is, does the caliper open far enough? Is it the right caliper?

Pull the caliper, put a piece of one-by white wood between the pads and gently, slowly, carefully depress the brake pedal to close the pads a little. Then pull the pads and use a c-clamp and a SOTP gauge to see if the pressure needed to 'return' the piston is reasonable.

Do you have front ABS? If so, is it possible that that one valve has malfunctioned?

A faulty replacement caliper isn't unheard-of.

 

[fox]

Chech the pads for wear from end to end.

I had some pads that wore faster on the trailing adge and caused pistin binding.

Found the issue at midnight in a parking lot--summer time Las Vegas. 100+ degrees.

What I did to get home was to swap pads side to side and drive it.

 

[GAmes]

Chech the pads for wear from end to end.

I had some pads that wore faster on the trailing adge and caused pistin binding.

Found the issue at midnight in a parking lot--summer time Las Vegas. 100+ degrees.

What I did to get home was to swap pads side to side and drive it.

So what did you replace when you got home? Just the pads, or the pads and calipers? Your answer popped out when I recalled that the bottom mounting bolt was binding and required wrenching almost all the way out. Sure enough, one end is worn a lot more than the other, especially the outer pad. With no pads there isn't any binding. When my hands warmup I am going to check the distance from the rotor to the mounting points of the caliper.



Before I removed the caliper I tried letting the pressure off to check the hose, no difference. That is a good tip though.



I idn't have any issue installing the new pads, so I was sure that wasn't it. No front ABS. Don't know what a SOTP gauge is, so I guess I don't have one.

 

[fest3er]

Seat Of The Pants force gauge: does it take an incredible amount of force to push the piston back in? A lot of force? Somewhat more force than you can muster by hand? A 90# weakling could do it with one finger?

Or measuring relatively, does the bad caliper take more, a lot more, or incredibly more force than the good caliper to retract the piston?

 

[fox]

So what did you replace when you got home? Just the pads, or the pads and calipers? Your answer popped out when I recalled that the bottom mounting bolt was binding and required wrenching almost all the way out. Sure enough, one end is worn a lot more than the other, especially the outer pad. With no pads there isn't any binding. When my hands warmup I am going to check the distance from the rotor to the mounting points of the caliper.



Before I removed the caliper I tried letting the pressure off to check the hose, no difference. That is a good tip though.



I idn't have any issue installing the new pads, so I was sure that wasn't it. No front ABS. Don't know what a SOTP gauge is, so I guess I don't have one.

I replaced just the pads with better quality ones.

 

[GAmes]

Seat Of The Pants force gauge:

LOL, good one. It didn't seem to take any more force to push the the pistons in to install the new pads on one or the other. Hopefully it will warm up enough tomorrow to finish the job.



Thanks fox, I would have never measured the thickness of the pads (especially comparing one end to the other) if you had not posted.

 

[fest3er]

Good. It's not the piston hanging up. Kind-of leaves the caliper mount; cocked a half degree might do it. Or, as suggested, the pads or backings could be a tad flimsy.

 

[JMcCoy]

Standard for dodge front brake calipers. Every set of calipers I ever had always did the same thing at every brake pad change. I got tired of changing the pads and throwing away good ones. I would keep the old ones and rotate them in. Since I changed over to the ford calipers, they have been wearing fine. That proved to me that it was the calipers causing the problem. Also no more left or right pull. Good luck

 

[GAmes]

Standard for dodge front brake calipers.

I don't think so. The calipers I replaced had nearly 840k miles on them, the originals. The pads were after market from Auto Zone. They had over 400k on them. They are in a box in the garage, so yesterday I measured their wear. No real difference in end to end thicknesses. I either didn't clean the mounting surfaces adequately, or the replacement caliper wasn't machined correctly.

 

[Matt42]

Standard for dodge front brake calipers. Every set of calipers I ever had always did the same thing at every brake pad change. I got tired of changing the pads and throwing away good ones. I would keep the old ones and rotate them in. Since I changed over to the ford calipers, they have been wearing fine. That proved to me that it was the calipers causing the problem. Also no more left or right pull. Good luck

Ahhh, what Ford calipers fit? What needs to be done? I ask from an academic point of view, not ever having had this problem. But I am ever curious.

 

[JMcCoy]

I changed everything from the ball joints out. 92-97 F-350 Dana 60 will work. You get the free spin hubs and Ford dual piston calipers. They are way better. I wish I did it years ago. It corrected every brake problem I had. Except for my rear drums of course. It's on the list!

 

[GAmes]

The weather finally improved so I finished the job. I still have a slight pull to the left, but not nearly as bad as before. Maybe the new pads need to be seated. I'm going to do a longer test drive to the lake this weekend (120 miles one way) and if it gets worse I'm going to replace the hub bearings and races.

 

[fest3er]

Yup. After fixing my R/F with new caliper (old pads), it pulled a little to the right for a while (week or two) until the pads reseated (or squared off again). It may have taken a fair load in the bed (extra braking needed) or my brother driving (who tends to use the whoa pedal as hard as the go pedal). It's been stopping without any pulling since.

 

[dwymore]

3rd Gen calipers sticking

 

[SMalafy]

How do you change out to Ford calipers ? What other parts are required ? I have a 95 12 valve.

 

[SMalafy]

Now I see your 2nd post and I got my answer. What did the hubs and calipers cost ?

 

[SAndreasen]

Did you put a little anti seize on the caliper mounts and clean the rust off the sliding surface where the caliper sits