94 dragging

[subway]

the front passenger side brake started dragging one day on my way to work, noticed when my steering felt funny and some smoke at stops. i was close to work so i just **** it easy and parked it. when i went to leave i was expecting to have to baby it home giving it time to cool since i had no tools but it was fine back to normal with no apperant dragging. it was several days until it happened again but if i let the truck cool it will go away for days and return randomly.

guess my question is, i assume it is just a hanging caliper but could it be something else? can i rebuild it or just take it off and work it back and forth? i dont want to be cheep with the brakes, but money is a bit tight at the moment and i dont want to throw parts at it if i can fix it woth some elbow grease.:Sly

thanks

 

[Russ]

The rubber in the brake lines has a tendency to break down after time and the inside of the lines start to come apart and create a one way flap valve inside letting you apply the brakes but causing a blockage which keeps the pressure at the calipers. after time the pressure will bleed off the caliper and feel normal. So before replacing the calipers check the lines first.

 

[geonc]

Our beloved FERDs are also prone to the caliper sliders hanging and causing the inboard pad to wear pre-mature in a wedge shape.

If the lines check out, remove the caliper and use whatever means you have--wire brush/scotch brite pad on an angle grinder etc.... of removing the brake dust crud from the contact areas and coating all contact areas and under the slider bolt boots --if these boots are torn...get new ones!--- with synthetic caliper grease along with some fresh pads

 

[reklund]

On the subject of flex lines: Anybody know of a good source for some Stainless Braided flex lines for our trucks? I'd love to change my rubber lines out for some of those...

Ryan

 

[subway]

great thanks for the suggestions, i will look into them and see what i can do this weekend. i just found it odd that it is not consistant, but i want it taken care of before any long trips or big loads.

 

[PnrFab]

On the subject of flex lines: Anybody know of a good source for some Stainless Braided flex lines for our trucks? I'd love to change my rubber lines out for some of those...

Ryan

http://www.crownperformance.com/ give them a call, can make any length you want...

-josh

 

[jauguston]

Something to look at in your caliper is the groove the piston seal goes in sometimes gets corrosion behind the rubber seal ring and it increases the pressure the seal puts on the piston bore. That will cause the piston to not want to retract. It can be cleaned and reassembled using the same seals in most cases. A small screwdriver bent 90 degrees can be used to clean the groove. Both of mine were like that when I bought my rig last year, 31,000 miles on a '86. The brake fluid was black and ugly.

Regarding the stainless braid brake lines, I searched and was not able to find anyone that had ready made hoses for our rigs. There are a couple of places that can make them but you have to send them a sample for them to copy. They will run $60.00 to $75.00 per hose. I had two made for my Goldwing motorcycle. It is important to ask anyone that says they can make you hoses if the hoses they make are DOT certified. There are people out there that will make you hoses but they are not legal (or wise) for use on the road. You can also buy kits to make hoses but again they are not legal or smart for the road. I ended up going to NAPA and buying new stock hoses.

Jim

 

[adrianspeeder]

Dude, trucks tainted, I'll take it off your hands for 300bucks.

You doin this this weekend?

Adrianspeeder

 

[93turbo_animal]

well check everything to save money but it sounds just like what mine did only hanging up everyonce in awhile but slowly getting worse caliper fixed it but really you should replace the rubber line with the caliper as preventive maintenance

 

[subway]

Follow Up

Just wanted to say thanks for the help and show what i found form the brakes dragging. I was putting it off riding my bike and waiting for some money, but its all fixed right now. Here is what i saw on both sides when i took the wheels off...

well now it has new calipers, pads, hardware, rotors and hoses. so everyone who was loosing sleep over my well being can rest easy now.;p funny part is my mileage seems to have gone up ....i wish i was joking

this weekend its glow plug time;p

 

[subway]

Dude, trucks tainted, I'll take it off your hands for 300bucks.

You doin this this weekend?

Adrianspeeder

you double that and i might consider it for my other beater the 78 bronco your missing some zeros for the truck though

 

[Russ]

Nice to see you replaced everything, but any clue to what was the culprit?

 

[adrianspeeder]

I'd say left foot braking (yes I know it's a five speed, but I wouldn't put it past this guy...)

 

[subway]

i am fairly sure that corrosion was the culperite. i think that the pistons on the calipers werent retracting because of that. i think then from the dragging it melted or broke down the seal on the calipers more making things worse. the other side that the picture didnt come out on had no rubber left at all. i was a little worried i didnt find one good thing to point the finger at but it has been a few days now with the new brakes and they still feel much better with no more problems. the old lines could have been an issue two since they were cracked and broken down some but they are gone with fresh ones in there place.

it feels much better to be able to trust your brakes again!

o and the left foot braking is just to clean parts up