Front brakes Dragging

'94IDITurbo7.3

HAMMER DOWN!
Joined
Mar 29, 2011
Posts
5,353
Reaction score
3
Location
Fowlerville Michigan
My front bakes seem to be dragging on the truck in my sig.

I have put a rebuild kit in my master cylinder. I put on new callipers on both sides. I put on new brake hoses going to the callipers from the steel line. I put on a new steal line for the front. I greased the slides on the callipers when I put them on. I now have all brand new fluid in the system. The master cylinder is pumping fluid. When i take the tire off and try to spin the rotor it is extremely hard to turn. I know that it is not a wheel bearing issue b/c when the callipers are off the rotor spins just fine. When i put the tire on I mark it @ the 12 o'clock position and spin it with a good deal of force and it only makes it to about 6-7 o'clock. Same thing for both sides.
Tommorow i hope to cut out the gauge thingy for getting the correct adjustment on the pushrod for the booster on the waterjet at school.
I am at a loss as to what could be my problem.:dunno

Thanks in advance
 
Last edited:

franklin2

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2009
Posts
5,658
Reaction score
1,917
Location
Va
Been through this with a Ranger pickup. You need to isolate the problem. The first thing I would do is get setup again to make sure the front brakes are dragging, and then loosen the mounting bolts on the master cylinder and pull it forward. If they release, then your rod coming out of your booster is too long and needs to be shortened, or there is something wrong with the booster.

If the brakes don't release, the next thing to do is loosen the line going into the master cylinder from the front brakes. If they release, then you know the problem is the master cylinder.

If they still don't release, I would go to the proportioning valve(if you have one) and loosen the lines down there and see if they release.

The problem with the Ranger turned out to be the booster. The rod going into the booster from the pedal was rusted and not releasing all the way.
 

lotzagoodstuff

Full Access Member
Joined
May 19, 2007
Posts
2,834
Reaction score
829
Location
Carmel, IN
+1 on checking the push rod for being out of adjustment. I had a Bronco that would "check valve" the front brakes because the rod was too long.

When you crack the bleeders on the front calipers, are you confirming pressure is being trapped?
 

OLDBULL8

Good Morning Ya'll.
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Posts
9,923
Reaction score
342
Location
Delphos , Ohio
On your 94 you more than likely have rear wheel ABS, you don't have a proportioning valve on the rear. Open the bleeder on the front brake caliper's, that will relieve any pressure if there is any and let the wheel turn free, may be a light drag on them. If you got the correct MC the link should not have to be adjusted.
 

'94IDITurbo7.3

HAMMER DOWN!
Joined
Mar 29, 2011
Posts
5,353
Reaction score
3
Location
Fowlerville Michigan
I have 2 lines coming out of the m/c. Correct me if i am wrong but doesn't the front line on the m/c go to the front brakes & the rear line go to the rears. I have a proportioning valve coming off of the rear fitting on the m/c. Does that have anything to do w/ front breaking action?
 
Last edited:

'94IDITurbo7.3

HAMMER DOWN!
Joined
Mar 29, 2011
Posts
5,353
Reaction score
3
Location
Fowlerville Michigan
Today when i got home from school i jacked up both front wheels. Then gradually loosened up the nuts that hold the m/c on. i moved the m/c completely away from the booster and i had no change in brake drag.
What does this tell you guys?
 

'94IDITurbo7.3

HAMMER DOWN!
Joined
Mar 29, 2011
Posts
5,353
Reaction score
3
Location
Fowlerville Michigan
Open the bleeder on the front brake caliper's, that will relieve any pressure if there is any and let the wheel turn free, may be a light drag on them. If you got the correct MC the link should not have to be adjusted.

When i crack the bleeder do i do so w/o applying the break pedal?
 

nsjames

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2011
Posts
149
Reaction score
0
Location
44805
When i crack the bleeder do i do so w/o applying the break pedal?

yes.
If the system is holding pressure you will get a spurt, then just the dribble of gravity bleeding.

it's also possible that something is interfereing at the knuckle. I once got the wrong rotors and they were fine until you bolted on the wheel, and then the wheel forced the rotor into the caliper mount.
 

'94IDITurbo7.3

HAMMER DOWN!
Joined
Mar 29, 2011
Posts
5,353
Reaction score
3
Location
Fowlerville Michigan
When i have the front wheels off & i grabb the wheel studs & try and turn the rotor it is almost impossible to move it. You really have to work to turn the rotor.
 

Compu Doc

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2005
Posts
1,271
Reaction score
2
Location
Middletown NJ
If it turns out your rebuilding of the MC is bad I'd replace it with a new and not a rebuilt MC. When it comes to brake hydraulics their are only two things I will put in that are rebuilt and that is front calipers and the RABS valve. I've never put a rebuilt MC or rebuilt the MC my self on any vehicle I owned. The same goes for wheel cylinders. They were always new. The cylinder part of an MC could be slightly out of round and no rebuild kit is going to make it perfectly round.

Jut my .02
 

OLDBULL8

Good Morning Ya'll.
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Posts
9,923
Reaction score
342
Location
Delphos , Ohio
There was a change in the thickness and offset of the rotors, cant remember the year the change was made, also the calipers were different. Could it be you have the wrong calipers? Anyone remember the year of changes? IIRC the pads were different thickness also. Ford did some strange things with there half year changes. 94.5 & 99.5
 

Compu Doc

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2005
Posts
1,271
Reaction score
2
Location
Middletown NJ
There was a change in the thickness and offset of the rotors, cant remember the year the change was made, also the calipers were different. Could it be you have the wrong calipers? Anyone remember the year of changes? IIRC the pads were different thickness also. Ford did some strange things with there half year changes. 94.5 & 99.5

I know in 91 their was a change in Calipers. Whenever I bought calipers I had to look at the manufacture date. Early 91 takes a different caliper than late 91 but I think the only difference was the material of the pistons. The early 91 had aluminum while the late 91 had Bakelite pistons. Either would fit with no problems.
 
Top