Greg00Coupe

I wanted to share an experience this morning which I had a good laugh about and feel free to laugh at this story too!!! I have seen posts of people having to truck their cars to the dealer after washing their cars because the front brake pads rust to the rotors and the car will not move. I have always avoided this until this morning. I'm in Ohio and drive my car everyday. But because of a trip last weekend I washed it, was in a hurry and did not take the time to take a drive around the block. After sitting for a week I decided to take it to work today. It was a balmy Zero at 6:30 so why not? Now my garage has a vinyl floor and to prevent marks on the tiles I park on carpet tiles. A combination for disaster this morning!!!

I had to back out of the garage (thats another story) and as soon as I put it in reverse I felt the drag in both front wheels. But forgetting it is winter and that I don't ever shovel my drive and it has 5 or 6 inches or ice on it I backed out. As soon as I hit the ice the back tires just spin. Tried to go forward but no go. So what to do? Heck get out turn on the hose with hot water and melt the ice under the tires!!! Why not? After I struggled getting out, my door was right against the door frame.... the hot water worked and I dragged the front end into the garage. After several attempt of rocking the car back and forth the right wheel broke loose. Not so with the left because the carpet tile was under it and it was just sliding on the floor tiles. So after going back and forth numerous times I gave up, shut her down and took my AWD car to work. I am sure the neighbors loved me revving the Corsas at 6:30!!!!

Unfortunately I ripped up my tile floor spinning the back tires!!!!

When I closed up the garage and got into the backup car I was smiling and laughing out loud this was so comical!!!!!

Now the solution IF this happens to you!!! I came home from work and attempted to rock the left wheel again. Even jacked the car up and pulled out the carpet tile. Still no go. I took a wood 2X4 placing it against the rotor in three areas around the rotor and tapped it lightly with a hammer. I figured on the edges it would rock the caliper a little and break loose which it did!!!!

All's well and I certainly will always drive it after and I wash it.


One messy floor!


C7 1 Floor 0:





Morning Burn Out



Free at last!

dvilin

Quite the morning you had, at least you found the humor in it and kept your cool.

grandpawmoses

You got more guts than I do. I can just imagine Bubba coming down the street doing 50 in his 4x4 & skidding into me.

Dunga

Not before he flipped you off for driving a rear wheel vette in the winter because he is waaay smarter in his lifted truck on all seasons.

OP I feel your pain. I had to tow mine to the dealership last time I did this as the computer started throwing rear axel service errors. Turned out I was tapping the wrong wheel. Though it was the rear but really it was the front. Is yours a z51 by any chance??

OldJedi

As bad as our Corvette brakes are about rusting up after a wash, ZL1 Camaro brakes are much, much worse. The first time it happened to me with the Camaro I really thought I would not be able to get it out of the garage at all. I could smell the clutch burning as I tired rocking it back and forth to move. It took a while before it finally broke loose. ZL1 pads are more aggressive (iron) than Z51 pads. With either car, make sure that you drive them after you wash them.

Greg00Coupe

Yes its a Z51. But my c5 and c6 did the same just not as bad. Just need to be aware that a 2 minute scoot around the block takes care of this issue.

rockerontour

Hi! I dont have my C7 yet,,i have a TPW of 3/16,,but after reading about the frozen calipers i have a question- what happens if you drive home in the rain and park in your garage? Will I be in danger of returning a day or even a week later to find frozen calipers with locked wheels on a $70,000 car? And in that case do i really have to start beating them with a 2x4 and a hammer? Should i carry those "tools" with me in the trunk in case they get stuck on a trip?
I never had that happen on any of my cheaper cars,,also how far do you suggest driving it after a wash? That would be ironic as it would have a chance to get dirty again before I put it back in the garage wouldnt it? please advise? thanks!

Dunga

I believe the consensus is that when it's raining you are driving it and the brakes wipe the water off the discs.

So yeah I have over 8,000 miles and not once has it frozen after driving in the rain. The sucky part is after a wash and if it's not nice outside I would hate to drive it. Guess can't wash the car when the weather is bad anymore!

Greg00Coupe

I never had a rain issue. And to be honest I do wash it and leave it in the garage for a few days and have had slight caliber hang ups but nothing to worry about. Keep in mind I park mine on carpet pads on a waxed vinyl floor so when I do pull out there is very little friction. So my normal wash problems are extreme because of the floor. But when I come in from the rain or drive around the block after washing it no issues.

Now with this latest incident...... the rest of the story...... I drive it everyday and it has been in a lot of salt. I suspect there was salt on the brakes which again added to the issue. Plus I have a heated garage which keeps the humidity up.

So just drive it and enjoy!!!

Vetteman Jack

Glad you got the car freed up and can still chuckle about the experience.