Calipers sticking
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Calipers sticking
76 model, pretty much stock car - no special aftermarket parts. A month ago, drove 50 miles and for the last 10 miles or so, figured out (after the fact) that the RR caliper was sticking. It ruined the caliper and rotor.
Had the caliper, rotor and master cylinder replaced plus multiple series of bleeding/driving/bleeding/driving, etc. We felt good about the how the brakes felt, about the bleeding, etc.
Drove the car 15 miles that day, no problem.
A week later, drove it 22 miles, no problem.
Later that day, on the 22 mile return (1/2 way) - the LR caliper started sticking. Allowed it to cool down for 40 min. and made it back with no problems.
3 days later, took a 6 mile drive and only made it 3 miles and the RR (the new caliper) is locking up again. Really bad this time - to the point that the car will not move. Allowed it to cool for 40 minutes and it drove OK for the next 3 miles. On the return 6 miles trip, the LR caliper started sticking this time.
I can easily tell which one is sticking by the smell of the pads and the temperature of the rally wheel center cap.
Any ideas?
Had the caliper, rotor and master cylinder replaced plus multiple series of bleeding/driving/bleeding/driving, etc. We felt good about the how the brakes felt, about the bleeding, etc.
Drove the car 15 miles that day, no problem.
A week later, drove it 22 miles, no problem.
Later that day, on the 22 mile return (1/2 way) - the LR caliper started sticking. Allowed it to cool down for 40 min. and made it back with no problems.
3 days later, took a 6 mile drive and only made it 3 miles and the RR (the new caliper) is locking up again. Really bad this time - to the point that the car will not move. Allowed it to cool for 40 minutes and it drove OK for the next 3 miles. On the return 6 miles trip, the LR caliper started sticking this time.
I can easily tell which one is sticking by the smell of the pads and the temperature of the rally wheel center cap.
Any ideas?
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Langley AFB VA
Mine had that problem, and I think it was because water had gotten into the brake booster. I replaced the Master Cylinder, and Brake Booster problem solved, the bad fluid had not made it down to the calipers yet. Sometimes it can get into the release valve on the brake booster that is exactly what happened with mine.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Only had the issue with one side or the other, at different times.
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Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
A few more test drives and each time, either the LEFT or RIGHT side caliper sticks, but never BOTH.
The last two test drives only resulted in going a few hundred feet (on dead cold brakes) and one of the two calipers locks up enough to bring the car to a halt just like you slammed on the pedal. Then a few seconds later, the caliper releases and it's back to normal - and then the process repeats.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 860
Likes: 0
From: Stratford Ontario
The distribution blocks are located in the back corners of the frame where the brake lines turn to go back to rear flex lines. Unless there is material in fluid plugging them they can't be the problem. I would be more suspect of flex lines as allowing it to sit resolves problem. Make sure you bleed enough fluid out of all four calipers to get fresh fluid. If there is a chance that water is in lines.
