Sticking caliper?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Muncie Indiana
Sticking caliper?
I got my 79' out for the first cruise of the year and towards the end of my cruise I started noticing what seems to be possibly a sticking caliper...the brakes feel and sound like they are grabbing and sticking in the rear. I notice driving up and down the driveway at slow speeds it makes quite a bit of noise in the rear.....what was interesting is when I first took off for the cruise the front right was doing it bad to the point where it sounded like a ran over something....I'm guessing a mixture of rust and so on the rotor from sitting over the winter.....but the front went away and 20 miles later the back is terrible..
Any ideas on fixing sticking calipers if my thoughts are correct in what this noise is?
Thanks all for your time!
Wes
Any ideas on fixing sticking calipers if my thoughts are correct in what this noise is?
Thanks all for your time!
Wes
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
IF the calipers are dead stock, they can hang up fairly easy, given the age and DOT3 fluid.....so when you tear it all down to check for maybe someone has most likely exchanged the OEM calipers for Stainless Steel lined calipers, you are in luck if so.....then to change all of the rubber brake hoses....blast the lines clean/clear with brake cleaner, and air jet, rebuild calipers, and refill with Silicone DOT 5 fluid....NAPA has it, most other stores don't......Silicone forstalls rust....
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 28
From: Burkburnett TX
Every time I drive a vehicle that has sat for a time, I do a "confidence check" on the brakes. That is simply mashing on them a few times from a decent speed. This will serve two purposes, cleaning off the brake discs and letting you know if something is wrong before you need to use them in a real panic stop. I have had some that took quite a while to eat the rust off and quiet down, especially in the rear. Might give it a few good hard stops and see if the noise goes away.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,259
Likes: 154
From: Deplorableville Nebraska
Any ideas on fixing sticking calipers if my thoughts are correct in what this noise is?
Good luck.......
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,124
Likes: 140
From: Western New York
Duane
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: Mill Hall PA
IF the calipers are dead stock, they can hang up fairly easy, given the age and DOT3 fluid.....so when you tear it all down to check for maybe someone has most likely exchanged the OEM calipers for Stainless Steel lined calipers, you are in luck if so.....then to change all of the rubber brake hoses....blast the lines clean/clear with brake cleaner, and air jet, rebuild calipers, and refill with Silicone DOT 5 fluid....NAPA has it, most other stores don't......Silicone forstalls rust....
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Muncie Indiana
Thanks to all of you for your time. Sounds like I need to start with the rubber lines and work from there....this is something I haven't witnessed before and my 69' didn't have this problem but maybe the calipers and / or lines were replaced at some point on it.
Thanks!!!l
Wes
Thanks!!!l
Wes
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Muncie Indiana
Ok guys... A couple more questions before I tear into this thing.....I was driving it more over the weekend and every time I went out in the car the caliper would not stick until after several times of applying the brakes...then once it started sticking it would stick until I parked the car for a couple hours and got back in it...and then same routine....
Question is...does this still sound like a collapsed hose to you guys?
Question #2 if so...what kind of troubles am I going to run into changing this thing out? Easy to bleed the system back? I've changed several sets of pads and rotors on various vehicles but have never done anything where I'm opening up the system so I assume I will have to bleed after completed..
Please shed some light....I'm all ears and would like to get this done - it's driving me crazy and I'm sure not doing my brake system any favors either.
Thanks guys!
Wes
Question is...does this still sound like a collapsed hose to you guys?
Question #2 if so...what kind of troubles am I going to run into changing this thing out? Easy to bleed the system back? I've changed several sets of pads and rotors on various vehicles but have never done anything where I'm opening up the system so I assume I will have to bleed after completed..
Please shed some light....I'm all ears and would like to get this done - it's driving me crazy and I'm sure not doing my brake system any favors either.
Thanks guys!
Wes
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 5,738
Likes: 644
From: Lincoln, CA
Make life easy and get the Motive Brake Bleeder and a large C-Clamp. Also a pack of vacuum caps. Also a set of Flare Nut wrenches.
When you disconnect the hardline at the body pop a vacuum cap on the hardline to keep the fluid from running out.
Then you can take your time replacing the softline. While you have it all apart check the calipers for any sticking piston.
Depending on age I would rebuild or replace the calipers.
Once it's all back together bleed the brakes with the Motive Bleeder. Having a rubber mallet is good too to tap the caliper during the bleed.
I use a clear rubber hose over the bleeders into a bottle to catch the old fluid.
When you disconnect the hardline at the body pop a vacuum cap on the hardline to keep the fluid from running out.
Then you can take your time replacing the softline. While you have it all apart check the calipers for any sticking piston.
Depending on age I would rebuild or replace the calipers.
Once it's all back together bleed the brakes with the Motive Bleeder. Having a rubber mallet is good too to tap the caliper during the bleed.
I use a clear rubber hose over the bleeders into a bottle to catch the old fluid.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,259
Likes: 154
From: Deplorableville Nebraska
Question is...does this still sound like a collapsed hose to you guys?
Everyone has their own idea of the best way to bleed brakes. I like the gravity method. Also lets me have a few adult beverages in between!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 28
From: Burkburnett TX
The soft lines in the rear go right into the short hard line sections heading into the rear calipers. Now is the time to change those as well if they are rusty or strip out when trying to free them from the soft line. Mine were nasty from the elements and stripped out when attempting to loosen them, so I cut them off and replaced both lines and went with all new calipers from the local parts store.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
and I have been running DOT5 fluid in any car I care about for over 20 years now, never an issue.....OH, BTW, I have never had to change fluids either, always clean/clear.....
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Muncie Indiana
Thanks for all the input guys.....I truly appreciate it. After getting some nice weather for a change this past weekend we now have another winter storm coming this week so it will be a great time to tackle this project. I'll report back.
Thanks!!!!
Thanks!!!!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Muncie Indiana
Ok guys....changed both rubber hoses as discussed and bleed the brakes......still getting this noise when brakes are applied and released. It's very loud and you can feel it in the rear wheels when rolling at low speeds....I still believe it to be a sticking caliper because I can run the car down the road at 60mph with no issue.....once I stop and then take back off it starts making the noise. It seems the slower I go the louder it gets.....
Thoughts? Calipers next or something else going on?
Thanks for your time guys.
Wes
Thoughts? Calipers next or something else going on?
Thanks for your time guys.
Wes
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Muncie Indiana
Mike - it absolutely could be something else....I don't know for sure. I'm looking for guidance or suggestions on what direction to go next.
What throws me to the brakes is I can run down the highway with no noise, vibration or anything.....noise starts after brakes are applied several times about 10 minutes into a drive but quits once I get going again. Comes back when I stop and take off again.
Ideas, recommendations, suggestions?
Thanks guys
What throws me to the brakes is I can run down the highway with no noise, vibration or anything.....noise starts after brakes are applied several times about 10 minutes into a drive but quits once I get going again. Comes back when I stop and take off again.
Ideas, recommendations, suggestions?
Thanks guys
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Muncie Indiana
Ok guys here's the latest....I have now changed rubber hose to calipers, steel line from rubber hose to calipers, new calipers, rotors, brake pads...rear wheel bearings were changed before I bought the car approximately (6 months ago).....I still have this "grabbing" sensation coming from the rear after I stop and take back off. Never does it at speed. Feels just like a sticking caliper but obviously that wasn't the answer.....I'm lost. What else would make this noise and vibration only after taking back off from a stop? I wouldn't know what in the differential would do this but I'm lost. Please help!!
Any ideas?
Thanks for your help guys.
Wes
Any ideas?
Thanks for your help guys.
Wes