Dragging Brakes ???
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 351
Likes: 0
From: Pensacola Fl
Dragging Brakes ???
I have recently put on sportbrakes rotors, gm ceramics pads, and steel brake lines. I also removed and painted the calipers in the process. All four brakes now drag a little. It has been about 500 miles now so I am pretty sure that it isn't a problem that I just have to wait for it to go away. I did regrease the pins when I had the calipers off. What could be causing this? Is it possible that I didn't do a good enough job bleeding the brakes and that would cause this? I am really at a loss here.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
When I replace my pads, I normaly replace all of my fluid and exercise the caliber pistons. Before I remove the old pads I use a pry bar and push the pistons all the way back into the caliber. Then I pump them back out. BECAREFUL NOT TO POP THEM OUT OF THE CALIBER if you do this without any pad in place!
I do this 3-4 times. Then I clean and re-grease the pins with high temp synthetic caliber pin grease. This stuff is specificaly for this purpose. Then I bled and replace ALL of the fluid until it runs clear. I have not ever had any problems! If you use the wrong grease it will cause the calibers to bind on the pins.
Can you move the caliber on the pins easily?
Try this: Find a safe area that you can run the car up to 40-50 mph and coast to a stop. Get out and feel the rotors. They should not be HOT! If they are hot, they are draging
Also try this: Jack the car up. Start the car, press the brake pedel hard and let off slowly. Try to rotate each wheel by hand and see if the pads are draging. Do this when the brakes are COLD and do it again when they are HOT!
Please let me know how you make out.
Bill
Was the grease specificaly for calibers?
I do this 3-4 times. Then I clean and re-grease the pins with high temp synthetic caliber pin grease. This stuff is specificaly for this purpose. Then I bled and replace ALL of the fluid until it runs clear. I have not ever had any problems! If you use the wrong grease it will cause the calibers to bind on the pins.
Can you move the caliber on the pins easily?
Try this: Find a safe area that you can run the car up to 40-50 mph and coast to a stop. Get out and feel the rotors. They should not be HOT! If they are hot, they are draging
Also try this: Jack the car up. Start the car, press the brake pedel hard and let off slowly. Try to rotate each wheel by hand and see if the pads are draging. Do this when the brakes are COLD and do it again when they are HOT!
Please let me know how you make out.
Bill
Was the grease specificaly for calibers?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 351
Likes: 0
From: Pensacola Fl
I have just went through the process of bleeding my brakes again and my brakes are still dragging a good bit. I am really at a loss. It looks like it is dragging on both sides of the rotors. The calipers just don't seem to be releasing enough. I greased the pins with synthetic brake grease that should be good for calipers. I am totally lost. I don't know if I possibly messed up my calipers when I was cleaning them for painting. I didn't mess with the rubber boot around the actual pistons.
Anyone with any ideas, please help!!!!!!! I think I am going to take it somewhere to have a mechanic look at it tomorrow.
Anyone with any ideas, please help!!!!!!! I think I am going to take it somewhere to have a mechanic look at it tomorrow.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,846
Likes: 5
From: Sandy Ego CA
Are you sure that its not the E brake that you hear draging? I put Sport Brakes on my Z - mostly for the looks and had to readjust my E brake because I could hear it draging, I had one hell of a time getting the rotors back off to do the adjustment though. Some Corvette Tech chimed in on one of the other threads regarding getting the rotors off and said that you can pull the small rubber sleeve of the E brake arm to give you access to the small plastic E brake adjuster that has small teeth on it to make the Job easier, I wish I had known that before I finally got my rotors off.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,009
Likes: 54
From: slower lower DE
Couple of things. FYI - I think I read that there's a GM bulletin out that says stainless steel brake lines create static electricity that causes does to appear related to ABS, trac control etc. You may want to check this out.
Just put Sport Brakes rotors on my Vette. Had a noise that sounded like something dragging. Inspected the pads and there was a substance build-up on them. Called Sport Brakes -they said the noise was normal and due to the zinc wash they put on the rotors. They said it would stop after a couple of hundred miles. Last check, it was only intermittent and getting less. Some posts have indicated that the noise lasts well beyond 500 miles. You may want to check with Sport Brakes.
Also, I had trouble getting my rear rotors off. Thought the noise might be coming from there. I did notice that the spring retainer clip had become detached. Re attached it- rotor went on much easier.
Just put Sport Brakes rotors on my Vette. Had a noise that sounded like something dragging. Inspected the pads and there was a substance build-up on them. Called Sport Brakes -they said the noise was normal and due to the zinc wash they put on the rotors. They said it would stop after a couple of hundred miles. Last check, it was only intermittent and getting less. Some posts have indicated that the noise lasts well beyond 500 miles. You may want to check with Sport Brakes.
Also, I had trouble getting my rear rotors off. Thought the noise might be coming from there. I did notice that the spring retainer clip had become detached. Re attached it- rotor went on much easier.
