Advice on Dragging Front Caliper

[83STE]

My 83 6000 STE with Heavy Duty JA2 brakes has a dragging front brake caliper. Any experience with trying to clean and lube the caliper to unstick it? If not, how about recommendations on a good quality caliper manufacturer? AC Delco, Raybestos, Cardone? Usually caliper replacements are pretty straight forward - any gotchas on the A-bodies? I see the bolts are allen heads, so a allen socket will be needed to get torque from the longer wrench. New hose and other hardware I suppose.

[LordDurock]

My 83 6000 STE with Heavy Duty JA2 brakes has a dragging front brake caliper. Any experience with trying to clean and lube the caliper to unstick it? If not, how about recommendations on a good quality caliper manufacturer? AC Delco, Raybestos, Cardone? Usually caliper replacements are pretty straight forward - any gotchas on the A-bodies? I see the bolts are allen heads, so a allen socket will be needed to get torque from the longer wrench. New hose and other hardware I suppose.

you may need to grease the pistions (slides as some call them) it the part that the bolt that bolts the caliper on the hub. clean the hole it goes in and the slide then grease her up. i like using moly graf grease...but any hi temp grease should do

[83STE]

Good point about the slides. Come to think of I had that same problem with the slide and the brake pad guide pins on my motorcycle. I looked at the caliper on there doesn't look like any leakage, although I need to check it out closer.

[mickstan_VR]

The pistons and slides are 2 different things. The piston pushes the pad against the rotor. The slides allow the caliper to "slide" from side to side, or in and out when the piston is pushed out or released. Don't grease the piston! Only grease the slides!
And yes the slides are the long allen head bolts with the sleeves around them. They also hold the caliper in place. Take them out and clean them. Then re-grease with a high-temp grease being careful not to get any on the pads or rotor.

[dcjredline]

You COULD also have a brake hose that is pinched. Less likely but still a possibility. The previous suggestions are the easier one though.

[glasspilot]

You COULD also have a brake hose that is pinched. Less likely but still a possibility. The previous suggestions are the easier one though.

83STE:

Dcredline beat me to this but definitely check your brake hose. A few years ago I had the same problem and it was old clogged up hoses. Sometimes the internal walls fall apart and block the flow of fluid. It would trap the pressure on the pads and drag the brakes. I replaced BOTH hoses (left and right) the brakes worked like new.:cool:

[LordDurock]

Good point about the slides. Come to think of I had that same problem with the slide and the brake pad guide pins on my motorcycle. I looked at the caliper on there doesn't look like any leakage, although I need to check it out closer.

caliper dont realy do bad just the rubber seals in them. and if there oild enought you can rebuild. also master break cyclders are rebuildable to (most are i've meet) so befor go bying news ones check if they have a rebuild kit...................just a side note.

[83STE]

83STE:

Dcredline beat me to this but definitely check your brake hose. A few years ago I had the same problem and it was old clogged up hoses. Sometimes the internal walls fall apart and block the flow of fluid. It would trap the pressure on the pads and drag the brakes. I replaced BOTH hoses (left and right) the brakes worked like new.:cool:
It looks like it's the old hoses that are clogged. The line would not bleed at the caliper bleed valve, so I loosened the hose fitting attached to the metal line and the line bled out fine. I'll feed back once I get the hoses replaced. I might as well do the rear too. Thanks for the heads up.

[glasspilot]

It looks like it's the old hoses that are clogged. The line would not bleed at the caliper bleed valve, so I loosened the hose fitting attached to the metal line and the line bled out fine. I'll feed back once I get the hoses replaced. I might as well do the rear too. Thanks for the heads up.

That was good detective work! Just the same problem I had years ago, good luck! And hoses are cheap compared to calipers and all.

[83STE]

Just a quick follow-up. Replaced both front brake hoses and the brakes work great. No brake drag and better braking power. Check those old hoses!

[glasspilot]

Just a quick follow-up. Replaced both front brake hoses and the brakes work great. No brake drag and better braking power. Check those old hoses!

Congrats 83STE!

I wonder if those plugged hoses were a problem from the late 80's/early 90's? Have they fixed modern hoses to eliminate this problem? Techs out there?

[bob]

Hello everyone...just bought a 94 Cutlass Ciera.
I knew it had bad rotors and replaced them OK.

It has a high speed vibration, comes on about 65 and get worse as speed goes up. The vibration seems to come and go in waves as I maintain speed at 70.
Feels just like a bump on a tire, but I've had two sets of new tires, balance each time, new struts with alignment, installed new motor mounts, rear wheel bearing.

All this was probably needed, but this is getting EXPENSIVE.

I've always done all my own work (except auto transmission) and had a Celebrity, Citation
and an 87 Ciera GT, so I'm well aquainted with the A body.

Any ideas what to try next, can't stand to drive it on the interstate.

Bob

[LordDurock]

do they come one when you let off the gas......................or something like that

[JimV]

Hello everyone...just bought a 94 Cutlass Ciera.
I knew it had bad rotors and replaced them OK.

It has a high speed vibration, comes on about 65 and get worse as speed goes up. The vibration seems to come and go in waves as I maintain speed at 70.
Feels just like a bump on a tire, but I've had two sets of new tires, balance each time, new struts with alignment, installed new motor mounts, rear wheel bearing.

All this was probably needed, but this is getting EXPENSIVE.

I've always done all my own work (except auto transmission) and had a Celebrity, Citation
and an 87 Ciera GT, so I'm well aquainted with the A body.

Any ideas what to try next, can't stand to drive it on the interstate.

Bob


Hi Bob
have you checked the front end? (ball joints, tierods, wheels bearings), have you checked the rims for warping?

many things to look at, you seem to have eliminated some possible causes (tires, alignment, struts/springs)

[Tuddi]

Bad CV joint ... and/or wheel bearing is my bid.

[bob]

Hey thanks for the responses.....vibration does not change with deceleration /acceleration comes on at about 60-65 and stays the same until I slow down.

Have had two mechanics look at supension / steering "everything seems OK and tight".

I guess the next thing is front drive axles and front wheel bearings.

The car is in really good shape and only has 69000 miles on it but this vibration is driving me crazy.

Thinking about getting an axle and wheel bearing assembly from LKQ( a you-pull-it junk yard) to see if it fixes vibration...then a new one if needed.


BTW not sure how to post items, so please bear with me...thanks,
bob

[I stole grandma's cutty]

would warped rear brake drums cause this? I feel vibrations around 75 mph that feel like its coming from a brake drum that i know is warped, but it is such a small problem and very little vibration that I dont worry about it too much.

[I stole grandma's cutty]

actually no, there is a correction, 80-85, 75 is my cruising speed I just remembered

[bob]

Tried a new brake drum too ...that's sort of how it felt to me too.
Still vibrating at about 65-70.

Used drive axle on pass side...no luck.
Used wheel bearing front pass side ,,, no luck.

Used REAR axle bearings... nope.

Next is a new Pass side motor mount. and driver's side wheel bearing.

How about a 4 wheel alignment. Not sure how good alignment the guy did when putting in new struts.

Bob