An automobile relies on its brakes for safe and effective stopping, whether traveling at highway speeds or simply backing out of your driveway. Unfortunately, your braking system may eventually develop problems as the result of heavy use. Many such problems put you and your car at risk of danger. Show
One of the most frequently encountered braking issues goes by the name of brake drag. Brake drag occurs when one or more of your brakes don't fully release when you take your foot of the pedal. Brake drag may stem from a variety of underlying mechanical issues. This article takes a closer look at three common culprits. 1. Excessive Push Rod Length The brake system in your car contains numerous components, each of which plays a distinct role in braking. One of the first components to engage goes by the name of the push rod. The push rod connects to your brake pedal, and acts to transmit force from your foot to your brakes. More specifically, when you depress the pedal, the push rod transfers force to the master cylinder. This component then releases the hydraulic fluid necessary for braking. The length of the push rod plays a critical role in providing accurate, responsive results. If too short, your brakes won't engage as quickly as they should. An overly long push rod, on the other hand, leads to brake drag. This excessive length prevents the master cylinder from relaxing entirely when you release the brakes. As a result, hydraulic force continues to act on your brakes, keeping them pressed against the rotors on your wheels. Ideally, the push rod should be neither too short nor too long. Mechanics usually allow a small amount of free play. A small gap between the push rod and the master cylinder prevents brake drag, while avoiding the issue of unresponsive brakes. A mechanic can measure the exact amount of play before your brake engages, and make adjustments as necessary. 2. Faulty Caliper Piston When you apply your brakes, your brake pads press against your wheel rotors. This contact generates friction which slows your car. Your brake pads attach to a component known as the brake caliper, which moves them against the rotor each time you press your brake pedal. Calipers close and release according to the flow of hydraulic fluid. The caliper on each of your four wheels has its own dedicated piston, which is used to transfer hydraulic force into the mechanical movement of the caliper. If a caliper piston develops problems, it may no longer regulate caliper movement correctly. Hydraulic fluid often escapes around a damaged piston. In that case, the caliper may not release when you take your foot off of the brake pedal. Unlike other sources of brake drag, a faulty caliper piston only creates drag in one wheel. 3. Caliper Misalignment To prevent brake drag, a caliper must remain in correct alignment relative to the rotor. Over time, a caliper may come out of alignment. If the issue grows severe enough, one of the brake pads may remain in contact with the rotor surface at all times. Numerous factors may play into caliper misalignment. The problem often occurs as the result of a collision. Even a relatively small bump — accidentally popping a curb, say — can bend the mounting brackets used to hold a caliper in place. Alternately, misalignment may stem from rotors or pads that have become excessively warped as the result of overheating. A trained mechanic can quickly identify a misaligned caliper through a visual inspection of your brakes. They may also use a special tool to measure the distance between each of your brake pads and the rotor. Using this information, the technician can then re-center the caliper to provide accurate results. For more information about what it takes to keep brake drag from negatively affecting your vehicle's performance, please contact the tire and auto repair pros at Radial Tire Service.
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Front disc brakes are made up of calipers, rotors and pads working together mechanically and hydraulically to bring your vehicle to a halt. Hydraulic force is applied to the caliper, which in turn compresses the pads onto either side of the rotor, which stops the vehicle. The caliper moves back and forth on caliper slides, which allow it to compress and retract based on the hydraulic forces applied to the caliper. If your pads are dragging on the rotor when the brakes are not engaged, it is time to take the brakes apart and examine them.
Set the parking brake, put on your safety glasses and loosen the lug nuts with the lug wrench.
Jack the front of the vehicle up with the floor jack so you can place it on jack stands. It is best to position the jack stands underneath the frame.
Take the lug nuts off the rest of the way by hand and pull the front wheels off the vehicle.
Put the drip pan under the brake assembly and spray the brakes thoroughly with the brake clean to remove as much brake dust as possible.
Remove the caliper bolts with the socket set and then pull the caliper back and away from the rotor by hand.
Remove the retaining clip from the rear of the caliper and slide the pads out.
Spray down the inside of the caliper with brake clean, making sure to remove all the brake dust from the caliper slide pins. If the caliper slide pins get too much brake dust built up on them, they will prevent the brake caliper from retracting properly, which causes your brake pads to drag on the rotors. If the caliper slide pins are corroded, rusted or damaged, replace them.
Lubricate the caliper slide pins with white lithium grease and then reinsert the brake pads and brake pad retaining clip.
Reinstall the brake caliper by reversing the removal steps and repeat steps four through nine on the opposite side.
Reinstall the wheels, lower the vehicle off the jack stands with the floor jack and then tighten the lug nuts with the torque wrench.
Road test your brakes at a slow speed on a road that has little or no traffic.
Brakes are just as important, if not more important, than a gas pedal. Since your brakes enable your car to stop in a short amount of time, they are the first step to a safe and reliable vehicle. So, if you have noticed your brakes beginning to stick, you may need to check your brake calipers. How do you fix a sticking brake caliper? You can fix a slicking brake caliper in seven easy steps:
An understanding of how brake calipers work combined with basic mechanical knowledge will allow you to successfully clean and unstick your brake calipers at home. Read on to find out how to unstick your brake calipers in seven easy steps, how to troubleshoot other possible brake caliper issues, and more. How to Fix A Sticking Brake Caliper in 7 StepsBrake calipers push the brake pad onto the brake rotor, forcing the wheel (and therefore the car) to slow down. Calipers use sliding pins and grooves to move the brake pad back and forth. It should be a simple and smooth motion, but this groove is often cluttered from road debris or grease build-up, leaving you to clean the calipers before a serious issue emerges. Before jumping into any task, it is vital to make sure you have all the tools for the job ahead of time. Then, you can crank out any repairs you need without having to go on a search for another tool. To fix your sticking brake calipers, you will need:
1. Jack Up the Car to Access the WheelsFirst, identify which brakes you think are sticking. These are the wheels you need to pick up off the ground. Begin by placing the jack under the car or wheel according to the jack manufacturer’s directions. For safety, place chocks behind the other wheels so that there is no possibility of the car rolling while you are working on the brakes. 2. Remove the WheelNext, remove the wheel with the lug wrench. Place all the bolts nearby in a space you will remember where they cannot roll away. Remove the wheel by hand and set it next to you as well. 3. Clean the Brake PadsYou should now have easy access to the brakes. Take a heavy-duty brake cleaner, such as the CRC Brakleen Brake Part Cleaner, and spray it thoroughly on the exposed brake pads and linings according to the package directions. This will remove road dirt, grease, oil, and other contaminants that have worked their way into your brakes. Clean brake pads will decrease sticking and squealing, making your vehicle drive much more safely and smoothly. 4. Remove the Brake Caliper and PadsNow that the brakes are clean, remove the calipers and pads. Do this by unbolting the calipers and lifting up and away from the bracket holding them in. This gives you access to the brake pads, which you can remove by hand. Take a few moments to inspect your brake pads. As explained by in one of my other articles: if they are less than a quarter-inch thick, or approximately three millimeters, then they need to be replaced. Driving with thin brake pads will increase squealing and the likelihood of your brakes seizing up. 5. Cleaning the Brake Caliper ItselfNext, you want to get any old grease or lubricants, as well as any dust build-up, off of the brake caliper. Use a brake cleaner combined with your rag to scour the caliper. Note the caliper pins or bolts have a rubber boot on them. Give them a quick look over to check for any tears. Any damage to the rubber boot, which often happens when mechanics are changing the brake pads, can allow excessive dirt and build up into your calipers. This is important to fix if you do find a broken or torn caliper boot. You can replace these if they are too corroded or dirty to clean. If they are too far gone, you may have to replace the whole brake caliper. 6. Lubricate the Brake Calipers, Pins, and SlidesOnce your caliper looks almost good as new, it is time to grease it up again. Consider using a caliper-specific lubricant, like Permatex Ultra Disc Brake Caliper Lube 24110. This works excellent on caliper pins, hardware, and the back-side of brake pads. Some home mechanics choose to use a generic lube, such as white lithium grease. This is not specifically for calipers, but it does cost quite a bit less. When greasing the brake calipers, make sure to fully grease the bolts, pins, slides, and pistons. You want each surface lightly covered to protect it from any more dust and allow smooth sliding. 7. Put the Calipers, Brakes, and Wheels Back OnOnce everything is cleaned and greased, place the brake caliper back into its bracket. Thread the caliper bolts back into place. You can begin to tighten them by hand, but then use your socket wrench. Do not overtighten these bolts. Overtightening can cause things to crack, damaging your brakes, pads, and calipers. Next, reinstall the brake pads, making sure they are adequately secured. Place your tire back onto the axle and tighten the lug nuts. Again, do not overtighten the lug nuts as this can cause damage to the wheel. Check your owner’s manual for the correct tightness settings. If more than one brake was sticking, you would need to repeat these steps for each wheel and brake caliper. Other Troubleshooting Ideas for Sticking Brake CalipersA thorough cleaning of the brake calipers, pins, and pads usually eliminates any sticking that is occurring. However, some problems do not go away that easily. Often, a more serious issue has to be diagnosed by an experienced mechanic. There are a couple of other potential problems that may be occurring if your brakes are still sticking. Your Emergency Brake Is Worn OutSometimes your emergency brake or parking brake is attached to the rear brake calipers. In this case, a worn-out brake line could be pulling on your calipers incorrectly, causing your brakes to stick. If so, you will need to replace the emergency brake line. The Brake Hose is Leaking or TornIf you have any breakage in your brake hose, the brake fluid will flow into the brakes but not out. When they work correctly, the liquid should flow back out to the master cylinder. To try to fix this, you will need a whole car jack. Get all the weight off the wheels, then apply the brakes. This can reconfigure the hose for correct flow. However, it does not always work. If it does not, then you will need to replace the entire brake hose. Now It’s Time to Unstick Those BrakesNow, you know how to dismantle and clean your brakes and calipers. Once you have an open afternoon and a little room in your garage, it’s time to get to work. Make sure to follow the steps in order and keep track of your tools and bolts along the way. Often, home repairs go wrong when things are not put back together correctly after being taken apart. If you are nervous, consider videotaping yourself or taking pictures as you go. This will make sure you know exactly where things go back, and you can see how much of a difference your cleaning made. |
How to fix dragging brakes
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