Brakes- caliper (?) sticking?

I'm about two days away from getting a new(er) truck, so my old 83 6.9 decided to pitch a jealous fit.

I seem to have a caliper sticking- pedal's excessively high, and it gets worse after I"ve driven for a few minutes (both in terms of it smoking/stinking from the left caliper, and in terms of the high pedal, whcih makes me think that when I start up in the morning with the truck cold, it's not sticking and heat makes it go off somehow). I'd replaced the calipers a few months ago because I lost a vacuum pump and then toasted the calipers riding the brakes with no vacuum assist. I've also had other hydraulic problems with this truck, which makes me think the previous owner didn't maintain the system and there's contamination in the brake fluid (I flushed it with more brake fluid but didnt' flush with alcohol like I should have done, a few months ago).

I had this same 'high pedal/sticking caliper' problem a few weeks ago and by the time I pulled the wheel to look at it it wasn't obvious that anything was wrong. I think the rotors are still fine and have plenty of depth to them (That's the only other time I"ve seen calipers get stuck in the 'on' position- when the rotor's gotten too thin and the caliper piston comes out of it's housing). A couple of days later before I had time to fix it, the problem mysteriously went away all on it's own.

I hate that kind of mystery!


I can't quite tell today if it was just the left side or both calipers- still haven't taken it apart since I'm just parking it till after the new truck arrives.

Anyone have any suggestions on this- "caliper sticks after driving a few miles" being the part I find weird? what would make it unstick overnight?

Thanks,

mark

my buddy had a chevy with a stuck caliper and you could feel a considerable amount of heat from the wheel.. run it untill you are having problems then take your hand and rund it by the wheels say a couple of inches infront of the wheel itself, if its stuck you will feal a noticeable difference in heat coming off... calipers shouldn't be to expensive for that model.. i think on my 81 F150 i picked up one for like $16

i'd say your high pedal if from the brake fluid getting way to hot if it is related to the problem

sounds like two problems--vacuum pump bad--high pedal--and sticking caliper--which could have been bad even if it was a rebuilt--or new for that matter

thanks!

Mark

girl Mark said:

Anyone have any suggestions on this- "caliper sticks after driving a few miles" being the part I find weird? what would make it unstick overnight?

Click to expand...

Master/or Wheel cylinder finally releases guess. read this old post- looking for answers to same problem.

Could be a failing brake hose. The “rubber” line between the frame and caliper. The line can break down inside, and a small flap can come loose from the line. When you push on the brakes, the high hydraulic pressure and “blow open” the flap, but when you release the brakes, it falls back into the line, like a check valve. The pressure can slowly bleed off,and the caliper will release. If you have someone press and release the brake pedal. Open the bleeder, if there’s still pressure, replace the flex line.