92 C1500 brakes

I have a 92 C1500 2 wheel drive truck and the front passanger side caliper keeps sticking. This is my wifes truck and I noticed it because the wheel cap was laying on the ground, melted off. I replaced the caliper, bearings, pads, and had the rotor turned. Of course I bled the lines as well.

The brakes worked fine for about 1 1/2 weeks, then it started to pull again. I pulled it all of, and took the caliper back to the store, they said it appeared bad. They gave me a new caliper and I installed it and rebled the lines. Everything else looked fine.

The last replace was Monday evening, here I am now on Wed, and she calls saying it's sticking again.

What gives? Is there something in one of the lines? Am I getting bad calipers? Could the rotor be a little warped and causing the problem? I would think a warped roater would be felt in a wobbly wheel. I s it possible the wheel is out of balance? I've driven the truck since and didn't notice anything odd.

Thanks in advance,

Reply to
MASTER Brian
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Replace the brake lines. They are cheap and easy to change. I had similar problems with my 91 and this was the cause.

Reply to
Sigwings

The flexible lines to the caliper are probably collapsing internally. Tackle them next.

Reply to
Battleax

More than likely bad flex line, replace both. spot check that can be done, drive it a bit, then open the bleeder and see if it comes out with a bit of force at first. Also crack the line fitting above the flex line again after driving it a bit and look for the same. Gush at bleeder, but not at fitting points to flex line. Gush at fitting means blockage back further yet. Does the vehicle have 4 wheel antilock brakes?

Whitelightning

Reply to
Whitelightning

Could the guide pins be worn or bent, causing the caliper to not travel properly as the pads wear? This may be a long shot if you are seeing the problem return after just a week and a half. Kevin

Reply to
KV

Change the flex lines

Reply to
Eightupman

Well, all of you say the brake line and last night I got ahold of 2 mechanics that said the same thing, so I replaced the line. Sent the wife on a test drive and she said it felt better than it had for some time, so let's hope that solves my problems. It would gush at the bleeder, but not at the fitting, it only dripped from fitting somewhat slowly.

I'm just hoping this caliper is ok, but if not that's an easy enough fix and it's got a lifetime warranty.

No, it isn't 4 wheel antilock brakes.

One more question, since I didn't get a chance to pull the other wheel and look, should I be able to grab the caliper and wiggle it a bit when the brakes aren't compressed? Basically, I grabbed the caliper with my hand, fingers toward engine, thumb over outside brake pad and I could move it about 1/8". I guess it would be like grabbing it to pull it off and the wiggle in that same direction.

Once again, thanks for the input.

Reply to
MASTER Brian

Yes you should be able to move it a bit. The shape of the piston seal helps pull the piston back a tad and then rotor run out pushes it back as well. I am assuming you replaced just the one hose, my opinion is to replace both, with the same brand. Mixed hoses can sometimes cause a pull on intial brake application. Plus both hoses have been on the vehicle the same amount of time, and been flexed and subjected to heat and weather.

Whitelightning

Reply to
Whitelightning

I'll take that advice and replace the other as soon as I can get to it. I did drive the truck yesterday and noticed a slight pull still, but nothing seemed to be sticking. I figured it might be, because I replaced the pads on the one side, but not the other, but I didn't think about one possibly flowing more, etc... I figured, I'd go ahead and replace the other set of pads and while I'm there, I'll replace the other hose.

Thanks for the heads up...

Reply to
MASTER Brian

never ever ever mix pads or shoes. I've seen pads come out of a box and just one out of four be from a different batch of lining material and pull one way cold, and another hot, or stop fine cold and then develop a wicked pull when hot.

Hoses from different brands or even batches can have variations in inner diameter. If one is to the plus size of the "allowable" manufactuire spec, and the other to the negative size you can get a minor pull when brakes are first applied. usually just an annoyance thing unless the wheel that wants to hit first is on a slick surface.

Whitelightning

Reply to
Whitelightning

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