Sticky caliper?

[Hipster]

So I know it’s been a little bit but I have a new theory.

I got the one caliper warrantied and a second new one put on. This one does not drag or hang up like the last new one did.

however this is what I have noticed, the drive front wheel still has more drag than the passenger side. I’m pretty positive it’s the brakes. Taking the temperature the driver front is always atleast 10-15 degrees hotter than the passenger side.

and when you brake you can feel the driver side brake harder. Which led me to some theories

1. The passenger side is sticking/hanging up too. It’s not as old as the driver side only about 2 years old. But possible

2. the pads are more grabby on the driver side (not sure it would be constant)

3. I wonder if my steering knuckle is bent? When I was in highschool I was your typical dumb highschool kid and turned out in front of someone and they hit me right square in the front driver tire. I used to have the list of parts they replaced but now I can’t find it. But I’m pretty sure control arms were in there but I’m pretty sure the steering knuckle was not. This would make sense why the first caliper didn’t fit right and was binding. And possibly why this was is still tighter than normal.

The whole truck has newer calipers (same age as the pads)

new hubs
cv axles
Brake hoses
1 new caliper
1 caliper that’s about 2 years old
new ball joints
New tie rods inner and outer


So I don’t think those have to do with it. After highschool I went to tech school for autobody. While there I was able to put the truck on the frame rack and straighten the frame back into spec. That was several years ago.

If I get the chance I want to pull both tires and see if I can measure a difference between the left and right knuckles

A bent knuckle can show up in the SAI, included angle and turn radius numbers on the alignment end of things. You stated the brake was hanging up but no mention of new pads or rotors? Cooked pads/rotor on one side? Glazed frictions can be grabby. Ideally both sides need to be done at the same time. Wheel bearing ok? Is the rotor wore out where it has a ridge?

Measuring for a bent knuckle can be difficult. If there is a large discrepancy ok, but you you're dealing with measurements where less than 1/8 inch can make a huge difference and hard to do without a mini tram gauge or electronic frame measuring equipment. Typically a knuckle will bend just below the upper ball joint or in the steering arm section and on 2wd the spindle can get bent in which case the caliper and pads might not sit perpendicular to the rotor. On 4wd the hub would bend and make for a wobble. It's not clear in this thread which you're dealing with.

 

[dirtautoguy]

Hey sorry this kinda got put on the back burner for a while. Last time I had it jacked up it was still the same. I could feel the driver side was a good bit stiffer than the passenger side. The driver side brakes also run roughly 7 degrees hotter.

sometimes I can feel it in the brakes As it pulls to one side or the other on initial brake. The truck does also wander slightly.

the brake pads have always been done as sets. The current ones are at about 40 percent maybe a little less, I have some new ones in the box ready to go but I wanted to get this figured out first because I don’t want to cook my new pads right away. The rotors were done with the last pad change so they should be good

could worn pads be causing it to not release all the way or something? When I was having caliper issues I lubed all the contact points really well so everything should move like they should.

the original problem that brought this up was I thought the driver caliper was sticking so I got a new one and it stuck really bad untill I whacked it with a rubber mallet and it would release. I got that caliper warrantied and the new one is a lot better but still holds on more than the passenger side when no pedal is given which is probably contributing to me wander problem.

 

[dirtautoguy]

I don’t feel any wobble

 

[Schurkey]

Three primary reasons that a caliper drags:

1. Fluid can't return to the master cylinder when you release the brake pedal. Can be a failed brake hose, can be a mis-adjusted master cylinder. Can be other problems, but those are the two most-common. The caliper drags--then you crack open the bleeder screw and "poof" the problem vanishes. You'd then need to track down the reason fluid can't return to the master.

2. Piston is seized in the bore. Sometimes from corrosion build-up from a failed dust boot, or from corrosion build-up behind the square-cut seal that keeps the fluid from leaking past the piston.

3. Caliper mounts don't "float" or slide freely. I had to dick with the caliper mounts on my Trailblazer a month or so ago. The mounts corroded, didn't slide on the rubber bits.

The pads don't cause drag, but they can be affected by drag--uneven or excessive wear; overheating, cracking, glazing, etc.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Three primary reasons that a caliper drags:

1. Fluid can't return to the master cylinder when you release the brake pedal. Can be a failed brake hose, can be a mis-adjusted master cylinder. Can be other problems, but those are the two most-common. The caliper drags--then you crack open the bleeder screw and "poof" the problem vanishes. You'd then need to track down the reason fluid can't return to the master.

2. Piston is seized in the bore. Sometimes from corrosion build-up from a failed dust boot, or from corrosion build-up behind the square-cut seal that keeps the fluid from leaking past the piston.

3. Caliper mounts don't "float" or slide freely. I had to dick with the caliper mounts on my Trailblazer a month or so ago. The mounts corroded, didn't slide on the rubber bits.

The pads don't cause drag, but they can be affected by drag--uneven or excessive wear; overheating, cracking, glazing, etc.

All true, and if the rotor is warped or the wheel bearings are bad on that wheel, those can cause similar problems. Disc brakes are designed to not have a lot of clearance, kind of self cleaning. Badly warped rotor with bad bearings can make it grab intermittently.
I've seen some crazy things happen to brake systems in the parts business. When Ford and Chrysler started using the phenolic plastic caliper pistons, they would get stuck from swelling, in gulf coast heat and humidity when someone got on the brakes really hard. This was pre ABS, of course.
And I know after I replaced the front hubs (with sealed bearings) on our 06 Denali (awd so similar to 4x4), it stopped straighter.

 

[dirtautoguy]

The only thing there I can see that hasnt been replaced or looked at is the master cylinder.

when I replaced the caliper because of “sticking” I replaced the brake hose to the caliper with it. The first caliper I replaced it with stuck really bad. There wasn’t pressure stuck because when I opened the bleeder there wasn’t any pressure on it but when I whacked it with a mallet it would release. Napa warrantied it and the new one still is sticky but not nearly as bad but still noticeable. I checked the bleeder again and still no pressure

so I don’t believe it’s the hose or caliper. If it was the master cylinder I would think there would be pressure being held on the pads.

in between all this I have replaced both hubs with timken replacements and this issue was there before the Hub replacement so I don’t believe the hubs to blame.

so in my opinion that leaves either a faulty caliper in some way non hydraulic (maybe fitment) or possibly the pads as they are the last item that has not been replaced.

Iv had a bad run with napa parts this year. They’ve always been good about getting me a good new part but that doesnt save me the labor I put doing the job. And they are the only parts store available here

I had the same thing with my steering gear box I went through 4 napa ones and finally bought a redhead unit and haven’t had problems since.

are there any caliper brands or companies that make a quality product? I wouldn’t be against trying a better quality caliper.

 

[Frank Enstein]

Powerstop calipers are what I buy. I have been impressed with the quality and price.

 

[CKVortec]

One reason to always replace your calipers in pairs (rotors too), the one that is running cooler may not be clamping as it should so you might be working on the wrong side. Don't get bound up in what the temperature is unless it's really dragging or burning hot. If it stops straight, doesn't pull, and isn't frying pads or warping rotors let it go.
I guarantee you it isn't the master cylinder, that would cause both brakes to either drag or not stop the truck. It won't effect one caliper differently than the other.
IF you DO have a problem it could be blockage in a line or hose, binding or bend slider pins, or it could be a caliper piston tighter in the bore than the other side causing it to not release as easily. If you open the bleeder screw and nothing comes out (no pressure captured and holding the brake slightly applied) there should also be no difference in the force required to spin the hub and rotor if there is a change then there really was trapped pressure.

 

[Schurkey]

Take the caliper off, grease the slides/mounts? Push the mounts back and forth with your fingers to verify that they aren't stuck?

Photo 1. Caliper mounting bolts with sliders. Anti seize threads, grease sliders.
http://hbassociates.us/K1500_Front_Suspension_47.jpg

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[HotWheelsBurban]

Yup, that's the way Dad taught me to do it. And several professional mechanics that I knew back in the day too. My first job helping Dad on our vehicles was cleaning parts, brackets and bolts.
I'm reposting a picture from my Burb's last front brake job, June 14 last year. The details of it are covered in posts on the " what did you do to your GMT 400 today? " thread, pages 2472 and 2473.
The caliper bolts are standing up in a metal magnetic parts dish, buttered with lube on their surfaces and the threads have anti seize on them( silver stuff on threads). I don't have any pictures of the caliper mounting surfaces and the slides on the spindle.

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That Lubriplate brake lubricant may be older than the Burb. If you don't do many brake jobs, a can lasts a long time!