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Front calipers dragging?


JoshT

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This is on my 99 Ranger 4wd. Recently I started noticing that the front calipers are dragging. What can cause this to happen?

I know that the guide pins could do it, but I cleaned and re-lubed them a week ago and it's still doing it.

Not exactly sure how long this has been happening, but now that my pads are getting low the wear indicator is starting to make contact while it is rubbing. Does it at pretty much any speed any time. Getting close to buying parts for a brake job, and want to tackle any other potential causes of this at the same time.
 


adsm08

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It's possible line is clogged, but if it's happening on both sides then it would most likely be a line that feeds both sides.

Try compressing the calipers and see what happens. If they are hard try cracking the bleeder. If it stays hard the calipers are shot, if it gets easy a line is plugged.

It is also possible that the pads themselves are getting stuck, but it usually only happens to one of the four pads. A stuck pad will usually give you all the same symptoms of a stuck caliper, except of the over-heating.

Pads getting stuck is why it's important to replace those little tin slider clips every time. You know the ones that hardly ever come with the aftermarket pads.
 

JoshT

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Actually I should have specified a little better. I know the front driver side is dragging, I'm not sure about the front passenger side. When I pulled apart the DS and saw how close it was to needing brakes I decided to not bother with PS until I did the brake job. May pull down the PS this week anyway to re-lube the pins, but I don't think it will help much.

I don't think it's a clogged line. Seems to me that issue would show up during breaking. Either hard to stop (excessive stopping distance) if both sides, or pulling to one side if only affecting a single side. It stops quick, doesn't seem to be an issue getting it stopped, and it doesn't pull to a side when applying breaks. That said when I pull it down for the break job I'll try what you suggest.

I've been thinking that it might be a good time to replace my 15 year old 180K mile brake hoses. It also wouldn't be a problem to pull the calipers down and rebuild them, the seal kits are only about $5 per caliper. I've done it with a set of mustang cobra calipers, so I should be able to do it with these. Pretty cheap insurance, and gets the calipers back in top shape.

Sticking pad definitely sounds like a good possibility. It hadn't even occurred to me that a pad could be dragging and not the caliper, but it definitely makes sense. I can definitely tell you that the outboard DS pad is dragging because it has the wear indicator on that side. I can't tell that the inboard is or is not as both pads seem to have pretty equal wear. IIRC I replaced those slider clips when last I did the front breaks, but that's been a while so I could be mistaken. That said it's due for a break job so they could just be getting too dirty to slide right, I was planning to replace them with the pads anyway.
 
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adsm08

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On most vehicles the pads will not wear evenly inboard to outboard, even when nothing is wrong. In most cases I find that the inner pad wears faster, I think it has something to do with air flow over the pads.

Sticking pads will generally result in a taper on the stuck pad, or a difference of +3 3/32" thickness. But not always. You will know for sure when you try to take them out of the bracket. If they are stuck a hammer will be needed. If they are stuck it's also a good idea to clean up the slots where the clips sit, rust build up there can squeeze on the pads.

The biggest reason for a caliper to stick isn't bad seals, it's bad pistons. The housing is aluminum, but the pistons are either a phenolic glass, which will become brittle and crack after a while, especially if exposed to extreme heat like when the brakes get stuck, or they are steel, and become subject to bi-metallic corrosion if you don't keep up with changing the brake fluid. Then they get stuck.

But no, rebuilding the calipers isn't hard. And replacing the hoses is probably a good idea.

I'd buy a quart of brake fluid and change it all out while you are at it. Suck the reservoir dry, refill, then bleed until it runs clear. A quart should do the whole job and leave a bit left over.
 

JoshT

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I'm having a brain fart here, and maybe you can help me remember.

IIRC the 2wd and 4wd Rangers used the same calipers and maybe brackets in 98-02. From what I'm seeing in parts listings on Rock Auto it looks like the 95-01 Explorers and the 98-02 Rangers used the same calipers and maybe brackets. I just happen to have a 98 Explorer 2wd parts rig sitting in the back yard with the front calipers still on it.

So, am I right in thinking I might be able to pull those calipers and brackets to install on the 99 Ranger 4wd?

Thinking maybe I can go ahead and rebuild those to swap on when time comes do the brake job. Save a little time and spread out the cost a little.
 

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I think you are correct.
 

JoshT

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:D

So I actually have two spare sets of those calipers, and one extra set of brackets that probably fit. That said it looks like I'll be better off getting reman calipers. I could rebuild them for about $5 less per side than I can get remans for, but I don't have a blasting cabinet or compressor to clean them properly and my time is definitely worth spending the 5 bucks.

Looks like my truck will soon be getting the following:

  • Reman calipers
  • Front and rear hoses
  • Wheel Cylinders
  • Bleed/Flush brake fluid
  • Pads and Rotors

Hopefully there will be some black Friday sales for brake parts. At least something for the pads and rotors, I'm thinking about giving EBC a try this time and they ain't cheap.
 

AllanD

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the likeliest reason for the brakes to be dragging on a 1995 or later is simple to fix.

Remove the calipers , DO NOT disconnect the brake lines

Remove the stainless steel anti-rattle clips from the caliper brackets, chip the rust off the caliper brackets and apply a coat of paint to the bracket.

You may want to apply a bead of "ultra" silicone inside the anti-rattle clip before reinstalling it, in essence "gluing it to the bracket" the idea here is that this may prevent corrosion from causing the same problem again...

you were real close when you cleaned and lubricated the caliper pins,but the caliper likely isn't what is sticking, the pads themselves are sticking because the rust on the caliper brackedsis bubbling up and binding the clip against the pads.

You might want to consider buying new anti-rattle clips.

I've had this problem before myself, that's how I know...
 

InsaneBroncoII

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Master cylinder vent port may be plugged causing the brakes to self apply,or the pushrod is mis adjusted.
 

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