Front left brake binding / not releasing.

[nickmcgill]

Hey team,

Have been having some trouble with my front left brake of late.

I took the B4 into mag n turbo about a 2 ish months ago to get a free brake check due to the fact I was to lazy to do it my self.

After having it checked I noticed a knocking in the front left tire when braking.

About another week later I started to have problems with the brake binding.

The brake is staying on for some reason that I'm unsure of, I've pulled the calipers, pads everything apart and everything seems normal and moving freely.

After pulling the brakes apart it seemed fine for about a month until yesterday.

The car will pull to the left and you can feel the bind coming through the steering.

It's auto so normally it will sit at 50-60kmh in the 1:1 ratio and sit around 1500rpm with no problems.

With the brake playing up like this it struggles to keep at that rpm and normally has to constantly change down to keep at that constant speed.

Have tried disconnecting the ABS system and had no change.

Fairly stumped for ideas, Anyone got any ?

Thought it might be a fluid return line causing a slow release but its highly intermittent. ???

[Guest keltik]

Worn or rusty pad guides? Tried a spot of grease on them?

[nickmcgill]

Pads are fine have about 10mm on each

[DRFVDR]

seized caliper slides

take brakes to bits

loosen the slides

grease

reassemble

Sweetttt

[nickmcgill]

Do you think thats it ? I'll have a look at it tomorrow if its not raining.

Just seems odd that it happens randomly. Was locked on this morning on my way to work and on my way home it was fine.

[Guest boostcut]

i think you have rusty or pitted pistons and theyre not returning properly. get calipers checked/rebuilt

[nickmcgill]

I shall get it apart tomorrow if dads not at work and see what we can do.

I'll chuck some pics up for fun.

[Guest boostin]

Yeah caliper slides or piston. Both a pretty easy fix.

[wildturkey]

 nickmcgill said:

Hey team,

Have been having some trouble with my front left brake of late.

I took the B4 into mag n turbo about a 2 ish months ago to get a free brake check due to the fact I was to lazy to do it my self.

After having it checked I noticed a knocking in the front left tire when braking.

About another week later I started to have problems with the brake binding.

The brake is staying on for some reason that I'm unsure of, I've pulled the calipers, pads everything apart and everything seems normal and moving freely.

After pulling the brakes apart it seemed fine for about a month until yesterday.

The car will pull to the left and you can feel the bind coming through the steering.

It's auto so normally it will sit at 50-60kmh in the 1:1 ratio and sit around 1500rpm with no problems.

With the brake playing up like this it struggles to keep at that rpm and normally has to constantly change down to keep at that constant speed.

Have tried disconnecting the ABS system and had no change.

Fairly stumped for ideas, Anyone got any ?

Thought it might be a fluid return line causing a slow release but its highly intermittent. ???

you've described a problem I had a few months ago.......swap the caliper out. Rebuilding/recon too expensive

[Guest Bjcnz]

Yeah sounds like a piston prob to me, I just rebuilt a pair of two pots. Buying a secondhand caliper will be cheaper, but you'll learn a lot more if you rebuild it, though the seals and boots alone for them are about $60 new, let alone the pots, and you could get two new front calipers for about $60 if you shop around. I think its a fairly common occurrence that they rust out cause the seals wear down, water gets in, and it doesn't help how corrosive brake fluid is ;D

[PhatRS]

I have a set of 2 pot fronts if anyone needs them for replacements, for the 294mm rotor off an RSB so should be the same as B4 etc.

[nickmcgill]

Just an update for anyone that's interested, Gonna pull the front brakes apart on Sat with dad and re do the seals,

He seems to think that's what it will be.

[Jimbob]

my rebuild cost me $90 which included seals, brake cleaner, brake fluid and a g clamp to get the pistons in the full amount

[nickmcgill]

Okay. I'm now looking for a second hand calliper for that brake.

2000 B4.

If anyone has one in the chch area please PM me need to get it on asap as this one won't even release now.

I'm also a poor student with no income so I can't afford to get new one sadly. :'( :'(

[Guest]

I have one I think, if interested send me a pic of yours to double check

[nickmcgill]

Right well I'm now in even more trouble.

Jacked it up to get the tire off to get a pic of the calliper.

Car moves slightly, Car falls of jack. Car is stuck on ground.

Pics up soon.

[nickmcgill]

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3331925&l=7ac6211c51&id=543532937

Cbfed using image hosting so just use that link.

[kamineko]

:-[

[Guest boostin]

Scissor jack fail. I hate scissor jacks!!

[Jimbob]

 boostin said:

Scissor jack fail. I hate scissor jacks!!

you know your car is too low when you need a scissor jack to get a trolley jack under your car ^^

[nickmcgill]

Yeah it was really really really low. Sadly dads trolly jack broke a while ago so we had to do some jimmying to get it up. Its all sorted now tho.

Still need a caliper though !!

[nickmcgill]

Took it into undercar, they've pulled it apart, Turns out the piston was pitted so waiting on a new one from Auckland.

[Jimbob]

gutted, how much does a new piston cost?

[nickmcgill]

I think it was around 40 and 40 for seals and then labor sounds like its about $120 plus gst. >

I'm gonna have to sell the car once its done to be able to afford to pay for the repair argh lol

[Jimbob]

lol, i guess i was lucky with mine $64(gst inc) for seals for both sides(oem parts, they said it was just for 1 side) + fluid + new pads

no pitting in my calipers, just a little heat stained