All 4 calipers locking up any ideas? (3 Viewers)

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Oct 20, 2022
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So replaced pads and rotors cleaned up calipers and pins, drove the truck for 2-4 mins brakes became very hot pulled over let them cool limped the truck back home. The front where the hottest passengers front was the hottest.

Replaced all 4 calipers tried to bleed the rear no fluid would come out unless the truck was on. Drove the truck again all 4 rotors and calipers are becoming hot and there is a constant dragging sound.

Is this the master cylinder/brake booster? Never dealt with anything like this happening before. How hard is it to change out? Tha KS in advanced
 
Many Qs

1) OEM pads?
2) Brake pedal hard to press with each progressive push?
3) Any lights on in the dash?
 
So if I understand the sequence of events correctly; brakes were fine and then dragging after new pads and rotors and subsequently new calipers plus attempt at bleeding didn’t help, then I suspect incorrect parts or incorrect installation. Maybe pull a wheel and post a brake photo?
 
Many Qs

1) OEM pads?
2) Brake pedal hard to press with each progressive push?
3) Any lights on in the dash?
1.They are not oem they are bosch pads and centric rotors, calipers are from rock auto.
2.It does get stiff but not super stiff
3.There is 0 lights on the dash.
 
So if I understand the sequence of events correctly; brakes were fine and then dragging after new pads and rotors and subsequently new calipers plus attempt at bleeding didn’t help, then I suspect incorrect parts or incorrect installation. Maybe pull a wheel and post a brake photo?
What prompted me to change the pads and rotors I heard metal on metal with the rear brakes. Everything was super rusty front calipers had some small tears in the boots, I cleaned up slide pins, calipers, etc. Put new pads and rotors on with oem calipers, drove it down the road noticed the brakes where sticking really bad limped the truck home.

I ordered new calipers installed them one at a time bled them then did the next one. Started with front passenger, front driver, they bled fine with the truck off normal "pumps the brakes....hold......pump the brakes." Did the rear calipers they would not bleed unless the truck was on tried it with new calipers and old had the same results. Did both sides took the truck for a drive noticed the calipers where starting to seize and get hot limped the truck home.

Parts are from rockauto bosch pads and centric rotors, same with calipers. They are installed with the bleeder at the top of the caliper. I couldn't take the wheels off to take pics I took them with the rims on. Hopefully in the next day or two I can take some pics with the wheels off.

I have been working on cars for a while I am currently building a harrop super charged LS430, so I am pretty competent in my mechanical abilities.

When I bought the truck and I pushed the brakes they always seemed kinda s*** and you could hear the some type of actuator or something be activated, it has been like that since I bought the truck with 80k.

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At the sound of being a purist which I am not. When it comes to brakes OEM calipers and rotors or nothing. I have always installed all components first and follow through with a sequential bleed from the furthest caliper from the master to the nearest. Never done one and bleed it and on to the next unless I am replacing only one caliper. Were calipers remans? They have mixed reviews with caliper pistons sticking, etc. Did your reservoir remain full throughout your bleeding process?
 
At the sound of being a purist which I am not. When it comes to brakes OEM calipers and rotors or nothing. I have always installed all components first and follow through with a sequential bleed from the furthest caliper from the master to the nearest. Never done one and bleed it and on to the next unless I am replacing only one caliper. Were calipers remans? They have mixed reviews with caliper pistons sticking, etc. Did your reservoir remain full throughout your bleeding process?
The front calipers where remand the rears where new. The resevoir remained full the entire time. It never dropped below the 3/4 mark. My thought process is if I do one caliper at a time it will require less fluid to bleed and less chance of adding air into the system. Not saying it was correct kinda figured it was safest.

Dk if this is normal when I was watching my wife pump the brakes I could see the brake fluid in the resevoir shoot up like a fountain and hit the inside of the revoir dk if that is normal?
 
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As you know, when you install new pads the pistons get pushed back into the calipers to a place they have not been for a long time. If there is any corrosion or gummy stuff in there, the pistons can stick and partly lock up the pads. That seems likely with the oem calipers, given your description of condition. But that should not happen with the new calipers. I assume you’ve confirmed part numbers for all parts and didn’t just accept what the parts counter guy handed you. Because it’s extremely unlikely you had a master cylinder or brake booster failure coincident with the other work and it’s extremely likely you did the install correctly, I’m back at a problem with the parts. Maybe when you get a chance to pull a wheel, you can get in there and diagnose what’s too tight.
 
The front calipers where remand the rears where new. The resevoir remained full the entire time. It never dropped below the 3/4 mark. My thought process is if I do one caliper at a time it will require less fluid to bleed and less chance of adding air into the system. Not saying it was correct kinda figured it was safest.

Dk if this is normal when I was watching my wife pump the brakes I could see the brake fluid in the resevoir shoot up like a fountain and hit the inside of the revoir dk if that is normal?
Yes, a fluid fountain is normal when bleeding. And yes, the engine has to be on to bleed the rears.
 
As you know, when you install new pads the pistons get pushed back into the calipers to a place they have not been for a long time. If there is any corrosion or gummy stuff in there, the pistons can stick and partly lock up the pads. That seems likely with the oem calipers, given your description of condition. But that should not happen with the new calipers. I assume you’ve confirmed part numbers for all parts and didn’t just accept what the parts counter guy handed you. Because it’s extremely unlikely you had a master cylinder or brake booster failure coincident with the other work and it’s extremely likely you did the install correctly, I’m back at a problem with the parts. Maybe when you get a chance to pull a wheel, you can get in there and diagnose what’s too tight.

I ordered everything from rock auto and compared it against the parts I took off. I will 100% take a wheel off and take some pics of the brakes.
 
I’ve heard it’s possible to damage the master cylinder when pushing the calipers back in. I’ve not experienced that, but teh internetz claim it. When I’ve pushed the calipers back in I’ve done it with a one man brake bleeder and cracking the bleeder screw. No idea if that’s required.

I’ve always bled the brakes with the engine running. Btw the sound of the power brake booster is normal.

The FSM says to bleed front right, front left, rear right, then rear left. I don’t know that it really matters unless you have a lot of air in the system though.

If you can get a copy of techstream with the OBD to USB cable there’s a more detailed bleeding process in there which also eliminates air from the master cylinder and ABS.
 
BTW the FSM troubleshooting says that if all brakes are dragging the only commonality is the hydraulic brake booster…
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So hypothetical here, what if my brake master has been on the way out but the calipers where so rusted and crusty that it prevented the pads from fully closing on the rotor masking the problem. I have only been able to get 17 mpg for a while now with the truck on thruway driving.
 
Also thank you to everyone for pitching in and trying to help me diagnose the issue its greatly appreciated.
 
BTW the FSM troubleshooting says that if all brakes are dragging the only commonality is the hydraulic brake booster… View attachment 3960194
Great post. Interesting fact too about the master brake booster, bleeding with the engine running, etc.

I have a techstream alternative thing that worked great when I recently bled my brakes to change the fluid. It worked great, but my dumba$$ forgot to use a battery tender as the ignition was "on" but engine wasn't running and I was using the system to bleed the brakes vs the pedal. It worked flawlessly and as designed despite my shortsighted battery tender lapse.
 
The noise in the back might not have anything to do with the calipers. Perhaps it's the common rotor and shield making contact because of rust. This happens specially with aftermarket rotors but also with stock ones.
 
The noise in the back might not have anything to do with the calipers. Perhaps it's the common rotor and shield making contact because of rust. This happens specially with aftermarket rotors but also with stock ones.
The sound was the pad and rotors being metal on metal, I was able to confirm this when I took the old pads out. Totally get what your saying but I always clean up the hub/everything before putting anything back on especially living in NY.
 
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The sound was the pad and rotors being metal on metal, I was able to confirm this when I took the old pads out. Totally get what your saying but I always clean up the hub/everything before putting anything back on especially living in NY.
I understand. If you remove your rear rotors again, I would check the backing plate just in case. This isn't easy to see or very obvious unless you know what you're looking for.
 
New brakes will drag as pads and rotors break in. Did the Bosch pads have the rough material to aid rotor break in? The other method is to break in the new brakes yourself. Look up new brake pad/rotor break in. I think this is a number of mid speed stops. Check google.

Symptom?
Brakes are fine (cold). You drive then you start to feel the brakes drag? Foot off the gas coasting, the rig stops itself? In my case, as the brake fluid heats and expands, the brakes apply on their own.

Discovered, my fluid reservoir cap was bad. The cap was not venting correctly as the warm brake fluid expanded, my brakes started to drag. In my case, my rig would slow down on it's own and hold in place at stop lights. A simple check is to drive with reservoir cap off or loose as a test. It took me awhile to figure this out. My rig felt very sluggish after 20mins on the freeway. If the brakes are dragging. Can you spin a wheel cold and then spin again after driving. The force needed to spin the wheel should be the same hot and cold.

Also, I think you mentioned the rear brakes might be the cause. Ebrake self adjusters set to old rotor/drum. Need to loosen, then adjust to slight drag?
Need to bleed your ABS system? Or activate your ABS to equalize pressure?, I believe the ABS does not allow fluid to flow backwards.
 
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