[DevlshOne]

Need advice from a brake specialist, please. My left front brake pads are too tight on my rotor and heats up really fast! In fact, it's the only wheel that won't turn freely. Should I a) bleed that caliper; b) replace the calliper; or c) try a new ABS / speed sensor? Or something else? 2012 Challenger R/T with 4-wheel disc & ABS
This has been happening for a while - ever since I replaced the ABS sensor on one of the rear wheels - but I thought it might be the caliper pin seizing, so I pulled the front calipers, re-greased the pins and painted them while they were out.

 

[572mopar]

im not a specialist but i would pump out the brake fluid and put fresh fluid then open a bleeder at the caliper till fresh fluid comes out on all 4 corners, on the sticking caliper push the pistons in and pump the pedal back up maybe do it a few times to see if it will clean itself and loosen, i just bought an 09 r/t and noticed mine seemed a lil tight on the rotors and this is what i did, flushing the brake system should be a routine maintanance once a year of more, i did it biweekly on my race cars, that fluid just sits in same place and gets hot and cant circulate.

 

[FullThrottle64]

Are you certain that the problem is the pads on the rotor? Have you checked to make sure you don't have a bad bearing that is heating up and getting everything else hot? Anything else that might be making contact?

The pads should be pushing back into the caliper when the wheel is spinning, just enough to give rotational clearance. If that's not happening, it may be a bad (or twisted) piston seal or scored piston bore in the caliper. The fix is to pull the pistons, check/hone the bores, and reassemble with new seals. If you're not comfortable disassembling and re-assembling a brake caliper, take it to a shop that you trust. It might also be paint in the guide slots where the pad tabs rest - that would tighten the fit to the point that they might not move freely.

 

[DevlshOne]

Are you certain that the problem is the pads on the rotor? Have you checked to make sure you don't have a bad bearing that is heating up and getting everything else hot? Anything else that might be making contact?

The pads should be pushing back into the caliper when the wheel is spinning, just enough to give rotational clearance. If that's not happening, it may be a bad (or twisted) piston seal or scored piston bore in the caliper. The fix is to pull the pistons, check/hone the bores, and reassemble with new seals. If you're not comfortable disassembling and re-assembling a brake caliper, take it to a shop that you trust. It might also be paint in the guide slots where the pad tabs rest - that would tighten the fit to the point that they might not move freely.

As I said, the wheel doesn't spin freely when the caliper is on (pads squeezing rotor). Although the excess heat from the brakes may have trashed the bearing by now. I'm going to tear the caliper down tonight and see what I can come up with. Flushing the fluid isn't an option right now, as I don't have the tools nor the assistance to do a complete flush, fill and bleed.

 

[AZpueblo]

The caliper must float on the pins...meaning it must be able to freely slide back & forth on the re-greased guide pins. This is critical for 'one sided' calipers (unlike the 4 piston or 6 piston that can be solidly mounted is the pistons do that floating). If it doesn't float properly, than one side will drag and that's what I think you're seeing.
With the caliper mounted but no pads installed, you should be able to grab that caliper and slide it in and out on the pins pretty easily. if it won't move, then you'll need to determine the root cause of that problem. I've seen corrosion cause issues like that when I lived in the midwest, as the salt rusts everything together. As others have mentioned, it could also be a stuck piston too.

 

[SunnyS]

replace the caliper and bleed the system of old fluid it will happen to other ones if the fluid is old

 

[FullThrottle64]

As I said, the wheel doesn't spin freely when the caliper is on (pads squeezing rotor). Although the excess heat from the brakes may have trashed the bearing by now. I'm going to tear the caliper down tonight and see what I can come up with. Flushing the fluid isn't an option right now, as I don't have the tools nor the assistance to do a complete flush, fill and bleed.

You're not going to like this response, but:

If you can't flush the brakes properly, then you probably shouldn't be messing with them. Nothing good can come of that. I would advise looking to see if there's something obvious from when you painted the caliper. If you don't see it, get someone who can help you with this project - either a trusted gearhead friend or a professional.

 

[SunnyS]

A bearing makes noise when failing a caliper hanges up because of two reasons rust or a collapsed brake hose holding pressure on.So check for rust holding or binding something.Another option is trade it in on a Hellcat and let the dealer worry about it.I know my wife would not go for that excuse .What ever it is do both sides of the same front or back.

 

[DevlshOne]

Original problem: a piston was frozen in the caliper. I replaced the caliper but didn't pay attention to the banjo bolt alignment so the brake was still stuck. Bought a new banjo bolt washer, pulled the banjo bolt and marked it. Installed the new washer, aligned the banjo bolt - problem gone. Fluid was very clean. Caliper slide pins perfect. Thanks for all the advice.