Fun drive to work this morning...

[MrBluGruv]

Quick question, here's the scenario:

I was driving to work this morning, everything was going OK until I entered the freeway. I got up to 60-70mph, and I noticed an increasingly rough schimmy in the steering wheel, enough to shake the whole car. I slowed down to 50 and it more or less went away, so I exited the freeway and proceeded to work on the access road. I got there, figured out it was coming from the front-passenger wheel, and upon inspection found that my caliper was clamped solidly onto the rotor even without the brake pedal depressed.

Any ideas as to what would cause that to crop up overnight in an otherwise normal brake system? The last time it was serviced was almost a year and a half ago, so no recent maintenance that could've gone wrong realistically that I can think of.

I'm really NOT knowledgeable about brake systems, so I'm lost.

[Dragcity]

Sounds so odd that it could be a little stone or debris jambed on the slide of the brake pad. Not allowing it to retract to it's normal drive position.

[SID210SA]

Or maybe the Caliper froze...not cold freeze...but stuck...maybe a caliper rebuild is in order???

[MrBluGruv]

I will say this, it's never given me this rough a problem before, but for a few weeks if drove with the passenger window down I could hear kind of a periodic metal grazing sound every now and then. It wasn't really a grinding though, and it never produced any feedback in the wheel or body. I just don't know. I may try to take pictures later if I have time.

[CBT]

Quick question, here's the scenario:

I was driving to work this morning, everything was going OK until I entered the freeway. I got up to 60-70mph, and I noticed an increasingly rough schimmy in the steering wheel, enough to shake the whole car. I slowed down to 50 and it more or less went away, so I exited the freeway and proceeded to work on the access road. I got there, figured out it was coming from the front-passenger wheel, and upon inspection found that my caliper was clamped solidly onto the rotor even without the brake pedal depressed.

Any ideas as to what would cause that to crop up overnight in an otherwise normal brake system? The last time it was serviced was almost a year and a half ago, so no recent maintenance that could've gone wrong realistically that I can think of.

I'm really NOT knowledgeable about brake systems, so I'm lost.

It should look like it's clamped whether it is or not, (at least from the front) hence the term "Self adjusting", correct? Jack that tire off the ground and try to spin it. If it doesn't budge your calipers froze. It could be a very warped rotor if is does spin but catches in certain spots only. Mofo'n calipers are fairly cheap tho, just replace both the fronts at the same time if your going to do it.

[RoyLPita]

It should look like it's clamped whether it is or not, (at least from the front) hence the term "Self adjusting", correct? Jack that tire off the ground and try to spin it. If it doesn't budge your calipers froze. It could be a very warped rotor if is does spin but catches in certain spots only. Mofo'n calipers are fairly cheap tho, just replace both the fronts at the same time if your going to do it.

For how old the vehicle is, replace the front flexible hoses and flush the brake fluid.

[Mote]

If it was clamped/stuck/froze, the car would have pulled HARD to that side. Driving it in that condition - The brake would have so dang hot it would have been smokin and glowin.

My wife drove her car for a while (and all the way home) with a rear caliper stuck. I could feel the heat from the wheel from a foot away!

[Egon Spengler]

I had a rubbing issue but not as bad as this. What I found was that the caliper bracket built up dirt and rust under the slides for the brake pads causing them to not move freely and not retract away from the caliper when the piston retracted. I sanded down the caliper bracket and replaced the slides and got rid of my brake dust issue.

[fastblackmerc]

I had a rubbing issue but not as bad as this. What I found was that the caliper bracket built up dirt and rust under the slides for the brake pads causing them to not move freely and not retract away from the caliper when the piston retracted. I sanded down the caliper bracket and replaced the slides and got rid of my brake dust issue.

Use a wire brush and caliper lube.

[Egon Spengler]

Use a wire brush and caliper lube.
Yeah. I already did it. Works great now! I used a rough grit sand paper that I had laying around and then lubed it.

[JOEMERC]

maybe a bad porportional valve not releasing that caliper ?but hes right it would be pulling to that side hard if it stuck against it.and rotor will be warped ,hence the vibration.

[RF Overlord]

The proportioning valve adjusts the ratio of front-to-back braking...it wouldn't affect only one wheel.

[Got_1]

For how old the vehicle is, replace the front flexible hoses and flush the brake fluid.

this exactly^^. if the caliper is clamped as you describe it then most likely the flex hose is plugged with debris, not releasing pressure in the caliper. But if that is the case you definitely would have a hard pull when braking

[CBT]

I used a rough grit sand paper that I had laying around and then lubed it.
:eek:






.........

[SpartaPerformance]

Perhaps the caliper itself isn't frozen, if the lube dried up on the slides, perhaps they froze.

[MrBluGruv]

Went to the shop this afternoon, and I feel mildly retarded:

The brake is not the issue, the wheel spins pretty freely on the lift. Problem was crap lugnuts, they were walking themselves out on that wheel. My mechanic is an awesome guy to have the patience he has with me sometimes. Basically, a few of the studs have been screwed up as well, one of the lugs seized on the stud so it broke it coming off, he'll be replacing those and I've asked him to just get me a set of 20 new chrome lugnuts and be done with it. I'll be staying away from Dorman security lugnuts in the future.

Like I said, I feel pretty stupid, not completely stupid cause I wouldn't expect such crap quality from something like that, but still pretty stupid. Thanks all for contributing anyways. :)

[PonyUP]

Went to the shop this afternoon, and I feel mildly retarded:

The brake is not the issue, the wheel spins pretty freely on the lift. Problem was crap lugnuts, they were walking themselves out on that wheel. My mechanic is an awesome guy to have the patience he has with me sometimes. Basically, a few of the studs have been screwed up as well, one of the lugs seized on the stud so it broke it coming off, he'll be replacing those and I've asked him to just get me a set of 20 new chrome lugnuts and be done with it. I'll be staying away from Dorman security lugnuts in the future.

Like I said, I feel pretty stupid, not completely stupid cause I wouldn't expect such crap quality from something like that, but still pretty stupid. Thanks all for contributing anyways. :)


Glad at the end of the day it was a minor problem and nothing major. :beer:

[SID210SA]

That was actually my first thought....but since you didnt mention noticing the wheel may have been loose....I went with the brake idea....glad it was an easy fix for you.

[CBT]

You got lucky, dude. Buy a lottery ticket. If you'd decided to make a high speed run and lost a wheel due to lug nuts walking off, oh man.

[rayjay]

I used a rough grit sand paper that I had laying around and then lubed it. :eek:

Baliff! Spank his pee pee!

[Rockettman]

You got lucky, dude. Buy a lottery ticket. If you'd decided to make a high speed run and lost a wheel due to lug nuts walking off, oh man.

X2 on that one!

Regarding "being retarded"...read my sig below...we're all here for help at some time or another.
:beer: