Okay. I know I haven’t been on for awhile, but some of you will remember me. I just had a b18C put in the car, and the person who did it decidede to pull the ABS system out and put in non ABS lines and what not. I just got my car back and I can hear the brakes rubbing on the passenger side…I can drive it, but when I step on the brakes the whole car shudders. The brakes are rubbing…when I start to slow down at a light or stop sign, I just stop instead of rolling a bit. I asked this person about the situation. He says that the brakes were locking, but he “fixed” the problem by putting shims in behind the brake booster. Now he is telling me to rebuild my brake calipers. I would rather replace them, but I am not sure that is the issue. The brake pads have wear left on them, and the rotors do not feel ridged or anything. I am new to Tampa, and don’t have a jack to get under my car, or the tools to work on this…aand I am kinda nervous working with something as serious as my brakes on my own. I am also still looking for a job and don’t have the money to take it to someone. I don’t know a whole lot of people down here yet. Any suggestions?
No one? I drove the car to grab a bite to eat last night…the brakes started pulling HARD. I drove it straight home. I started smelling the brakes real bad. My front driver’s side rotor was glowing red, and smoking when I got it to the house. I parked it and a puddle of brake fluid appeared under the car as well. I think a line busted or a hose or something. I cannot drive the car, and am not sure where to even begin.
Brakes might be the easiest thing to fix(pads and rotars anyway). All you need to to to find out what is wrong with it is pull the wheels off and spin your hub/rotar, While doing that look at the pads and see what is going on. What you could do is pull of the caliper and compress the piston back in, then pump your brakes to stiffen them up. Then see if it got any better.
Your slides may be sticking, so when/if you pull your calliper off, look at the slides. Look for dirt debris under the little dust boot, if there is clean off the slide and the hole it goes into 100% and re grease both of them.
It really sounds like stuck or sticking slides, if they are stuck grab a vise grips and twist them as you pull they should come out eventually.
As long as you arent messing with the fluid you cant really mess up that bad other than putting the pads in wrong(not really possible, or like my Legend had a block of wood for a freaking pad).
Take mental notes of how stuff came apart and make sure you put the things back as they came out and you will be fine.
It couldnt hurt to pick up a chilton manual for your car, before you do this just in case, plus they are nice to have around anyway.
why dont you tell the guy who messed up the brakes for you…to repair them out of his own pocket. i mean… you paid him to install your motor, not f’ed up your brakes right??
The person who swapped the motor is my soon to be ex husband. Not willing to do much and he is about 4 hours away from me. I think I am going to order new calipers and brake hoses. Swap all that out and see if it’s any better. The car sat for about a year, I am not sure why it wasn’t done before. I don’t know what else to do, but that was suggested to me. It’s just been so long since I have worked on the car myself, and I am a little nervouse doing this work alone.
Before you put all new calipers on the car, look at the slides and pistons of the calipers that are on there. Not only is fixing a sticky slide easier, its also cheaper, plus when you do the slides you dont have to bleed the brakes(I hate that part of brake jobs).
I appreciate the thought, however…I wouldn’t know what to look for or how to fix it. Bleeding the brakes shouldn’t be a huge deal, and I think I melted a hose, all my fluid leaked out, so I have to bleed them anyway.
Okay…it looks like I have a busted wheel bearing…we jacked the car up today and the whole wheel and all shakes. I have an appt tomorrow with this guy who is supposed to fix it for me…Gonna run me about 150. I’m hoping that fixes the problems. Thanks for the help.
hopefully that fixes it. but at the same time check to see if your caliper piston is jammed. try compressing it in and if it takes ridiculous force to push it in you have to replace the calipers.
I’ve got an awesome mechanic working with me on this. He is ordering all my parts for me. I have a lil faith in him…he has a DC teggy sitting in the garage turbo charged pushing over 700 HP.:rockon:
Well this has all been a major PITA…I found out today that when my brakes were switched over to non ABS…the brake booster was never changed over. I am still having issues with the pressure building on the brakes…next step is the brake booster…there are new calipers, new master cylinder…I can drive like 5 to 10 mins and the fronts start grabbing hard. I can release the pressue and get a good 10 mins or so up the road and the same thing. there rotors are fine and the check valve isn’t the issue…any other ideas?
Well I am being told that by one person…so I am trying to figure out…what else could it be…the rotors and pads are fine. Everything else has been changed…I’m absolutely lost…and broke now…
I will be at Daytona this weekend (drivers school) if you give me a number I wil call you or the guy that is working on your car You have a email with my cell number.