My front brakes are lock up?

[Rojas109]

going down Dodge street heading towards 146th. my car starts shaking like crazy!!! (it wasnt all at once, it develops while i was headint down there)
so i pulled over and both my front brakes ,mostly the driver side, were smoking like there was an actual fire. i had to drive from 150th and dodge to 95 and harrison, i had to pull over every once and a while to let them cool down, the more the heat up the harder it is to get going.

so i'm #$@ right? i dont know what to do. i belive i will have to replace both front rotors and get shoes for them, plus all the misc, ill need for the job. but from all that heat, what else could i have #$#@ up?

i have read in the tech archievs about replacing front brakes. but monty brakes werent locked up like mine are ( it is locked up right?) so i dont know where to begin. can you mangs help me?

i would like to try this myself, yet cause of all that heat, there might be more of a problem then just replacing the rotors, brake shoes, ect...

should i just go to the shop instead?


Dave

[gadget73]

calipers froze up, hoses collapsed internally, or the pins are rustedand making the calipers hang. If the calipers and hoses are original, shitcan them, they're shot. Flush the brake fluid out too.

As far as what else you may have ruined, not much that wasn't already shot I'll bet. maybe the plastic backing plate melted, but that doesn't matter. Just bend it so it doesn't hit the rotor if it rubs.

[Rojas109]

lol, by any chance you guys know how to tell if its original?

hmm, well, considering that both front brakes were "stuck" i believe they are in fact original. there are both kinda grinding against the rotor, i tested this by just turning the wheel while off the ground.
if i do get another set of calipers, i notice that there are many types. one with metal piston and other with something called PHENOLIC PISTON. whats the difference? or does it really matter?

[gadget73]

If it looks really old, its probably original. The remans are gonna have that same Ford oval so thats not really any way to check. The brake hoses should not have any cracks in them, or be bulged or anything like that. Bend the hose a bit, if you see cracks, its in need of replacement.

the piston type doesn't matter all that much, you just have to make sure you get brake pads that match the piston type. metal is police, phenolic (plastic) is civilian.

if you do the brakes yourself, I'd reccomend flushing the fluid out. Cheap turkey baster to suck the old crap out of the reservoir, wipe it out as best you can if its the metal type you can get into, and fill with fresh. Bleed the brakes till the fluid comes out clear.

[Mercracer]

Rotors, pads, calipers, hoses and hardware.... Buy it, bolt it and bleed it.... Not much else to say unless you have never done a brake job on your own...

[Rojas109]

actually i have never done a brake job. i know how to replace rotors and pads from the tech archives. but it never mentioned how to replace calipers, nor how to bleed your brakes.

[87_crown_vic]

hey mang....lemme know when you have time to werk on your car. i have to replace calipers on my car also. this way when i am doing mine you can help me and i can help you with yours. just an idea. i am replacing my calipers since the bleeder is froze up and i need to bleed my brakes. yours sounds like the calipers are locking out like they did on my blue CV in the pic. 2 weeks after i bought it the calipers were locking up and making it a pain to drive. i changed calipers and it werks great again. lemme know if you need help, remember you have members close by to help at any time.

[GilroyRacing]

Mine did the same thing not to long after I got my car. I had Just put new pads on and had the rotors turned too. I was driving to work and all of a sudden the front brakes locked up, and started smoking and stuff like what happened to you.

On my way home I stopped by advance auto and got new calipers, new rotors, new pads, new brake lines, new brake booster, and a new master cylinder, and some brake fluid. I never had any problems with the brakes again after that (that was in my silver Merc, not the blue one i just got).

[85crownHPP]

I wish I had made this thread more detailed...

If you can do pads, you've already removed the calpier... spray some pb blaster on the steel line fitting where it joins the end of the rubber hose. You dont wanna break that...
use the original copper o rings! orient them the same as they come off.

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=12441

[87_crown_vic]

well, i replaced my calipers but i am gonna be replacing my rear brake cylinders and shoes. if that dont werk, i am gonna have to change the master cylinder. i figured i should replace them since the bleeder valves are rusted tight.

[87_crown_vic]

ever get your brakes fixed? thought i would ask how things are going.

[Rojas109]

well, my folks were gonna let me do it, but as soon as they herd that i will bleed the brakes, they told me NO...

there reason was that i dont have experiance bleeding brakes and if i didnt bleed them correctly i could end up crashing, possibly killing myself or injuring other people...so i guess i understand there concern. don't wanna end up crashing cause in the first place... it is in the shop right know at All Pro on 60 and L in omaha. and there paying for it so aint complaining.

[Nathan in MI]

And how are you going to get experience with this stuff if they don't let you do it?

[Rojas109]

i was gonna bring that point up, but as soon as they said there paying for it. i let it slide.

[gadget73]

Its not hard, and its real easy to tell if its right or not. If you have a pedal, you did OK. If it goes to the floor, then there is air in there.