My front brakes had been making a scraping noise for a while. The noise happened without braking but would get louder while braking. Today I got around to chaning the pads but it didn't seem to change anything. I am still getting a scraping sound under no braking. Could the caliper be sticking? It doesn't pull one way or another while braking. Can I grease the pads to move back away from the rotor after braking?
Thanks
Possible Dragging Caliper
-
ARCHINSTL
- Goldie Forever
- Posts: 6369
- Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
- My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
- Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis
Re: Possible Dragging Caliper
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
-
dlb
- Highest Ranking Member
- Posts: 7448
- Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:03 pm
- My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
- Location: bc, canada
Re: Possible Dragging Caliper
a dragging caliper will typically present with a burning smell due to the pads and rotor overheating, heat emanating from the offending wheel after use, uneven pad wear, possibly scorch marks on the rotor, and poor mileage. if you don't have any of those, i'm not sure it's a dragging caliper. are you sure it's your front brakes? does your park brake work properly?
you can remove the wheels to take a look at the rotors and pad wear but you can also test for a dragging caliper by jacking the suspected corner and spinning the wheel by hand. if it's tough and feels like the brake is on, it probably is. a wheel shouldn't spin for days on end or anything but you shouldn't have to break a sweat just to spin it.
if the calipers pass the above tests and show none of the signs i mentioned, you can certainly disassemble them and clean them just for good measure. the two 12 mm bolts that fasten the caliper to the hub slide through metal sleeves which the caliper slides in and out on. these sleeves often get really gummed up with dirty grease so it's probably a good idea to remove them, clean them thoroughly, and lube them. this was discussed recently. read the few posts by splatterdog here:
https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php? ... 445#p59444
you can also test the rear brakes by spinning the wheels, just like the front. they're easier to troubleshoot and clean, IMO.
you can remove the wheels to take a look at the rotors and pad wear but you can also test for a dragging caliper by jacking the suspected corner and spinning the wheel by hand. if it's tough and feels like the brake is on, it probably is. a wheel shouldn't spin for days on end or anything but you shouldn't have to break a sweat just to spin it.
if the calipers pass the above tests and show none of the signs i mentioned, you can certainly disassemble them and clean them just for good measure. the two 12 mm bolts that fasten the caliper to the hub slide through metal sleeves which the caliper slides in and out on. these sleeves often get really gummed up with dirty grease so it's probably a good idea to remove them, clean them thoroughly, and lube them. this was discussed recently. read the few posts by splatterdog here:
https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php? ... 445#p59444
you can also test the rear brakes by spinning the wheels, just like the front. they're easier to troubleshoot and clean, IMO.
-
marlinh
- Highest Ranking Member
- Posts: 1586
- Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2012 9:15 am
- My tercel:: 'Everett' Blue 87 4WD Wagon (Rocky 86, recently retired)
- Location: Kootenays
Re: Possible Dragging Caliper
You could have a rock caught between the backing plate and the rotor, or a bent backing plate. Rust buildup on the edges of the rotor can also cause a noise.
-
ARCHINSTL
- Goldie Forever
- Posts: 6369
- Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
- My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
- Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis
Re: Possible Dragging Caliper
Devin -
If youy haven't viewed it already - see post #9 on my above link - the one titled "Fixed !"
What marlinh wrote in her first phrase...
Tom M.
If youy haven't viewed it already - see post #9 on my above link - the one titled "Fixed !"
What marlinh wrote in her first phrase...
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
-
Petros
- Highest Ranking Member
- Posts: 11941
- Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
- My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
- Location: Arlington WA USA
Re: Possible Dragging Caliper
check the splash shield for rubbing first, some times they get bent into the rotor. Also if your rotor is warped it could be rubbing on the brake pad, or if the bearing has play it will also wiggle the rotor and wheel/hub assembly to allow the rotor to rub the pads irregularly. If the bearing is bad, has play in it, better replace it. Usually the bearing itself will make noise as it rotates, increasing with speed.