Front brakes

[Michael Pryor]

I have a 1999 dodge ram 1500. My front brakes won't release once they are applied making them get to hot. I've already change the master cylinder both front calibers and both rubber hoses to the calibers. Brake pads and rotors are fine. Completely bled everything but my brakes seem to go right back to sticking after driving a mile or 2 down the road. What else could cause them to stick?

 

[Michael Pryor]

ABS light and brake light are also on

 

[dodge dude94]

Well you didn't specify if you changed the calipers or not. I would pull em and inspect for corrosion on the pistons.
Also, does your truck have 4 wheel ABS? I would be wondering if for whatever reason the ABS module is partially firing it off and causing them to stick. Generally speaking, when the ABS and BRAKE lights are on the MC or the VSS are out. But being that you've replaced the MC, unless you got a bad one I don't see why that would affect it.

 

[dudeman2009]

If you replaced the calipers, did you replace them with a complete caliper and bracket assembly or just the caliper. Did you grease the slide pins? if yes, what with? Did you check the wheel bearings to make sure they weren't going out?

 

[Michael Pryor]

Well you didn't specify if you changed the calipers or not. I would pull em and inspect for corrosion on the pistons.
Also, does your truck have 4 wheel ABS? I would be wondering if for whatever reason the ABS module is partially firing it off and causing them to stick. Generally speaking, when the ABS and BRAKE lights are on the MC or the VSS are out. But being that you've replaced the MC, unless you got a bad one I don't see why that would affect it.

I said I already changed the calibers after I did the master cylinder. But I've already figure out the problem is in my ABS block

 

[Michael Pryor]

If you replaced the calipers, did you replace them with a complete caliper and bracket assembly or just the caliper. Did you grease the slide pins? if yes, what with? Did you check the wheel bearings to make sure they weren't going out?

How would the wheel bearings have anything to do With the brakes?

 

[BWL]

How would the wheel bearings have anything to do With the brakes?

When the wheel bearings go the axle shifts and it may drag on the caliper as it's helping hold the axle in under bearing failure. Also faults the abs. You'd hear some pretty noticible grinding if it was that bad though.

 

[dudeman2009]

How would the wheel bearings have anything to do With the brakes?

When the wheel bearings go the axle shifts and it may drag on the caliper as it's helping hold the axle in under bearing failure. Also faults the abs. You'd hear some pretty noticible grinding if it was that bad though.

Basically what BWL said, but i've seen people come in saying their brakes are dragging and when I go to pull it in, the wheel is at a 15 degree tilt inward. I had one guy (he was high off his ass, so that might have something to do with it) whose bearing was so bad, he pulled into our lot, we saw it, told him it was gonna be a wheel bearing not just his brakes, when he went to pull around to a parking spot, the bearing separated into two pieces, and the truck was resting on the rotor and caliper bracket with the wheel cocked off at a 45 degree angle in two directions. I have a picture somewhere. So nothing is below asking about. I've found that even a wheel bearing that is whirring can cause brake drag.

 

[DodgeDude99]

ABS & brake light on together are usually a speed sensor.
Does your Speedo still work?
If you have front ABS as well, what can happen is rust builds up in and around the speed sensor and just that little separation in distance triggers it, or the sensor could just be bad.

The sensors don’t easily come out of the hub bearings & like to break off. So instead of replacing a $25 part, you get replacing a $150 part.

Low brake fluid level will cause the brake light to come on as well.

Did you replace the guide pins & grease those with high temp grease?

 

[Michael Pryor]

Alright I got the brakes to quit sticking but now the brake peddle goes to the floor when running. Pumping them doesn't help at all. Brand new brakes, drums, calibers, brake lines all around, and a new master cylinder. Everything has been completely bled several times. And everything is greased properly. No leaks anywhere. What else could it be?

 

[Michael Pryor]

Should I bleed it with the truck on?

 

[Michael Pryor]

Tried bleeding it with the the truck running and still nothing. Any ideas?

 

[dudeman2009]

Its a strange issue this. Something i'd really have to look at. With everything you've replaced there is nothing that should be squishy. One question, did you ever touch the rear brakes?

 

[Michael Pryor]

Yeah I had to replace everything on the rear brake. The wheel cylinders the shoes the hardware kit and even the brake lines

 

[BWL]

You've changed a lot of parts so you should probably take it to a shop and get it powerbled or vacuum bled to get all the air out of the system and check all connections for leaks in case something isn't tight. Brakes sticking could have been debris in the system, which may have been flushed out during the multiple attempts to bleed the system. If the rears were sticking I'd say maybe proportioning valve, but I don't think that would cause front brake sticking.

 

[BWL]

TSB 05-03-94 abs brake bleed procedure bulletin. Might be a helpful read.

 

[Michael Pryor]

I'll see what happens and get back to you

 

[dudeman2009]

Since you replaced the shoes, how did you adjust them to the drums? The easiest way is to crank the adjuster out until the drum no longer fits, then back it down a little. Then take it to a driveway or something and get up to 10mph in reverse and hit the brakes moderatly hard. Enough to rock the truck when it comes to a stop, otherwise the adjusters won't work. It must be a full and complete stop and you cannot letup on the brakes until the vehicle settles.

Even an extra 1/8th of engagement will make them feel very squishy and the pedal will drop to the floor.