[PeterGB]

I was checking my tire pressure before going out today and when I rotated the tire to get to the valve in place the tire was really hard to turn and there is a heavy dragging sound from the rear brake. I have OEM pads and there's still material present. it's like the brake pedal/levers are constantly being pressed?
any ideas as to whats going on and how to fix it?

Thanks

 

[TravelinLite]

Two things come to mind.

1) the caliper is hanging up on the slides.
2) a brake pad is not fully seated in the notch that is there to receive the pad.

If you haven't had the rear brakes off lately, I would suspect the slides, in which case you'll find out if the pads are seated when you remove the caliper.

 

[PeterGB]

Two things come to mind.

1) the caliper is hanging up on the slides.
2) a brake pad is not fully seated in the notch that is there to receive the pad.

If you haven't had the rear brakes off lately, I would suspect the slides, in which case you'll find out if the pads are seated when you remove the caliper.

That was quick Thanks. The rear brakes haven't been off at all so that leaves the caliper hanging up. looks like I'll have to put it up on the jack etc to check it out

 

[TravelinLite]

Have you done any maintenance lately that would have had you adding brake fluid to the system? Or maybe you put new brakes on the front?

Before you pull the rear apart, you might want to check the brake fluid reservoirs to make sure they are not overfilled (if there has been any work done there).

 

[rhughes]

if that caliper is stuck you will wear the pads out real quick, can you spin the wheel at all and does it continue to spin any when you stop spinning by hand?

 

[Waldo]

Rear caliper pistons are prone to getting bits of tar kicked up by the front tire stuck in them. Check.... try to do it before compressing the pistons. This should be regimen on every brake job.

 

[PeterGB]

Have you done any maintenance lately that would have had you adding brake fluid to the system? Or maybe you put new brakes on the front?

Before you pull the rear apart, you might want to check the brake fluid reservoirs to make sure they are not overfilled (if there has been any work done there).

Yea I did change fluid and bleed etc I'll check the front reservoir - the rear looked ok

 

[PeterGB]

if that caliper is stuck you will wear the pads out real quick, can you spin the wheel at all and does it continue to spin any when you stop spinning by hand?

Yea I can spin it by hand but I get half - maybe 1 turn only. do you think I can get another 30 miles with a few mm on the rear pads?

 

[PeterGB]

Rear caliper pistons are prone to getting bits of tar kicked up by the front tire stuck in them. Check.... try to do it before compressing the pistons. This should be regimen on every brake job.

yea I did that when I changed the front pads per Fred - cleaned the pistons etc before pushing them in

 

[rhughes]

Yea I can spin it by hand but I get half - maybe 1 turn only. do you think I can get another 30 miles with a few mm on the rear pads?

oh yeah there are not to thick to start with, you will be ok till the wear indicator is reached, then change within next few hundred miles, remeber maintenance means changing parts that still work but are near end of life, other than that it is a break down then repair, often more costly than the maintenance.

 

[PeterGB]

ok tore the brakes apart, pads were gone. Calipers were dirty but not bad, cleaned everything up put new pads on. Problem is the floating rotors, arent floating. they move fine until I put the inside part of the rotor back on as soon as I tighten the bolts the outside portion rotor pulls to the inboard side on the slides and stays there. so the pads rub since the rotor is not floating at all on the slides. This has me stumped. any ideas?

 

[Ed Z]

The rotor should not "float"... The calipar is what must be able to float on it's two mounting bolts...

 

[GoldWingrGreg]

Yea I can spin it by hand but I get half - maybe 1 turn only. do you think I can get another 30 miles with a few mm on the rear pads?

Year and mileage?

Are you saying that when you spin the rear tire by hand that the tire will spin 1/2 to 1 full turn before stopping. That sounds normal to me.

 

[PeterGB]

The rotor should not "float"... The calipar is what must be able to float on it's two mounting bolts...

yea my bad caliper is not floating it was late last night rotor is obviously solid

 

[PeterGB]

Year and mileage?

Are you saying that when you spin the rear tire by hand that the tire will spin 1/2 to 1 full turn before stopping. That sounds normal to me.

2008 45k miles. the pads are rubbing on the rotor badly because the caliper is not floating on the slides once the caliper is screwed back together. . used to get less resistance and a little more rotation of the wheel. went back to check - doubt if I get 1/2 a turn unless I really try and reef on the wheel.