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  #1  
Old 09-26-2003, 12:36 PM
SVXGIRL182 SVXGIRL182 is offline
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Problem!!

Last night I installed my slotted rotors and pads. After I installed everything I took it for a quick test drive, and the pads were rubbing against the rotors. I've experienced this with other cars, b/c they do this unil they get seated properly. I left to go back up to school that night and noticed the sound pretty much went away for the 30mile drive. I had the windows close, but didn't notice any rubbing sound. Today, I took the car to run some erands and the front passenger side is rubbing. First it would rub unless i tured the wheel to the left, now it doesn't rub if I turn the wheel to the right. Is this normal? The rest of the pads are seated already and do not make any rubbing noise. The noise also does not stop when I apply the brakes. The noise gets faster with my speed, and its not constant, so the pad is not rubbing the whole way around the rotor, just probably 3/4. Might there be an imperfection with the rotor? Or mabye the pad just needs to be broken in yet? I put an additional 10 miles on the car today, and it didn't really improve. I have to drive 150+ miles today, and would like to know if its safe to do with the pad making that noise.

Also, on another note, the driver side caliper seems to be putting out a little fluid near the top bolt on the caliper. I'll go snap a pic and put it in my locker. Should I be worried about this?
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Old 09-26-2003, 12:59 PM
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Mr. Pockets Mr. Pockets is offline
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It sounds to me like your calipers are siezing. Any time I disassemble my brakes, I clean the slides and boots real well and then I use caliper grease on the whole mess.
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Old 09-26-2003, 01:02 PM
SVXGIRL182 SVXGIRL182 is offline
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I can't get into my locker to post the pictures. It just gives me a blank screen, even if i go into someone elses to look @ their pics. Anyway, so i should take apart the caliper, clean it a refit the pads on that side? So you wouldn't advise driving it that far or anywhere really? I have nothiing here @ school to do this with, so i'd have to wait until I got home.
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Old 09-26-2003, 04:31 PM
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Mr. Pockets Mr. Pockets is offline
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I've driven cars with siezing calipers for some distance before. My wife's car did it for weeks before I figured out what was wrong with it.

It's possible that there can be more severe ramifications (due mostly to the heat that a dragging pad generates), but most likely you're just going to wear out your new pads unevenly, and rather quickly.

So, am I to understand that you just took the calipers off, inserted the new pads, and then put them back on? I'm not making fun of you, I just want to fully understand you.

If this is the case, then you really need to take the calipers back off, clean the slides (upper and lower - clean the slide itself and the inside surface of the caliper that rides on each slide) and the insides of the little boots. You may very well have to use some steel wool on the slides if there's any gunk that won't come off on a shop towel with Simple Green. (You can use brake cleaner if you want, but that stuff scares me. It can't be good for you.) Make sure the slides are clean before you reassemble.

Put some brake caliper grease (it's cheap and comes in little disposable tubes or a giant bucket with a brush) on the slides before you reassemble.

Good luck. Don't let it go too long - a dragging pad can wear out pretty quickly.

And, of course, this is all assuming that a dragging caliper is actually what's wrong with your car. I suspect it is, but then I haven't seen it and I've been wrong before. No, really, I have.
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Old 09-26-2003, 10:52 PM
SVXGIRL182 SVXGIRL182 is offline
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Thats weird that it would drag like that. I've replaced pads many times and never cleaned the calipers. The only time I repaired one is when I had to replace a front one b/c the piston wasn't releasing. I drove the car about 45 miles today and the noise got quiter, and started to fade away. Its still there but not as loud. I'll take the caliper off tomorrow and reseat the pad. I have had no problems with any of the others though.
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