Brakes: Need to be schooled!

[Andy Jones]

Okay, well last Friday on my way home from mounting my tires, the Passenger side brake caliper started to stick. it was making that awful burning brake pad smell. so i decided to jack the Bronco up and take a look! the wheel was hard as hell to move by hand so i knew there was something wrong! when i took the caliper off, the piston fell right out. and to my surprise i thought to myself, Great now i'm F@#Ked!! Anyways im pretty mechanically inclined, but i have no experience in braking systems! is all i have to do is replace the caliper with new then bleed the system? or is there more to this??

i was also looking around for rebuild kits. should i rebuild the caliper or just get the new one for the $30 bucks?

[300]

That is about it on the caliper replacement. The last calipers I got from Vatozone were only like $13 each but did not come with pads. The rebuild kits were about $7 a piece and hard to find in stock anywhere, so it was a pretty easy choice.

[Brad12]

If you end up getting new calipers try to get some with metal pistons as opposed to phenolic, they stand up to heat better. I found some at O'Reilly's. And yes, all you need to do after replacing the caliper is bleed the system.

[Andy Jones]

well i replaced the passenger side caliper and bled it. now it seems as if it doesn't spin as freely as the driverside, when i jack it up and spin the tire with my hand. it seems as if its not depressing enough or something! and when i drove it and hit the brakes it would pull to the right. and it would also lock up in my driveway as i would floor it and slam on the brakes.

[SteveG]

A few thoughts:
1. Always replace brake parts in pairs (left and right). Brakes is not something you want to be a tight ass about.
2. You could have a brake hose issue. Maybe the hose not allowing fluid to exit the caliper and keeping it closed.
3. Your other caliper might be hanging up and not allowing the piston to come out of the caliper enough causing a pull to the passenger side which might be working correctly.
4. Don't be a tight ass with brake parts.

[ChaseTruck754]

If you end up getting new calipers try to get some with metal pistons as opposed to phenolic, they stand up to heat better. I found some at O'Reilly's. And yes, all you need to do after replacing the caliper is bleed the system.

70's T-bird calipers. I can look up the part #'s, years or whatever if needed. They supposedly bolt right in (I know they do for the 70's trucks, but hear the do on the F-150's/broncos as well). Larger piston dia. and it's a metal piston instead of phelonic. $30 per caliper including core at the Vatozone if I remember right.

[Andy Jones]

A few thoughts:
1. Always replace brake parts in pairs (left and right). Brakes is not something you want to be a tight ass about.
2. You could have a brake hose issue. Maybe the hose not allowing fluid to exit the caliper and keeping it closed.
3. Your other caliper might be hanging up and not allowing the piston to come out of the caliper enough causing a pull to the passenger side which might be working correctly.
4. Don't be a tight ass with brake parts.

I dont have job right now, so being a tight ass is the way to go!!! i got it all to work properly for now. next week ill replace the drivers side caliper and wheel bearings. the passenger side rotor and wheel bearings. and get my new warranted pads! should i replace the rear wheel cylinders as well?

as of now i have new pass caliper and new driver side rotor! all this shit started falling apart on the way home from the B.I.T.D parker race this past october. when it rains it pours!

[Kyles95]

Something people often overlook with their brake systems is the fluid. It should be flushed if you got the caliper too hot, if not do it anyways, it's good basic maint.