Left Rear Caliper Sticking After Replacement

[Ratchet81]

I really need some help diagnosing an issue only affecting the left rear brakes. My vehicle is a 2008 Explorer Eddie Bauer with the 4.6 and auto 4wd.

It started after I changed the pads and rotors, when I found the caliper piston had some hesitation going back in when I compressed it. However, it got better toward the end and my drive to work the next morning went fine. Coming home however, the wheel was hot and the brakes were starting to smoke. I took off the wheel and found the caliper was dragging. It was old and rusted to death, plus the piston didn’t push in so great, so I figured it was toast.

I’ll note here that I’m one of those persons who open the master cylinder cap and then push the piston in without opening the bleeder screw. It was never a problem on any of my previous vehicles, including my 05 Explorer and 02 Escape. Just in case there’s anything upstream that can be hurt by this that I don’t know about.

I replaced the bad caliper with a Carquest brand reman caliper from Advance. It did the same thing, dragging, but not as bad. So I figured that the brake hose must be bad, since that’s common enough, and I replaced it. Didn’t make any difference, and there was nothing visibly wrong with the old hose when I cut it apart to take a look. It was only then that I remembered the bleeder screw test, opened the bleeder, and checked to see if that released the pressure. It didn’t do a thing.

So I exchanged the presumably defective caliper for another at Advance, and installed it when I got home (along with one for the other side after that bleeder screw snapped off). But—this one is worse and locks up to the point that I cannot rotate the hub by hand after the brakes have been applied. To get it to release, I have to tap the piston housing area on the caliper with a hammer. To me this sounds like something wrong with the piston or the bore in the caliper, but I’m not sure. Now I’m worried something could be wrong in the ABS unit for that wheel position, but at the same time that doesn’t seem likely. There were zero issues before the initial brake job, and tapping the caliper with a hammer shouldn’t jar anything free up at the other end of the vehicle in the ABS or anything else. Could this be a second defective Carquest caliper?

Should I just try a brand new caliper (not reman) from a different retailer? Or does it sound like my vehicle has other issues with it?

 

[J_C]

If there is no pressure remaining and it still won't release, then the pad is binding in the caliper slide rail. I suppose there is a small chance that the caliper piston is seizing but it seems less likely, especially on 2 different calipers.

The options are then to file a little off the pad ears, or file a little off the slide rails of the caliper with any shim removed. If the caliper was coated, that is likely where "part" of the problem lies, but also since you had this happen with the original caliper - and IF you derusted the slide rail, then you may also have the new pads' ears a little irregularly large. I've bought reman calipers where they just had too much coating where the pads sit and it needed removed, but also pads where their ears were just stamped out and not quite perfect.

If the pads are a tight fit to begin with, I also like to very slightly chamfer the edges of the pad ears with a hand file, and use silicone paste grease on the shims they ride on.

In summary I think this is a pad ears clearance issue and if you have a (measurement device) caliper and the old pads, then you can compare the measurement of the old pad ears to the new to see if the new are larger.

 

[Bazz270]

Sure the caliper bracket is in good condition too? Whatever rusted or bent?

Check the parking brake too

Two bad reman calipers? It could happen also

 

[Ratchet81]

Hi guys, thanks for the responses. I checked the pads, and they don’t appear to be binding. I can wiggle them a little bit in place with the caliper installed, although the anti rattle spring on the outer pad makes it a little more difficult.

It’s not the parking brake for sure, because the hub moves freely with the caliper removed. This caliper mounts right to the knuckle without a bracket. I cleaned up and sanded the pad surfaces on the knuckle so the pads would slide on those without binding.

The two defective calipers seems unlikely, but I wonder if I was the unlucky recipient of two of a bad batch or something. I’m wondering if the factory got the exterior coating inside the bore before the piston was installed or something. I think my next move is to try a brand new one from rock auto or something, if not a used one from a local junk yard. I’d just take the piston out of this one and check the bore, but that would void the warranty and I’m told that the pistons can be a challenge to get back in.

 

[Turdle]

Might be a war story, but I once bought 4 reman carburetors to get to the good one.
Edit. Slider bolts?

 

[Ratchet81]

Might be a war story, but I once bought 4 reman carburetors to get to the good one.
Edit. Slider bolts?

Slider bolts are good. The slider bushings and boots are brand new with the caliper and move freely.

Going through that many reman calipers is what I’m beginning to be afraid of, lol.

I’m getting a Raybestos caliper tonight; I have previously had good luck with that brand—hopefully that gets me driving again.

I wish Advance still carried Cardone reman stuff. I never had a problem with those in previous years.

 

[J_C]

Rock Auto has some Cardone.

2008 FORD EXPLORER 4.6L V8 Caliper | Shop Now at RockAuto

Brake & Wheel Hub Parts and More for Your 2008 FORD EXPLORER at Reliably Low Prices. Fast Online Catalog. DIY-Easy. Your Choice of Quality. Full Manufacturer Warranty.

www.rockauto.com

 

[Bazz270]

a. Why not going with motorcraft?those reman stuff are a 50/50 junk.from what i am understand ,in most cases the reman progress includes maybe high pressure washing and painting ,they dont even care to check the caliper for being bent or the piston bore is scratched and the piston is seized.
b. Havent you checked the knuckle caliper mount points? You right about the rear knuckle has no caliper bracket lol
c. Why using a hammer instead of the piston compression tool?

 

[Ratchet81]

a. Why not going with motorcraft?those reman stuff are a 50/50 junk.from what i am understand ,in most cases the reman progress includes maybe high pressure washing and painting ,they dont even care to check the caliper for being bent or the piston bore is scratched and the piston is seized.
b. Havent you checked the knuckle caliper mount points? You right about the rear knuckle has no caliper bracket lol
c. Why using a hammer instead of the piston compression tool?

A. I can’t argue you there; but I’ve had good luck so far with Raybestos…hopefully this one is no different…

B. Yes sir. I sanded off the rust before putting on the pad slides. Definitely no binding on the knuckle.

C. The hammer was just used on the housing to jar the piston loose to let go of the rotor. I use a big C clamp and an old brake pad to compress the piston.

I saw Rock auto had Cardone, but it was going to take a week to get it.

 

[J_C]

I guess I've been lucky because I haven't had problems with reman calipers that I put on my '98. I got a couple Cardone on amazon (might check there, if you have prime they might get it to you in a day or two depending on location, where is CNY?), and on Rock Auto. I don't have to daily drive the '98 and could leave it on jack stands in the garage, so I could wait a few days to save some money. One of the Cardones on amazon, I even got as a warehouse special for around $20 delivered. I try to keep an eye out for both Rock Auto clearance items, and amazon warehouse items... as long as it's a brand I recognize.

 

[Ratchet81]

Well…my Raybestos luck streak hit an end, lol. Their QC missed that the caliper had dirt in it. Like pull the bleeder out and dump the loose stuff out. Sent that one back.

Next up is a reman Delco that a friend was able to get for me…hopefully this one is it…


Update—got the Delco installed and bled. This one lets go when you release the brake. Road test tomorrow after work…

Final update— road tested fine. No brake smell, no hot wheel. Still some air somewhere in the system to finish bleeding out at some point, but otherwise it seems to be fixed. Only took 4 reman calipers to get there.