Rear brakes dragging a bit?

[AKbrener]

Well I just noticed the other day after a week or so since last washed the truck that the rear wheels are considerably darker with brake dust accumulation than the fronts.

I dont have any wierd smells, or smoking. just alot of dust. I replaced the front and rear pads and rotors together about 5,000 miles ago, same brand front and rear.

Before the brake replacement I did have issues with the driver side rear brake to the point that water would sizzle on the wheel and the smell was terrible.

I have searched a bit on the site and found a few things but thought I would ask about my best way of approaching this.

-pull calipers and replace/re-grease sliding pins?
-turn the rotors down a bit?
-if that doesnt work replace calipers? any replacement brand better than others?

I also need to look at the master cylinder/vacuum booster because the pedal is kinda soft and it creaks like a SOB.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks, im sure this also has something to do with my 15.5 MPG...

 

[Exproblems]

>>>>>>>>>>>

Well I just noticed the other day after a week or so since last washed the truck that the rear wheels are considerably darker with brake dust accumulation than the fronts.>>>>>>>>>

I have the same issue, more brake dust on the rear wheels than the front. I usually clean them up each week.

>>>>>>>>>Before the brake replacement I did have issues with the driver side rear brake to the point that water would sizzle on the wheel and the smell was terrible. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I also had the same issue, wheel gets so hot water sizzled on them, but mine was the rear passenger side brake. Not long after I purchased this truck, I changed the rear brake pads, and I noticed the old, rear passenger side brake pad on the inner side/pad that rests against the piston was worn down (charred from heat) greatly at one end of the pad versus the other end. The end that was worn bad was nearly out of pad life/material and the other end was still good, plenty of pad life left. A Parts store guy I know said to re-grease the sliding pins. He said one end must be sticking closed against the rotor due to lack of grease. So I bought new pads, installed them and re-greased the pins and everything was okay for a few weeks. Then a few weeks later, my wheel was hot again and I was told by a mechanic that it was my brake caliper freezing up, so I had them replace it. Cost was $107.00 tax, parts and labor. Now I don't know what the real problem to begin with was, the brake caliper was bad all along or the ungreased slide pins? The way the pad was worn down at one end suggests a slide pin was ungreased. I would think if a brake caliper is frozen with the piston stuck inward against the pad, it would wear down the pad evenly across the pad since the piston can't angle itself to one side or the other. But for now everything is good and I recently changed the rear rotors as well.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>-pull calipers and replace/re-grease sliding pins?
-turn the rotors down a bit?
-if that doesnt work replace calipers? any replacement brand better than others? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I would start with re-greasing the pins first. It's easy and cheapest fix. Most aftermarket rotors today can't be turned down on a lathe like rotors from the past could be, not enough material(Nickel) to work with built into them. Warped rotors usually cause a pulsation problem in the brake pedal. Don't know what brand caliper is better than the other.

>>>>>>>>>>Any help would be appreciated, thanks, im sure this also has something to do with my 15.5 MPG...

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I wouldn't complain about 15.5 mpg in an Explorer. I'd love that MPG. I'm lucky if I get 11 MPG city and I've either done it myself or had done by a mechanic everything possible (updates or repairs) to increase my gas mileage and my Ex has only 86,000 miles on it. I get better MPG on the Thruway, but it drops off a lot in the city.

 

[xlt03]

Rear pads may be semi metallic and the front are organic. The books calls for organic pads and were OEM. Yes, they may be the same brand but look closely at the wording on the box. You can always go to auto store's website and look at the part numbers assuming it was O'Reily's, AutoZone, Advanced etc. to compare.

Sounds like caliper may be sticking. I would get a loaded caliper and replace the one on vehicle. Any brand would be fine. When replacing pads it should come with new slippers (slide pads). check existing that they are shiney and not rusty. As others indicated a dab of caliper slide lube...just a little.

Bleed your brakes before considering replacing master cylinder. Replace if you have that sinking feeling when you step on the pedal at a stop. As to squeak get under dash and spray some lubricant where the pedal connects to the rod that goes to firewall. Check the pivots of the pedal.

 

[AKbrener]

Thanks xlt03, will check all that out. I know the pads are both semi-metallic, i made sure that was the same front and rear.

and 15.5 is a good estimate for 75% city with a 10 mile stint on the interstate every day to work. My buddy at work has the exact same explorer and is getting 17 around town.

will let you know if anything worked!

 

[Kazer]

Just found this thread... I have this same problem, I did my rotors and brakes less than a month ago and both rear calipers cylinders weren't reacting fully. Passenger rear was only slightly grabbing while driver rear wouldn't even let my truck idle forward. Unfortunately I drove just over an hour straight before I noticed... needless to say my driver rear rotors made a baboons ass look pale and the other side had a bad smell. I pulled the rotor and pads off the driver rear and they were pretty well glazed over, but all I did was retract the cylinder on that caliper all the way in and re greased the pins with some sort of graphite grease then re assembled everything. Since then everything has worked fine... I've been meaning to do the other side but I figure the pad will be worn down to the point of no rubbing soon

 

[dmcost01]

I have the same problem on my 04 Explorer, the unusual part is that I changed the wheels and tires and after a short drive I noticed smoke coming out of the rear left tire, the right side was fine. I figured the caliper went bad and replaced it. (Changed pads on both sides as well). The e brake cables were ok, I made sure everything was lubricated on both sides.
Now I just went for a test drive and the right side caliper got stuck now.. Is it a coincidence? Please help!!