moosestang

My rear pads were ruined by an axle seal leak, so i bought the power stop pads and rotors and replaced all 4. I also bled all 4 and changed the fluid using a power bleeder pump. Before changing I could spin the front tires 3 full rotations or more by hand, now they won't do 1 full rotation. it feels like the parking brake is on when backing up.

is this just because the pads and rotors are brand new and there's very little room for the pistons to retract? I haven't driven it yet, I was afraid to over heat the brakes the way they were dragging. The front calipers compressed pretty easily. I used that stupid little universal cube for the rears, had to grind off two of the tabs to make it work and then remount the caliper, put a 2x4 behind it and push in with all my weight while turning to get the things to compress.

TPony

Did you get a chance to start the pony and apply the brakes so the caliper decompresses properly? I changed all 4 corners and replaced the rotors/pads and remember the pedal going all the way down when I first started it. Prior to that, the pads grabbed a bit when I tried to manually rotate the tires, then drove around the hood a bit and not issues.

moosestang

I did and it felt very mushy. I guess I need to bleed them more. I'll try driving around the hood tomorrow.

Lethaldosage423

when you pushed the piston in, did you crack the bleeder and push the fluid out of there? or did you push it back up through the line.

once you put the wheel back on, before you start the car, push the pedal a few times to push the piston back out, the pedal will do down much further than normal the first few times then will get harder and harder. check your brake fluid level, and start the car and see how it feels.

yourmom6990

If the brakes are hanging up after install, it could be the caliper. I had to replace two calipers on one of my mustangs because it seized up after awhile. When you drive it, try coasting in neutral down a hill and see if it starts coming to a stop. That's how I knew mine were hanging up. Also after driving it I noticed that one wheel was wayyyy hotter than the others which led me to believe the caliper crapped out. Changed it out and boom! perfect.

Simon1

Easiest way to rule out the e brake is to adjust it. Open up your center console lid, there is a small little door you can remove on the driver side. I think you will need a 10 mm deep socket, maybe an 8, and maybe an extension. The ebrake adjustment is right there. Righty tighty lefty loosy.

I just went through this with mine. I adjusted it too much, took the entire center console out, then realized the little door was there.

Norm Peterson

I think he's saying it's the front brakes are what's dragging, which would suggest that the pistons in the front calipers weren't both compressed adequately or that one or two of them somehow got a little crooked or otherwise hung up in its bore, or that a release spring slipped, or that there is some issue with the shims and/or lube.


On edit - next time borrow the real tool. It may be a little tough to get the piston to first turn, so I'm apt to do this part of the job with the caliper swung clear of the rotor but still attached to the bracket with one bolt. The flat plate can also be used to compress the front pistons using a normal C-clamp.


Norm

moosestang

It's actually all 4 wheels dragging. I'll keep ya'll posted, I'm going to bleed them again. I did not crack the bleeders open when compressing the pistons, after reading online, it seems that is the preferred method. I'm going to run a couple test on the master cylinder. maybe I jacked it up or go air in it.

All the springs are still attached. I don't really see how the rear pistons are supposed to retract after braking. I assume they don't spin in and out when braking. the reason you have to turn them when compressing has to do with the emergency brake only.

It's always something with this car!

yourmom6990

I've changed a lot of brakes and never in my life have I had to crack the bleeder in order to compress the pistons.

Norm Peterson

It is the preferred method because you really don't want to force the dirtiest and most heat-affected fluid back into the ABS hydraulic control unit and all of its passages (where it's difficult to flush back out).

20 or so years ago when ABS was the exception this was not a common concern - worst case from a hydraulic system passage standpoint, you'd push it back through the master cylinder and into its reservoir. Though you'd still be left with degraded fluid down in the wheel cylinders.

Once you start using your brakes really hard, to where after only a hundred miles the fluid in the caliper pistons can get so dark you can't see through it in the flush bottle, you start thinking a lot differently about your brake fluid. You don't want to do even in your most mildly driven DD or spare car what you used to not even think twice about doing.


Norm