brake help

[Daniel]

On the 78 chevy C-10 I am working on I am having some brake issues. My front Driver side brake seems to grip even when the brake pedal isnt pushed. I can turn the wheel but not as freely as the passenger side. When I am in motion and push the brake hard it will pull to the right. These are new calipers as both front ones had locked up in the engaged position. So new brake pads and calipers on both sides.

Anyone have any ideas? I bled the brakes already and plan to do it some more tomorrow I just wondered if I am missing something.

Edited January 18, 2009 by Daniel

[Guest Astra900]

Caliper sticking?

Brake line stopped up? Needs replacing.

I'm not sure if the porprtioning valve would effect side to side differences, I think it only controls front to back.

If it were mine, the caliper would be the first thing I would look into. I know most of the world don't, but I usually replace the soft line when I replace a caliper. It ain't that much money, and some people would be surprised how many brakes aren't performing as well as they should because of partially clogged lines.

Hope that helps a little.

[Daniel]

I think I will replace the rubber line. What about the metal line that runs from the master cylinder and then from that little routing box at the front out to all the brakes? Any idea what the metal brake lines normally cost?

[Guest Astra900]

Naw I don't. I don't know much about a bowtie. Never fooled with one much. I'm sort of a Ford man, but I hate working on stuff so I bought a Toyota.

I don't know what I wouldn't take the hard line loose on both ends and blow it out with an air hose. Should be fine as long as water hasn't found it's way into the master cylinder and let rust particles settle in the lines.

[Guest jdavis]

more than likely the rubber line has deteriorated on the inside and colapsed it will let fluid push through but it holds it there and bleeds the pressure off slowly, this is what causes the drag to one side. replact the rubber lines with rubber and it will last another 20 years replace them with steel braided and it will last 30 rubber will cost you app 20 bucks per side, braided starts at about thirty per side and goes up from there. i personally always replace with oem rubber lines.

[Guest coldblackwind]

Either the rubber line, as they said, or you got a bad new caliper (very possible, my friend put 6 on his ram, before he gave up, and just got them somewhere else, we've had the same problems with carbs, quality control sucks anymore).

[dralarms]

Either the rubber line, as they said, or you got a bad new caliper (very possible, my friend put 6 on his ram, before he gave up, and just got them somewhere else, we've had the same problems with carbs, quality control sucks anymore).

Let me guess, auto Zone?

[oldogy]

X3 or 4 on the brake hose. They get an internal aneurysm, allow the pressure to hold the pressure on the piston.

[Daniel]

I got them at advance auto. Ill replace the rubber hose. See if that fixes the problem. Once I get this one fixed it will be on to the electrical system. The brake lights dont really come on all the time. Hell the rear lights dont always come on.

[Guest GUTTERbOY]

Did you get a look at the old pads? If so, were the pads on the sticking side worn evenly, or was one pad a lot more worn than the other?

I had this problem on my BII; the issue was that the pins on which the caliper slid were rusty, causing the caliper to stick. As a result, it was always pressing against the rotor on one side, and always dragging. Solution was to replace the pins, and also to wire brush the corrosion out of the corresponding mating surfaces on the calipers and spindle.

Dunno how much that might apply to your setup... I've not worked with an older Chevy truck.

Edited January 18, 2009 by GUTTERbOY

[TripleDigitRide]

I'd bet it's the brake line, or the pins are sticking.

Unless you plan on driving the truck for 20+ years, I don't think there's any reason to spend the extra money on metal brake lines. Make sure your pins are greased up real good.

Of course, make sure you bleed the brakes really well.

[Daniel]

The new calipers came with new pins. I greased them up this morning and I will be putting the new rubber brake line in later this afternoon when my F-I-L can come over to give me a hand and some knowledge.

[R1100R]

Junglist,

I'm shattered!!! You did't call me. I wanted to get away from the wife and kids

[Daniel]

Always tomorrow. I never got around to installing the new line. I did remove pretty much the entire dash + components. I need to find out why my dash lights do not light up. My reverse lights are still not working either.

[dralarms]

Always tomorrow. I never got around to installing the new line. I did remove pretty much the entire dash + components. I need to find out why my dash lights do not light up. My reverse lights are still not working either.

reverse lights can be 2 things on a GM, the reverse switch in the tranny (easy to change and find), or the wiring. Most of the time it's the reverse switch on the tranny. You will need a special socket to change it, but they are not expensive.

[Daniel]

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=BOR&MfrPartNumber=S359&PartType=401&PTSet=A

Is that what you mean?

[dralarms]

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=BOR&MfrPartNumber=S359&PartType=401&PTSet=A

Is that what you mean?

Nope, that goes on the steering column, I'm talking about the actual reverse switch in the tranny. Looks like a oil sending unit, but not exactly.

[TripleDigitRide]

Lights are overrated. Hand signals are where it's at.

[Daniel]

I have found a few other people with the same problem but I still have no idea what it looks like lol.

[Guest GUTTERbOY]

Who needs reverse lights? The ones on my truck aren't worth a crap anyway... I keep thinking about installing a couple of utility lights back there and making those the reverse lights so I can actually see behind me when I back up at night... but the only time I really miss seeing back there is if I'm off-road or something.

[Daniel]

Well, I just wish I could be sure the brake lights worked all the time. Sometimes the rear ones just dont come on at all.