sticking caliper?

hey all,

this past summer ( early august maybe) I replaced the pads on the rear
of my 03 accord.
the left side was worn badly, the right, not so much, but I did them
both with OEM pads,
this week my wife said the brakes were squeeling, and sure enough,
the rear left was making noise.
looking at the outer pad on the left side there is 1/2 of the material
worn off, compared to the right side already, maybe 7,000 miles into
the new pads...
I haven't had a chance to take the wheel of and look at the inner pad,
but, I'm starting to think that that rear is dragging constantly,
so, what can I do to fix this? is a new caliper in my future or ???

thanks for the thoughts and ideas.

Dave

Zephyr > wrote in news:6f1d9568-717a-4ebe-ac6a-
:

> hey all,
>
> this past summer ( early august maybe) I replaced the pads on the rear
> of my 03 accord.
> the left side was worn badly, the right, not so much, but I did them
> both with OEM pads,
> this week my wife said the brakes were squeeling, and sure enough,
> the rear left was making noise.
> looking at the outer pad on the left side there is 1/2 of the material
> worn off, compared to the right side already, maybe 7,000 miles into
> the new pads...
> I haven't had a chance to take the wheel of and look at the inner pad,
> but, I'm starting to think that that rear is dragging constantly,
> so, what can I do to fix this? is a new caliper in my future or ???
>
> thanks for the thoughts and ideas.
>
> Dave
>


Not likely a bad caliper, but a sticky pin or pad.

See here for a (badly in need of updating) writeup:
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/rustybrakes/brakes1.html

--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

On Oct 15, 10:52*pm, Tegger > wrote:
> Zephyr > wrote in news:6f1d9568-717a-4ebe-ac6a-
> :
>
>
>
>
>
> > hey all,
>
> > this past summer ( early august maybe) I replaced the pads on the rear
> > of my 03 accord.
> > the left side was worn badly, the right, not so much, but I did them
> > both with OEM pads,
> > this week my wife said the brakes were squeeling, and sure enough,
> > the rear left was making noise.
> > looking at the outer pad on the left side there is 1/2 of the material
> > worn off, compared to the right side already, *maybe 7,000 miles into
> > the new pads...
> > I haven't had a chance to take the wheel of and look at the inner pad,
> > but, I'm starting to think that that rear is dragging constantly,
> > so, *what can I do to fix this? *is a new caliper in my future or ???
>
> > thanks for the thoughts and ideas.
>
> > Dave
>
> Not likely a bad caliper, but a sticky pin or pad.
>
> See here for a (badly in need of updating) writeup:http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/rustybrakes/brakes1.html
>
> --
> Tegger
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQwww.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Tegger, thanks for the beauty link, you put a lot of time in that
obviously...
hey, I watched that vid of you turning in the piston on the caliper
on the rears, I remember when I had to do that back in the summer it
took WAAAY more force for me, I ended up putting the screwdriver
lengh twise to the groove and used the shaft of the screwdriver in the
groove of the piston to turn it... ( did that make sense?) I tried to
turn it with the screwdriver normally, but that did not work at all...
the other side did turn a fair bit easier...
I know the pins looked decent at the time, and I could pull them free
with my fingers.

based on all that info I'm thinking that that the piston is a bit
sticky, If I remember right, the inside pad was much more worn than
the outside pad this summer, and I'm guessing the same has happened
again...

On Oct 15, 11:45*pm, Zephyr > wrote:
> On Oct 15, 10:52*pm, Tegger > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Zephyr > wrote in news:6f1d9568-717a-4ebe-ac6a-
> > :
>
> > > hey all,
>
> > > this past summer ( early august maybe) I replaced the pads on the rear
> > > of my 03 accord.
> > > the left side was worn badly, the right, not so much, but I did them
> > > both with OEM pads,
> > > this week my wife said the brakes were squeeling, and sure enough,
> > > the rear left was making noise.
> > > looking at the outer pad on the left side there is 1/2 of the material
> > > worn off, compared to the right side already, *maybe 7,000 miles into
> > > the new pads...
> > > I haven't had a chance to take the wheel of and look at the inner pad,
> > > but, I'm starting to think that that rear is dragging constantly,
> > > so, *what can I do to fix this? *is a new caliper in my future or ???
>
> > > thanks for the thoughts and ideas.
>
> > > Dave
>
> > Not likely a bad caliper, but a sticky pin or pad.
>
> > See here for a (badly in need of updating) writeup:http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/rustybrakes/brakes1.html
>
> > --
> > Tegger
>
> > The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQwww.tegger.com/hondafaq/
>
> Tegger, *thanks for the beauty link, you put a lot of time in that
> obviously...
> hey, *I watched that vid of you turning in the piston on the caliper
> on the rears, *I remember when I had to do that back in the summer it
> took WAAAY more force for me, *I ended up putting the screwdriver
> lengh twise to the groove and used the shaft of the screwdriver in the
> groove of the piston to turn it... ( did that make sense?) *I tried to
> turn it with the screwdriver normally, but that did not work at all...
> the other side did turn a fair bit easier...
> I know the pins looked decent at the time, and I could pull them free
> with my fingers.
>
> based on all that info I'm thinking that that the piston is a bit
> sticky, * If I remember right, the inside pad was much more worn than
> the outside pad this summer, and I'm guessing the same has happened
> again...

hmm, I'm rethinking it again, after re reading your bit about rust
under the shims.. I know I had to pry off the the old pads with a
screwdriver and they popped out of place pretty smartly after getting
a bigger screwdriver... I gave lip service to cleaning under the
shims with a screwdriver, and was able to place the new pads in by
hand, but, it wasn't loose.
I live in SE Michigan, on a dirt road where they put calcium chloride
down in the summers... can't think of many worse places for steel
brake parts to live...

On 2009-10-16, Zephyr > wrote:
> On Oct 15, 10:52Â*pm, Tegger > wrote:
>> Zephyr > wrote in news:6f1d9568-717a-4ebe-ac6a-
>> :
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > hey all,
>>
>> > this past summer ( early august maybe) I replaced the pads on the rear
>> > of my 03 accord.
>> > the left side was worn badly, the right, not so much, but I did them
>> > both with OEM pads,
>> > this week my wife said the brakes were squeeling, and sure enough,
>> > the rear left was making noise.
>> > looking at the outer pad on the left side there is 1/2 of the material
>> > worn off, compared to the right side already, Â*maybe 7,000 miles into
>> > the new pads...
>> > I haven't had a chance to take the wheel of and look at the inner pad,
>> > but, I'm starting to think that that rear is dragging constantly,
>> > so, Â*what can I do to fix this? Â*is a new caliper in my future or ???
>>
>> > thanks for the thoughts and ideas.
>>
>> > Dave
>>
>> Not likely a bad caliper, but a sticky pin or pad.
>>
>> See here for a (badly in need of updating) writeup:http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/rustybrakes/brakes1.html
>>
>> --
>> Tegger
>>
>> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQwww.tegger.com/hondafaq/
>
> Tegger, thanks for the beauty link, you put a lot of time in that
> obviously...
> hey, I watched that vid of you turning in the piston on the caliper
> on the rears, I remember when I had to do that back in the summer it
> took WAAAY more force for me, I ended up putting the screwdriver
> lengh twise to the groove and used the shaft of the screwdriver in the
> groove of the piston to turn it... ( did that make sense?) I tried to
> turn it with the screwdriver normally, but that did not work at all...
> the other side did turn a fair bit easier...
> I know the pins looked decent at the time, and I could pull them free
> with my fingers.
>
> based on all that info I'm thinking that that the piston is a bit
> sticky, If I remember right, the inside pad was much more worn than
> the outside pad this summer, and I'm guessing the same has happened
> again...

If the inside and outside wear at different rates, it points to the
pins not moving freely. Did you disassemble and re-grease them, then
put them back together right, or did you just test that they moved,
then leave them be?

The rears (especially) need the full service done each time. They get
a lot of crap from the road splashed on them.


--
Joe - Linux User #449481/Ubuntu User #19733
joe at hits - buffalo dot com
"Hate is baggage, life is too short to go around ****ed off all the
time..." - Danny, American History X

On 2009-10-16, Zephyr > wrote:
> On Oct 15, 11:45Â*pm, Zephyr > wrote:
>> On Oct 15, 10:52Â*pm, Tegger > wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > Zephyr > wrote in news:6f1d9568-717a-4ebe-ac6a-
>> > :
>>
>> > > hey all,
>>
>> > > this past summer ( early august maybe) I replaced the pads on the rear
>> > > of my 03 accord.
>> > > the left side was worn badly, the right, not so much, but I did them
>> > > both with OEM pads,
>> > > this week my wife said the brakes were squeeling, and sure enough,
>> > > the rear left was making noise.
>> > > looking at the outer pad on the left side there is 1/2 of the material
>> > > worn off, compared to the right side already, Â*maybe 7,000 miles into
>> > > the new pads...
>> > > I haven't had a chance to take the wheel of and look at the inner pad,
>> > > but, I'm starting to think that that rear is dragging constantly,
>> > > so, Â*what can I do to fix this? Â*is a new caliper in my future or ???
>>
>> > > thanks for the thoughts and ideas.
>>
>> > > Dave
>>
>> > Not likely a bad caliper, but a sticky pin or pad.
>>
>> > See here for a (badly in need of updating) writeup:http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/rustybrakes/brakes1.html
>>
>> > --
>> > Tegger
>>
>> > The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQwww.tegger.com/hondafaq/
>>
>> Tegger, Â*thanks for the beauty link, you put a lot of time in that
>> obviously...
>> hey, Â*I watched that vid of you turning in the piston on the caliper
>> on the rears, Â*I remember when I had to do that back in the summer it
>> took WAAAY more force for me, Â*I ended up putting the screwdriver
>> lengh twise to the groove and used the shaft of the screwdriver in the
>> groove of the piston to turn it... ( did that make sense?) Â*I tried to
>> turn it with the screwdriver normally, but that did not work at all...
>> the other side did turn a fair bit easier...
>> I know the pins looked decent at the time, and I could pull them free
>> with my fingers.
>>
>> based on all that info I'm thinking that that the piston is a bit
>> sticky, Â* If I remember right, the inside pad was much more worn than
>> the outside pad this summer, and I'm guessing the same has happened
>> again...
>
> hmm, I'm rethinking it again, after re reading your bit about rust
> under the shims.. I know I had to pry off the the old pads with a
> screwdriver and they popped out of place pretty smartly after getting
> a bigger screwdriver... I gave lip service to cleaning under the
> shims with a screwdriver, and was able to place the new pads in by
> hand, but, it wasn't loose.
> I live in SE Michigan, on a dirt road where they put calcium chloride
> down in the summers... can't think of many worse places for steel
> brake parts to live...
>

Invest in good steel files. Nice meaty ones. There's a lot of rust,
and needs to be taken off. Then, make sure you lube up all of the
contact points.

--
Joe - Linux User #449481/Ubuntu User #19733
joe at hits - buffalo dot com
"Hate is baggage, life is too short to go around ****ed off all the
time..." - Danny, American History X

Joe > wrote:

> If the inside and outside wear at different rates, it points to the
> pins not moving freely. Did you disassemble and re-grease them, then
> put them back together right, or did you just test that they moved,
> then leave them be?

The Brembo brake pads on my BMW motorcycle wore so unevenly that I rotated
them at every oil change. I forget which side wore faster, but I presume
it had to do with a single piston, essentially pushing one pad against the
disc which then had the added burden of moving the caliper before the other
pad touched.


--
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5

Hopefully, you didn drive too far with the caliper dragging like that.
Mine did the same thing on my CRV and the excess heat roasted my wheel
bearing.

Good thing the wheel bearing was under warranty.

Now I do the spring brake cleaning ritual as well.

Zephyr > wrote in
:


>
> hmm, I'm rethinking it again, after re reading your bit about rust
> under the shims.. I know I had to pry off the the old pads with a
> screwdriver and they popped out of place pretty smartly after getting
> a bigger screwdriver... I gave lip service to cleaning under the
> shims with a screwdriver, and was able to place the new pads in by
> hand, but, it wasn't loose.
> I live in SE Michigan, on a dirt road where they put calcium chloride
> down in the summers... can't think of many worse places for steel
> brake parts to live...
>


"Lip service" doesn't help much. You have to clean ALL the rust off. Those
pads must be LOOSE.

Both pins, plus both pads, on each side, MUST be /perfectly free/ to move
in their positions. ANY stickiness will create uneven pad wear.

It's possible the hydraulic piston is sticking, but that would cause uneven
wear on that side (on BOTH pads) versus the pads on the other side. It's
even possible you have a combination of problems.

To easily check for a sticky piston, you can do one of three things:

1) Get an infrared thermometer for between $30 and $80. The sticky side
will be much hotter than the non-sticky side.
<http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/misc/infrared-thermometer.jpg>

2) After a drive, feel the wheel nuts with a fingertip. The sticky side
will be much hotter than the non-sticky side.

3) Elevate the end of the car with the suspected sticky piston. Remove both
road wheels, remove the calipers from the mount brackets and hang them
properly. Push the pistons back in all the way. Now step on the brake pedal
all the way to the floor about eight times. Is one piston ejected LESS than
the other? Then that piston is sticky.

Make sure there is sufficient fluid in the master cylinder that it doesn't
run dry when you do #3. And do not perform #3 if the brake fluid has not
been changed in five years or more.

By the way, I've been experiemnting with high-build zinc primer as the
anti-corrosion medium in place of grease between the slide shims and the
mount bracket. It's worked well, and I've been meaning to update the site
to show that.


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Joe > wrote in
:


>
> If the inside and outside wear at different rates, it points to the
> pins not moving freely.


Or one pad being clamped much more than the other on account of rust.


> Did you disassemble and re-grease them, then
> put them back together right, or did you just test that they moved,
> then leave them be?
>
> The rears (especially) need the full service done each time. They get
> a lot of crap from the road splashed on them.



The primary problem with the rears is that they never get very hot, so
moisture doesn't boil off them. This means they rust like crazy.

I can't quite remember how hot the fronts got last time I checked, but the
rears only get up to about 90-100F max. I think the fronts get up to about
140-160F under normal use.



--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/