Brakes not completely releasing
 

I went to change my pads and rotors and noticed I had a little bit of brake drag. I ended up having to replace one caliper because I couldn't get the stock one to retract far enough to get the new pad over the new rotor. Well, after getting it on it was tight and was still dragging so I ordered braided SS MM hoses thinking that might cure the issue but it hasn't. What is my next course of action?

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

Front or back?

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

If this is for the rear, make sure you aren't using gt pads by accident. They're thicker than mach/cobra pads and will drag on the thicker/vented mach/cobra rotors.

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

And that the slots in the piston are vertical so as to line up with the tits on the back of the pads.

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

It is the front. I havent checked the rears to also see if they weren't releasing all the way.

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

Did you use an old brake pad and a C clamp to compress the pistons? If not what did you do?

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

I used an old pad and c clamp to compress the caliper.

But the one caliper obviously wouldn't retract as much as the other, I even bent my cheap c clamp trying. The replacement seemed to compress all the way.

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

If the pistons compressed all the way and the pads are installed correctly then I can't imagine why there is a problem unless for some reason the pads were incorrectly made too thick.

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

I'm just curious if it could be a brake booster issue or something along those lines. If everything goes right. I'm going to jack the rear up and see if it is doing the same. I haven't changed those.

I'm curious if it could be the booster. I've read where people loosened it and if it frees the brakes up it might need to be adjusted. Also seen where someone said to lift the pedal all the way up they had some kind of issue there that was giving them a problem.

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

Im not sure I read that right . Did you have trouble getting the new caliper and brake assembly to fit over a new rotor or did that work fine and it was just the original caliper.I put a small dia clear hose on the bleeder and crack it when I retract the pistons back into the caliper. I change my fluid every brake change and releasing pressure at the bleeder is easy since im going to change it anyway.

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

I had a problem with front breaks once. The Hawk HPS pads were a hair too thick. I end using a grinder with a diamond blade to take off what I needed.
Caliper was pressed all the way in. it only happened on one side. And never happened since

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

One of the old calipers wouldn't fully retract, but the new caliper and Hawk HPS pads wouldn't go over that new rotor. I actually had the rotor turned down some so it would slide over. But since then the brakes don't fully release...either side. In a bit I'm about to go out and check the rear wheels ability to free wheel. I haven't changed the brakes back there yet.

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

https://youtu.be/p7ecf6V4I9k

There is a quick vid. It's not the best, but you can see as soon as I let go of the wheel it probably only makes a slightly better than a 1/4 turn.

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

Also, I noticed MM doesn't have rear braided lines for the 96-04 solid axle cars, but they have them for every other model. What's up with that?

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

Well, I'm back on this subject again after being a terrible Mach owner for almost a year.

I drove the Mach several times since all this...enough that the pads or rotors one should have wore enough to get rid of the tightness. But they haven't. It's like every time I brake the calipers continuously get a little tighter to keep up with the wear on the pads/rotor.

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

Ok brake the master cylinder loose and see if that loosens i up since its both sides. Other wise bad master cylinder.

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

So, I went to do some more testing before attacking the master cyclinder. With the passenger side caliper resting on a box with no pads in, pressing the brake pedal made one piston push out but the other didn't budge. Then, after pushing the one back in and after tapping the stuck one a couple times lightly, I pressed the brake pedal again. This time the one that was stuck moved out a good bit and the one that moved the first time barely moved.

I'm assuming that's not normal.

EDIT: I changed my answer, I assume it is normal so they run off the same reservoir and when that one gets pressure the other will extend.

I guess the question now is, what causes the pad to slide back when you release the pedal. I know the backs have the slider pin that helps some.

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

They really dont slide back. Just no pressure so they just sit. And yes its normal maybe time for new seals in the calipers.

Re: Brakes not completely releasing
 

After pumping them a few times and easing down the drive way I couldn't hear rubbing like before. The car even felt "free'er" getting up and going. But the stopping sucks. I have a firm pedal. Getting all the way in the brakes only gets me a slightly above average stop. It would use to kick the ABS on.

The vehicle as pretty much been setting for the past year. So I guess it's possible the booster has gone out?