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  #1  
Old 07-25-2002, 02:07 PM
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126 braking problem

Not sure what to do: Brakes pull really hard to the right unless I hit them hard. I guess that activates the ABS. Once I hit them hard they stop straight until the car sits for a while then it happens all over again. I unfortunately have the cheap Pep Boys brake pads and they scream and groan; but this problem is recently happening.

Any suggestions?

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  #2  
Old 07-25-2002, 02:50 PM
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When is the last time the calipers were serviced? Do you keep up with the necessary brake bleeding? I get the impression your pads are fairly new.

Your problem could be from a number of things....sticky caliper piston, dry or corroded slides on the calipers, brake fluid leaking onto the pads or shoes. A history of when and how your brakes were last serviced, and a good inspection may help determine what the problem is.
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  #3  
Old 07-25-2002, 03:40 PM
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The pads have been on for a while but have plenty of meat left. I am very courious about the other items: What is the caliper "service" I was not aware that the calipers had a service schedule. What all is involved in that? On the bleeding, is that called a brake fluid replacement or just bleed a little of from time-to-time?
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1985 500SEL (260,000 miles) SOLD!
1974 280 SOLD!
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"I know I have a Benz and they know it too." If you start bragging about it or shoving in people's face, you then become a Wally; especially to the girls.
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  #4  
Old 07-25-2002, 09:39 PM
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You need to periodically pull the pads and clean the rust and accumulated crud off the parts of the caliper the pads ride on, or they will rust in place. Most common on user maintained cars because none of the books are clear on this.

My front pads had 60,000 miles on them on the Volvo, and were starting to act funny. Bought new pads and discovered that the old ones were acting funny because they were rusted in place. Had to drive them out with a hammer they were so stuck. Only worked under very heavy brake pressure, was only using the rears to stop.

My mechanic pulls the pads and cleans everything while his is doing the 30,000 mile service on cars. Also lubricates the throttle linkage, etc, etc.

Check your rotor thickness, too -- if the rotor is too thin, the pads can hit the anti-rattle spring and cock, jamming the pistions on dual piston calipers.

Get rid of the Pep Boys pads -- OEM work better and usually make no noise at all. Last about 30,000 miles in normal use, need new rotors about the third pad replacement.
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  #5  
Old 07-25-2002, 09:57 PM
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Psfred is right in saying caliper service is rarely addressed in manuals. They take quite a beating from the environment. There's no prescribed schedule for caliper service. A savvy do-it-yourselfer doesn't just replace the pads and rotor. Any corrosion of crud on the moving surfaces needs to be cleaned off. I sometimes take the caliper completely apart to clean the clean out any corrosion in the hydraulic parts.

Bleeding and brake fluid replacement are pretty much the same. You could just bleed the brakes a little during service....it's better than nothing, and the worst fluid is generally at the fluid end points. But it's not that much more work or expense to completely replace the fluid.
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  #6  
Old 07-26-2002, 06:26 AM
LarryBible
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Just a thought so you don't completely overlook it. In the early seventies I put a new set of radial tires on a Mustang that I was using as a work car. Everything was fine until I rotated them. One of the tires once moved to the front it turned out had a broken belt. The first time I hit the brakes with this tire on the front, I almost found myself in the ditch.

Good luck,
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  #7  
Old 07-26-2002, 10:22 AM
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My guess is you have air in one or more calipers on one side of the car. When you hit it hard, things "pump up" and settle down for a short period of time.

I'd start out with a brake fluid flush and bleeding of all 4 calipers. While that's being done, have tech see if any are hanging up or losing fluid.


Last edited by Mike Richards; 07-26-2002 at 10:36 AM.
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