ScreaminEagle

I have replaced both of my rear calipers and one rotor a couple years ago. I noticed a noise from my left rear again an the caliper is froze and I may need to replace the rotor again. Are the calipers crap or is there another component in the the brake system which could cause this?

Lary Ellis (Top)

A common mistake is not to replace the brake hoses, the rubber rots inside and plugs up the line.....I would look there if you haven't already....

Dr.Dizzle

In addition to hoses, I recommend you bleed the brake fluid. This will remove any moisture and contaminates located within the system. This may take up to three thirty two ounce bottles to accomplish. I also recommend you clean and grease the slides on a yearly basis as well.

I believe the quality of parts store calipers is hit n miss; however, a few of our old 01.5 company trucks had issues with one brand of calipers. I find the NAPA calipers to be better than most other parts store offerings.

SIXSLUG

Both mine have. I think its because the rear brakes are relatively inactive during normal braking, then get a workout when towing or hauling a load. Then get relatively inactive until the next heavy load.

I agree with replacing the lines while you are in there, and keep your parking brake adjusted. NAPA rotors, pads and calipers are what I run preceding 5 years.

Silver R/T

My right rear one sticks occasionally and when I come out of truck I can smell burnt brake pads.

dozer12216

Sticking calipers have been a issue forever. The rears are exposed to more road crap and moisture. Change brake fluid at regular intervals.

WestTN

Mine have never been a problem. Come to think of it, nothing else has been a problen either for 163,000 + miles! And I am still using the factory original pads.

torquefan

Contrary to many beliefs, the problem isn't usually the pistons seizing, it is actually the slide pins seizing. The big problem is that the rear calipers get bombarded with all the gravel and grit that's tossed up by the front wheels. The rubber slide bushings can't handle it, and get perforated to let in slush and moisture, then the pins rust in their bores. It might not be as apparent in its early stages, because as the bores rust, they tend to restrict the pins' movement when they get hot, as the rust expands much more than metal when it heats up. After it cools down, the pins can feel like they still move normally.

The problem affects all makes of truck with rear discs, and I know GM has gone back to rear drums on their trucks because of the issues, and have heard rumors of Ford doing the same. Personally you couldn't pay me to have rear discs on my truck, between this problem and the marginal emergency brakes that they have.

I have seen some Dodges equipped with aftermarket metal shields to protect the rear calipers, and they do seem to help somewhat, but I don't know who makes them. Anyone with some ingenuity should be able to fab up something to help deflect the grit.

01RAMer

You will probably find that the metal sleeve inside the rubber boot, where the pins insert, is probably the calprit. It's probably stuck tight. You can usually pull the caliber off, stick in a bolt inside the rubber boot that's slightly smaller the the metal sleeve and use a C-clamp to press it out. Pull the rubber boot out of the caliper and remove the rust where the boot goes in. This is one area that binds the metal sleeve. On the rubber boot, there is usually a molding ridge of rubber on the rubber boot's outside, where it fits inside the caliper. I use a sharp knife and scrape that off. This is minor but helps give extra room for the sleeve.

Once you get everything cleaned up, use a GOOD Silicon brake grease and coat the inside of the caliper where the rubber boot pushes in to help keep the metal from re-rusting. Use this same grease inside the boot where the metal sleeve goes and re-insert the boot and the metal sleeve. Lube the pins with same and put things back together.

You should be able to push the caliper back and forth EASILY before you tighten the pads by applying the brakes.

I've also seen the metal sleeve become tight inside the boot due to the wrong grease being used. In one case someone used white lithium grease. The grease became sticky and the caliper froze. My brakes work great!

Silver R/T

I use good synthetic grease

Phat09flhx

I'm new to the forums, just bought my first Cummins and its a 1998 24V. The guy I bought it from said that the right brake was hanging up. Tore it all down and repacked the bearings and noticed the caliper was used and had to beat the sleeves out. I cleaned and used antisease and works like a charm. My brother inlaw had one years ago that did the same thing and fixed it the same way with NO problems in the next 5 yrs of ownership. Just my .02

j-fox

Any chance you replaced the pads?
I had a set of calipers on a 86 dodge van stick.
I found the cheap pads were wearing un even---front to back!!! It was 2 am in vas vega's, so I swapped sides and drove it home! You will need calipers to measure it. Mine were .100- .120 thiner on the second half as they wear. Th is cocke dthe piston and it could not return.