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Sticking Calliper?


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The driver's side calliper on my Loyale seems to be intermitently sticking. Something is definitely up with the e-brake, too. It's intermitent, meaning it doesn't happen ALL the time, but when it does ... I KNOW it's doing some major damage. I wanna cut it off @ the pass ...

 

I'll be driving around as normal - city traffic (stop & go), and I'll start to feel some resistance. It'll get worse & worse until I need to pull over. You can SMELL the pads ... let it sit, or give the callipers a tap with a screwdriver, and they kinda sorta seem to get me back.

 

Now, maybe this is crazy, but ... I SWEAR it helps to put it in reverse sometimes ...

 

The same thing happened just before I did my major overhaul a couple off years ago. At the time, I replaced both callipers (charged), e-brake cable, etc.

 

Anything I am doing? Not doing? Any tricks here?

 

The car DID sit with the e-brake on for about 6 weeks, more or less ...

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My White Wagon is "Acting" identical... To do a Fast Fix -for example, while in a trip- I Just park the car and turn the Steering to the Right, then, with my Hand I Pull the e-Brake Stick behind the Wheel`s Brake, then it Releases easy, sometimes with a slow "Bum" Sound...

 

The e-Brake has one stick on each front wheel, the Stick connects with the Caliper`s Piston in an "Indirect" Way, thru a Small piece of around 1" X 1" with round corners, and with Triangle shape ( seeing it by the side, `cos its Base is more Thick than its top) So, I Believe that small Piece has now enough Wear to Slip to one Side and I Believe That`s Why the Brake Remains Pushed even when you Lower the e-Brake Handle.

 

For Now I am not Using the e-Brake, to prevent that Problem... (I have a Medium Triangle Shaped Stone of around two Pounds, in the Subie`s Back, just in Case I Need to Park it in a Downhill :D where nothing can Stop it; If I Park it near the SideWalk, I Turn the Wheel, so the Sidewalk`s Side Stops it)

 

I Suggest to Check the e-Brake Parts and Change the Worn ones.

 

Good Luck! :burnout:

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if it's doing the exact same thing and you already replaced both calipers and ebrake cables it sounds like you need to look somewhere else.

 

either at the hill holder mechanism (disable it temporarily) or...how big of a life insurance policy do you have and who's the beneficiary?

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if it's doing the exact same thing and you already replaced both calipers and ebrake cables it sounds like you need to look somewhere else.

 

either at the hill holder mechanism (disable it temporarily) or...how big of a life insurance policy do you have and who's the beneficiary?

 

Hehe ... good one! lmao! Actually, with them sticking, I can't run into anyting really fast, hehe. So it'l lbe a low-speed crash.

 

Yep - I did callipers and rotors... but Maybe I have my terminology mixed-up. is the "hill holder" the same thing as the e-brake? Or is the hill-holder something different?

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it is Something Different... is Located under the Main Brake Pump, and it got a Steel Cable Going from the Clutch Plate to it... Its Purpose is to Hold the Car Stop in Uphills, even if you Release the Brake Pedal... Untill you Release the Clutch Pedal. Really I Don`t Believe it is Causing the Problem, I Believe the e-Brake Mechanism, as I Said...

About the Slow Speed Crash... Consider that when Brake Parts Becomes Hot, two things can Cause Brake Loss: the Brake Fluid can Boil and Dissapear, Also in Very Hot Temps, the O-Ring that Holds the Brake Fluid in the Brake`s Piston Can Melt Too...

Please: Be Very Careful... I Suggest you to Check Everythin` as Soon as Possible.

Good Luck! :burnout:

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  • 2 months later...

I am starting to hate the brakes ...

 

Syptoms ... all of the above toasted the front brakes & the Drivers side rotor (warped). The E-brake has never seemed to work well ... and I swear it contributed to the sticking rotors. now it's useless - no grab at all.

 

I want to solve this once & for all - money be damned. I'm about to replace both rotors, pads in front. I went to the parts store, and they had no hill-holder to call-up. I also asked about e-brake cables, and they told me they came up with REAR cables ($125 for the both of them), but I thought the E-brake was connected to the FRONTs ... I've got drums in back.

 

Any way to TEST this hill-holder thing? Or should I just replace it outright? And what else besides cables can I look for to get this emergency brake to work? I have never had so many head-scratching moments when it comes to brakes. I mean .. there's just only so much it could be!

 

Also .. (gulp) ... how many have replaced drums with rotors in the rear? Is it worth it?

 

Thanks!

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E-brake may just need adjusted which can be done by turning a nut under the transmission hump.

 

Also have some front rotors and calipers I saved from an XT if you want to go use. PM if interested.

 

Also a bad MC can cause this problem. Heated fluid which expands can not return to the MC so it goes the other way and pushes against the caliper piston. More heat, more "push" and eventually the front brakes losk.

Edited by john in KY
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Like John said the parking brake adjuster is under the handle there, cables pointing towards the front. I have the '90 Loyale FSM if you need info on the brakes and hill holder.

 

I've put rear discs on my loyale and the '86 GL I bought from Chux came with them, a nice upgrade for stopping. Yours is 2WD right? If so, I think you would need discs from a 2WD donor to swap them over which is probably difficult to find.

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