S14 rear brakes dragging

[FaLKoN240]

Hey everyone, to start off. I did search.

My rear calipers are dragging after I start to drive the car for more than 10 minutes I'd say. I can smell them when I come to a complete stop and they're hot to the touch, I can spit on the rotor and it evaporates on contact.

1998 S14
Z32 front brakes, stock rears
Stainless steel braided lines all around.
Z32 brake master

PBM frame risers (so the cables are routed funky, but they worked fine before)

My next steps are to inspect the caliper springs for the hand brake for rust.

After that I'm going to replace each rear caliper ($150 I want to avoid this)

Anyone have any suggestions or dealt with this problem recently?

To give you an idea, I already have:

Compressed both rear pistons

Replaced my rear pads with new pads

Checked handbrake cable from the driveshaft back

Upgraded from a stock (non abs) brake master to a z32.

Thanks

[Agamemnon]

Sounds like your calipers are sticking. Have you checked the slider pins to make sure they are sliding ok?

[FaLKoN240]

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

Sounds like your calipers are sticking. Have you checked the slider pins to make sure they are sliding ok?

I can check that next. I'll Google a way to do an inspection on that, but I'm open to suggestions

[pancakes562]

Mine were doing the same. Looks like one of the guide pins were seized. I had to extract it using a method I found on Google, Re-lubed it and problem went away.

[FaLKoN240]

But if it's one of the sliders, does that affect BOTH calipers?

[EvilEgg13]

Are you using stock rubber line or do you have braided lines?

[FaLKoN240]

Originally Posted by EvilEgg13

Are you using stock rubber line or do you have braided lines?

I recently upgraded the rear lines to SS lines. That may be the culprit but not sure how...
Edit: updated OP with that info

[EvilEgg13]

Originally Posted by FaLKoN240

I recently upgraded the rear lines to SS lines. That may be the culprit but not sure how...
Edit: updated OP with that info

The reason I ask is old rubber lines have a tendency to harden. When they do that they can restrict the ability for the brake fluid to flow back out of the caliper, therefore making the brake stay applied.



With new SS lines that should not be a problem, the only way that would be a problem with SS lined if the lines were kinked.

[Agamemnon]

Originally Posted by EvilEgg13

The reason I ask is old rubber lines have a tendency to harden. When they do that they can restrict the ability for the brake fluid to flow back out of the caliper, therefore making the brake stay applied.



With new SS lines that should not be a problem, the only way that would be a problem with SS lined if the lines were kinked.

I thought the same thing. I've seen old rubber lines collapse and create a "one-way valve" problem, but never with both calipers at the same time.

Try disconnecting or loosening your ebrake cables so they dont have any effect on the calipers and drive around. If they dont drag and heat up, that should narrow down the issue.

[e1_griego]

How far in the pedal travel til the brakes start working?

Might just need to adjust the master and get a little bit of free play at the top of the pedal.

[az_240]

Stock floating style calipers are a bitch. Upgrade to z32 rears if possible.

Could be the E-brake cable forcing the caliper to sit a little crooked....As agememnon said, try disconnecting them.

Or could be the calipers seizing up a little.

[FaLKoN240]

I've heard Z32 brakes are annoying as well lol

[az_240]

Originally Posted by FaLKoN240

I've heard Z32 brakes are annoying as well lol

I've switched back and forth a few times and never had issues with z32 brakes with drum style ebrake (this setup is known to have a bit more rear bias but can be easily corrected with different pads)....can't say the same about the oem calipers.

[1on1]

Scott,

Did you adjust your e-brake cable anytime prior to this issue? I had this problem and it was dragging a little bit. Luckily for me, I was able to find an unmolested z32 in the junkyard and glad I converted to z32.

If anything, try replacing the guiding pins as mentioned or rebuild/replace calipers. If I find another z32, I'll holler.

[FaLKoN240]

I'm disconnecting the ebrake cables now. Also redid the sliding pins with new silicone jelly


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[1on1]

awesome and let us know if anything helped or if you still have the problem.

[FaLKoN240]

Originally Posted by 1on1

awesome and let us know if anything helped or if you still have the problem.

Last night:

Took off the rear brake brackets. Thoroughly cleaned the sliding pins, and used SILICONE gel/paste DO NOT USE GREASE. There was a lot of rust colored crust that came out in the brake cleaning fluid.

After doing the sliding pin maintenance, I backed the ebrake cable's adjustment nut all the way to the top on the hand brake and disconnected the cables from the rear calipers themselves.

I drove around with the cables disconnected and the issue went away. No hot brakes, no dragging, nothing.

After that was established, I reconnected the brake cables, and adjusted the nut by feel until there was minimal play, but no tension- in the ebrake handle.

Car feels much better now.

Only thing I need to do is replace the fluid since I poured old brake fluid into the system after changing the master.

[KevinEdgar]

Damn I should have done this on my coupe, my rears stuck pretty bad. But I never drove the car so I didn't really worry about it lol.

[FaLKoN240]

Originally Posted by KevinEdgar

Damn I should have done this on my coupe, my rears stuck pretty bad. But I never drove the car so I didn't really worry about it lol.

You're still on here... you'll be back. LOL