brake dragging 5ktq PROGRESS

[Doyt W. Echelberger]

Thanks for all the replies. As suggested, I put the car on a lift and 
checked all the testable mechanical factors ...and they all were OK: 
Emergency brake cables/caliper levers, caliper pins, caliper piston 
function, flexible line condition, master cylinder function (new), all new 
brake lines, new brake fluid, good Pentosin level, reasonably working 
accumulator (10 pumps).

Only two factors seemed questionable:
           (1) The car sits idle and only gets driven every few weeks, and 
then not very far or very aggressively.
           (2) The ABS electricals were disconnected under the rear seat a 
few years ago, to prevent chatter at rolling stops (corroded cogs in the hubs.)

What action did I take?  I re-connected the ABS pigtail at the controller 
box under the rear seat. Then I drove the car aggressively for 15 minutes, 
making 8 stand-on-pedal tire-skidding stops from 50 miles and hour, maybe 
30 seconds apart.....a variety of the infamous Italian tune up.

What were the results?  After the third skidding stop, the brakes stopped 
dragging and the stops got cleaner and easier and the car rolled easier on 
acceleration and deceleration. I couldn't make the ABS chatter like it did 
when the car was new and I can't explain that. Seems that if the tires were 
skidding/wheels were locked up, the ABS should engage and rattle like a 
machine gun. Anyhow, the brakes stopped dragging and when I parked the car 
out of gear on a level surface I could push it both ways by leaning against 
the hood or the trunk.

Future Action?  I'm gonna put some Blaster on the nut that holds the ground 
wire at the front of the ABS unit under the hood. I'll clean up that ground 
connection and test the ABS again, with wheel-locking stops, and see if it 
can be made to chatter in its original alarming fashion. Never thought I'd 
want to have it work that way again. Oh for the good old days!

Thanks again for all the replies.....anybody with an idea is still 
welcome.....this isn't over with yet.

Doyt