5kcs brakes dragging

[Mike Arman <armanmik@n-jcenter.com>]

>
>Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 21:22:58 -0600
>From: Steve Sherman <steves@cyrix.com>
>Subject: 5kcs brakes dragging
>
>An unusual thing happened to my wife's 86 5KTW today.  About 2-3 miles
>from home, they noticed a smell like burning brakes.  It was pretty
>strong so they walked back home...
>

snip snip snip

>
>At home the disk were hotter, not "glowing", but too hot to touch for
>long.  Calipers were warm but not hot.  I did not get the overpwoering
>hot brake smell that my wife got earlier, but I was only going
>2--30mph...
>
>For comparison, I ran the route with my 5K, and my disk and rotors were
>cool after the same trip... So there is definitely some drag on the 86
>5K's brakes.
>
>Seems to me that the only thing that could be affecting all 4 wheels
>would be the master cylinder.  Does that wound right?  Any other likely
>culprits?
>


You are right on the money. Change the master cylinder and the car will be
fine. Prices range from $40 for a lifetime g'teed rebuilt at Pep Boys or
similar (which seems to work fine for me, but has a tendency to attract
flames from other listers!) to $200 or so (I think) from the dealer. Takes
little time to change, but can be a REAL PITA to bleed if you have ABS,
less of a PITA if no ABS.





>BTW - about 2-3 weeks ago I had a shop replace the rear pads and rotors
>(since I usually don't work on brakes).  Seems unlikely, but any chance
>that they might have done something to cause this?
>

Yes, but not their fault! When they replaced the pads and rotors, they had
to press (or screw) the rear caliper pistons back in, pushing brake fluid
UP the lines into the master cylinder. Possibly some crud got dislodged, or
the seals in the master cylinder are now working in a previously worn area
of the bore. This might be a good time to check/change the FRONT pads
(pushing the pistons back in), AND THEN change the master cylinder and
bleed the brakes. Fortunately, the front pads are not expensive or hard to do.


Best Regards,

Mike Arman


>TIA
>
>Steve
>