Front Brakes Wouldn't Release

[TheTrueMoron]

About 2 weeks ago I noticed that my front right wheel was making a squeeking noise and after a couple of days I started to smell my brakes whenever I would open the door or roll down my window. After checking out my brakes, I noticed that the calipers weren't releasing on the front end. In order to prevent further problems, I had the truck towed to my usual repair and maintenance shop. A few days later, while I'm vacationing in Florida, I get a call saying that the heat had almost completely destroyed the hub assemblies, rotors, calipers, and brake lines and that the total repair bill is going to be around $2,500. I got the truck back on Tuesday this week and I haven't had any problems. The truck still doesn't seem like it will coast as far as it used to when I let off the gas, which you would think wouldn't be any problem with new hub assemblies and new bearings. However, this morning I got out and smelled that same brake smell again and I was thinking that it might just be that the new pads and rotors have a stronger smell as they are breaking in. I checked them out tonight and noticed that the pads were really close to the rotor and I'm guessing that with new pads, they're supposed to be that close. Just in case, I'm going to stop by the automotive shop tomorrow and have the mechanics double check everything to make sure that everything looks correct and that everything is working properly.

 

It does seem wierd to me, though, that both the front calipers would go out at the same time. If they are doing it again, then what do you guys think is the problem? I was thinking the master cylinder might need replacing if multiple calipers are malfunctioning out at the same time, but you would think all 4 wheels would be having the same problem if that was the case.

 

Here's the questions that I'm wondering: Do new brakes give off more smell during their break-in period than they do when they are already broken in? How close to the rotors should the break pads be? How common is this problem on these trucks? If the same thing is happening again, should I look somewhere else in the brake system? Is there any other part in the braking system that could have been affected by the heat generated during the caliper-sticking time that I should keep an eye on?

 

I guess this is what happens when one starts to lose their faith in their truck...

[asilverblazer]

Do you trust the shop, because some of those items seem unneeded, like the hoses. It sounds to me like the problem is upstream.

[pm26]

Did they replace the rubber brake hoses?

[TheTrueMoron]

Did they replace the rubber brake hoses?

They did replace the hoses. They said that because of the heat, they could see areas on the outer part of the hoses where they had started to melt.

[cerbomark]

sounds like a failed caliper to me. they can smell a little different for 50 miles or so when breaking in. the pads will sit right on the rotor most of the time and may barely skim the rotor when not applied. don t know what else to say except have the shop re check them or jack up the truck and see how free the wheel spins by hand.