Front brakes are smoking...

Working out some kinks on my 94' Caprice wagon,

Seems like the brakes are grabbing in the rear and leaving the fronts to do all the work.

So instead of throwing parts at it, what it the proper procedure on adjusting the rear brakes?

Pull the drums and make sure everything is in good working order, no broken springs and the wheel cylinders are not leaking.

The drum brakes should be adjusted so there is a slight drag when the drum is turned. It's kind of an experience/feel thing.

Wouldn't hurt to check the brake fluid too. If it's funky looking, might be a good time to change it.

I think that even with no rear brakes at all, you still would have to do a bunch of heavy stops to have the fronts so hot they smoke, plus it would dive the nose to some degree.

Regardless of what the rear brakes are doing based on what "grabbing" in the rear means, it sounds like you have something sticking on the front causing the pads to drag.  Stuck calipers, stuck pistons, bad hoses that hold pressure, non releasing master cylinder, plugged lines, etc can all do that kind of thing.

It would probably be wise to take apart both ends to see what exactly  you are dealing with at this point.  If the pads have been smoking, they may well be now glazed over and need to replacement and if the rotor is burned it would at least need to be sanded.

booster wrote:

I think that even with no rear brakes at all, you still would have to do a bunch of heavy stops to have the fronts so hot they smoke, plus it would dive the nose to some degree.

Regardless of what the rear brakes are doing based on what "grabbing" in the rear means, it sounds like you have something sticking on the front causing the pads to drag.  Stuck calipers, stuck pistons, bad hoses that hold pressure, non releasing master cylinder, plugged lines, etc can all do that kind of thing.

It would probably be wise to take apart both ends to see what exactly  you are dealing with at this point.  If the pads have been smoking, the may well be now glazed over and need to replacement and if the rotor is burned it would at least need to be sanded.

thats my thoughts too...if the rears "Grab" that means they would be the ones getting hot and overworked.... should lessen the load on the fronts... if they arent working at all, the fronts will get hotter......

more likely than not, if the fronts are smoking, you have a stuck caliper issue.

My bad, if you've got a second to ready I'll give yinz the long version.

Once I brought this 94' Caprice Wagon home to PA I have to get it inspected.

All it needed was front pads and a idler arm.

The front definitely got hot and smoked the day I posted this.

It's not nose diving.

The brake fluid is dark.

They claim to of pulled all 4 wheels off and had a look at things.

I wanted a legit full blown inspection to make sure shes top notch.

Boomhauers_93Wagon wrote:

My bad, if you've got a second to ready I'll give yinz the long version.

Once I brought this 94' Caprice Wagon home to PA I have to get it inspected.

All it needed was front pads and a idler arm.

The front definitely got hot and smoked the day I posted this.

It's not nose diving.

The brake fluid is dark.

They claim to of pulled all 4 wheels off and had a look at things.

I wanted a legit full blown inspection to make sure shes top notch.

if its a one time thing, brake pads do need to be seated... its normal to smell .... but if the pads were worn out and they replaced them, AND they are dragging and locking up, then i'd say you have a caliper problem.

Update:

New brake hoses, new calipers, new shoes, all 4 corners bled, the rotors were also cut.

Went down a hill in my neighborhood and I started smelling and seeing smoke.

I pulled over and everything was hot and smoking again.

So what's left??

Keep bleeding the system?

The master cylinder?

Master cylinder or plugged line.

At home step on the brake and release and watch the master cylinder reservoir for fluid swirling back into the reservoir to see if it is releasing pressure.

If it is releasing step on the brake and release and crack a wheel cylinder bleeder to check for pressure.

If it has pressure at the wheels and not at the master something is plugged or the ABS module is dead would be the most likely.

To add if your brake fluid is dark the system should be completely flushed till you get clear fluid in the reservoir

Went through a similar situation with a dodge pickup my brother put back on the road. It was a bad proportioning valve that was causing the front brakes to hang.

I would have to agree with the other guys, sounds like proportioning valve or ABS module is acting up. Where did you buy the car from, I'm asking because I lived in Pgh. 50 years and know what corossion can do to the break lines (among other things). Check the wiring going to the ABS and make sure it's not the issue.

I filled it up and let it flush itself out before I hooked up the new brake hoses up front.

This is the first wagon (of 6) I've ever had these much brake issues with. This wagon came from the south, but picked it up from Indiana.

How full is the MC? I overfilled mine and it slowly locked the fronts as heat built and the fluid had nowhere to go.

vivix wrote:

How full is the MC? I overfilled mine and it slowly locked the fronts as heat built and the fluid had nowhere to go.

Right under the fill line.

I'm genuinely curious, does anyone have a video of front calipers moving?

Reason I ask when I was bleeding everything, the fronts didn't seem to move a bunch.

I'm losing sleep over this for crying aht loud...

I've never had troubles like this

If you have the pads out, and the piston pushed in, you should be able to easily move the caliper back and forth by hand. They usually rust and lock up on the two angled connections of the caliper to the carrier, preventing the caliper from moving. Very common in this style caliper.

Update as of 6:12pm Yinzer time zone...

Both wheel cylinders are wet and have leaked. I am hope this is indeed the issue.