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Brake Pedal Feels Stiff

Hello Forum, My right rear brake started smoking the other day. I pulled over. let it cool and came home.
This particular caliper has less than a 5k on it. I cleaned the pad clips and the caliper bracket and bled the brake system.( Turkey baster with clear tube and emptied resevoir, Refilled slowly) Right rear, left rear, right front and left front. Brakes never responded great but had no problems. Now the right rear heated up the other day after some heavy breaking cause I smelled it and felt the heat...didnt smoke but I believe a little more riding would have smoke them maybe.
Any ideas are much appreciated.
 

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
brake hose would be the first suspect
 

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
They also fail internally. The interior lining can flake and act like a check valve, allowing pressure past but not release.
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
i would try changing the flex line.. the 1st gen SD are known for their flex lines collapsing.. and with only 5k on the caliper itd be the best bet... jack it up.. pull the wheel... put a drain pan under it.. depress the pedal and let off.. crack the bleeder valve.. if the fluid "squirts" out its a bad line keeping pressure on the caliper pistons.. if it does nothing at all frozen caliper.. slight oozing can be the caliper decompressing...
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
np.. thats the old school way of determining bad flex lines to bad calipers.. the SD's in addition to bad flex lines also have a rep for sticky calipers due to the grease washing out from around the glide pins.. but with only 5K i dont think thats your issue..
 
Sparky83 , I tried what you suggested. I had a friend step on the brakes then release and I cracked the bleeder but it just dripped out no squirting action. I am going to pull the caliper pins and see what is going on there. Perhaps the overheating to the point the caliper smoked, gunked up the pins? When I did the pads I used one of those ketchup sized packs of lube you get at the autoparts counter. Do you have any suggestions to a superior lube for those pins? Thanks
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
ive always and only ever used permatex antiseize.. (nice silver stuff that gets everywhere now matter how clean you try to stay lol).. never had a bolt get stuck or a glide pin freeze up...
 
when I bled the brakes did all the fluid come out of the caliper? In other words would compressing the caliper when its off the bracket to extend them(without overextending)and then compressing them flush everything out? Just wondering if doing that would do anything.
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
theres usually some residual left in the calipers even with the pistons compressed all the way back because theres a small gap behind them to allow fluid to flow behind the pistons.. compressing the piston can sometimes dislodge any debris in the cyls to cause them to plug up the system..
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
no problem man.. glad to hear its braking better...
 

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