4 replies to this topic

[Moore102183]

Hi all, I am having some problems with my brakes. A few weeks ago I went to change the front brake pads on my 1998 Ford Contour SVT. I started with the side that was screeching a little bit. The passenger side. I changed the pads, and the spring broke when I was trying to put it back on. At that time I didn't have a new spring to put on it, and thought it would be fine to drive until I was able to get one. I went to start on the drivers side, and the pads look like they have never even had contact with the rotor. So I opened the bleeder valve and had a friend press on the brake pedal, and nothing came out. And I really didn't even know where to start as far as finding out why. Well I figured out that the only brake that works is on the passenger side front. The back brakes don't even have fluid coming out of the bleeder valves. So anywayz, yesterday, I am driving around and I started to notice when I was switching gears that it was slowing down a little bit when I pressed on the clutch. Basically the brakes were like sticking. So I started to go home, and it got worse...when I pressed on the brake pedal the whole car started shaking real bad. I came up to a stop sign and noticed a little bit of odor and smoke coming from both front tires. I got home and I noticed that both of the front rotors were really hot from them sticking/rubbing. Thing is...the drivers side brake hasn't been working ever since I got the car...and now both of them were hot. I am not understanding any of this. First the drivers side and the back brakes were not working at all, now the front drivers side was just as hot as the passenger...like it started to work, but then got stuck or something. Can anyone help me, or suggest anything.

[BuckeyeSVT]

OK, basics. Hydraulic systems are pretty simple. If you have no fluid coming out of the one line or more that can be a sign of a collapsed hose or in some cases a failed hydraulic component (i.e. master cylinder or ABS unit). I wouldn't jump off the deep end so quick, on the wheel that has no fluid coming out of the bleeder try cracking the line at the fender where the hose connects and see if you get flow there. If so, you have a bad hose or some type of debris in the caliper. On the rears, well those are pretty much the same. Check for pressure at the lines themselves if you get nothing at the bleeders.

-Dom

[Moore102183]

Ok, thank you for your help. Would that make the brakes drag every once in a while. Cause it doesn't happen all the time. Its only happened to us twice...but the drivers side brake that never worked was dragging too.

[BuckeyeSVT]

If the rubber hose collapses internally it can cause pressure to stay in the caliper keeping the brakes applied.

-Dom

(null)

[Delores]

And sometimes the hose has a 'bulge' that doesn't transmit the pressure to the caliper. I.e. the d/s hose has a bulge so only the p/s caliper gets pressure and does all the work to stop the car...

Hook up a direct reading gauge to each caliper.

Inspect that each caliper 'slides' on its pin (does not bind due to corrosion).