Ford Escort 93 Hatchback front right brake caliper sticking

[cheesyhoward]

I have a Ford Escort Zetec 1.6 93/L car (92000 miles). Recently the front drivers side brake caliper (Bendix type) has been sticking. A rubbing noise has been progressively getting worse since last week. It only usually occurs after the car has warmed up and after I release the brake. I do not have any noticeable brake imbalance.

I have had a look at the brakes with the wheels off and the front drivers side disk is rubbing against the pads. The dust cover on piston has moved possibly allowing in dirt and water. Can the caliper be easily removed and cleaned to cure the problem or is it best to buy a new one? The current ones are have been on for the life of the vehicle. Would I need to replace the left side as well? I am planning to change all the front pads. The right outer pad has worn considerably as from the caliper not releasing.

Calipers from Ford are £57 each and the pads are £22 for a set of 4.
At Camberly Auto Factors the calipers are more expensive £65 each but the pads are only £16. Are these reasonably good prices?

I have also been to National Tyre and Autocare who told me the calipers / pads would need to be changed. They said the discs would also need changing if I did not remedy the sticking problem soon. The right disc has developed a slight lip around the edge. This annoyed me a bit because I only changed them 2 years ago. They quoted £134 to change the calipers (reasonable) and £78 to change the pads (bit steep). I do not see why the mark up/labour charge on the pads is so high when they are just slotting them into place (max 10 minutes extra on top of changing the calipers). Kwikfit was a lot more expensive as expected and local garages quoted about £220-240.

While I was checking the brakes (with the front wheels raised off the ground) I noticed that the front left wheel turns when the engine is running and in neutral. Is this meant to happen? The right wheel does not turn. This is probably because the brake is stuck on. About a year ago the right wheel turned but at a slower RPM than the left (maybe the stick was developing then?).

Before I spend lots of money fixing the problem is it normal for the drive shafts to turn at different speeds under load as described above? Or does it mean the differential has broken or something.

Any advice/help is much appreciated.

[rivolette]

Not sure if the calipers are serviceable items but have you considered replacing the rotor? Have the rotors been there for the life of the car also?
If you change one side, it is always recommended to change the opposite side with it to avoid any imbalance.

Remember if the rotors are machined too many times, they will in fact cause trouble. There's a minimum rotor thickness that has to be maintained, but many mechanics machine the rotors beyond the minimum.

Considering the calipers not releasing properly, I would change them too while you're at it, and of course the pads. Not quite sure about the auto parts price structure on the other side of the pond but those numbers sound rational (except we put a $ sign in front of 'em).

You may want to let a professional mechanic install all this and bleed the brakes properly because in case of an accident some blame is laid on the person who did the brakes last. It happened to me once, I had my brakes done and within 6 months I had an accident as a result of the brakes malfunctioning. The insurance company pursued the national chain that installed the brakes for me, they settled with the insurance company and I didn't have to pay a dime.

At any rate I wish you good luck with it.

[chris h]

callipers only stick due to the rubber cup missing or moved like you mentioned,
their is a way around it! push the piston in with a g-clamp and then pump it back out again do that a few times whilst using wd40 that should sort it.your wheels turning at different speeds whilst jacked up is quiet normal i wouldent worry. :smoke:

[larsen_huw]

As mentioned above, your diff's fine.

It's not always quite as easy as Chris H alludes to to free off a stuck caliper in all situations. It's worth giving it a go before replacing the caliper .... just remember to put a piece of wood between the caliper piston and the clamp (or hammer if you don't have a clamp) to avoid damaging it.

I would replace the disks and pads as a matter of course. Get yourself a Haynes Book Of Lies and you will see that disks and pads are a pretty straightforward thing to swap. Life gets a little more complex if you replace the caliper, as the brake system will need a full bleed, which is best left to someone who knows what they're talking about! :)