Brakes sticking...

[jkrolikowski]

This morning I left my driveway and felt that there was some resistance to my acceleration. And when I braked, I noticed that my car slowed down more rapidly than usual. In addition, my parking brake was loose until until I pulled the lever up about half way, at which point I could feel the parking brake engage and begin to click. I stopped at a nearby gas station to look at my rear brakes and couldn't see anything, but I could smell burnt... I don't know.., burnt brake pad?? I've never smelled burnt brake pad or brake fluid, so I'm not sure what I smelled, but something was burning. I checked the brake fluid reservoir - the level hadn't changed. And nothing looks out of place in the rear brake system.

**Notes: 91 EX, rear drum to disc brake conversion (bought from TAS Auto - advertised on this site). Conversion done almost 1 year ago. Ebrake cables where a bitch, but after a few complications, the install went well and has worked well until now.

[GeoffM]

I'd try tapping your brakes. Also make sure you have the proper amount of brake fluid. Too much will make your brakes drag.

[4U2H8ME]

You may have a caliper that may be binding or seizing. Or your e-brake(s) may be binding or seizing. But the only way to tell is to pull the wheels off and inspect.

[alan lx]

It sounds like the caliper is sticking. If thats the case, take it loose and start compressing it with a c clamp and then push the pedal to colapse it. Then do this over and over til its free. Or if this doesn't work, you may need to replace the caliper.

[Tippey764]

The slide pins may need lubricating.

[4U2H8ME]

It sounds like the caliper is sticking. If thats the case, take it loose and start compressing it with a c clamp and then push the pedal to colapse it. Then do this over and over til its free. Or if this doesn't work, you may need to replace the caliper.

I don't remember exactly but rear calipers on honda and acuras can't be compressed with a c-clamp, the have to be spun in. He also used a Tas auto kit too so I wouldn't know what type of calipers they gave him.

[Tippey764]

I don't remember exactly but rear calipers on honda and acuras can't be compressed with a c-clamp, the have to be spun in. He also used a Tas auto kit too so I wouldn't know what type of calipers they gave him.

Because the parking brake mechanically activates the piston in the rear, it slowly self adjusts via threading out as the brakes wear down. You need to push/turn it at the same time

Turning it to thread the rod in and pushing it to hydraulically push the piston back in

[92exa6]

This morning I left my driveway and felt that there was some resistance to my acceleration. And when I braked, I noticed that my car slowed down more rapidly than usual. In addition, my parking brake was loose until until I pulled the lever up about half way, at which point I could feel the parking brake engage and begin to click. I stopped at a nearby gas station to look at my rear brakes and couldn't see anything, but I could smell burnt... I don't know.., burnt brake pad?? I've never smelled burnt brake pad or brake fluid, so I'm not sure what I smelled, but something was burning. I checked the brake fluid reservoir - the level hadn't changed. And nothing looks out of place in the rear brake system.

**Notes: 91 EX, rear drum to disc brake conversion (bought from TAS Auto - advertised on this site). Conversion done almost 1 year ago. Ebrake cables where a bitch, but after a few complications, the install went well and has worked well until now.

First I would get each wheel off the ground and see if one has much more resistance to freewheeling than the other. Compare the rears to each other, and fronts to each other. The rears will (should) spin quite readily with a quick shove. Fronts take a good bit of effort, but should have roughly equal resistance. If one is stubborn you know where to start. You likely have a bad brake (either parking or regular ) or possibly a bad hub. Personally if a caliper is at fault I wouldn't waste my time trying to repair it, just replace it.

[jkrolikowski]

I'd try tapping your brakes. Also make sure you have the proper amount of brake fluid. Too much will make your brakes drag.

Check and check. Tapping did nothing (no change) and fluid level looks normal. Thanks for the advice though.

[jkrolikowski]

I don't remember exactly but rear calipers on honda and acuras can't be compressed with a c-clamp, the have to be spun in. He also used a Tas auto kit too so I wouldn't know what type of calipers they gave him.

They are the spun in type. So, wouldn't pumping the brakes have the same effect as manually moving the caliper back and forth? Note that the brakes do work and I am able to compress and release the brake effectively while driving. It's just that the brakes seem to be slightly compressed to the rotor at rest.

[jkrolikowski]

The slide pins may need lubricating.

Slide pins? Please elaborate. I looked in my Haynes manual for slide pins and don't see anything. The calipers I have from TAS look the same as the ones in the Haynes manual for rear disc brakes for our cars.

[vietkid_2006]

Slide pins? Please elaborate. I looked in my Haynes manual for slide pins and don't see anything. The calipers I have from TAS look the same as the ones in the Haynes manual for rear disc brakes for our cars.

Slide pins are where you remove the two bolts to remove the caliper off from
the car. The ones with the rubber boot.

[jkrolikowski]

What about the ebrake mechanism?

Many people are going straight for the calipers. But what about the ebrake cables/mechanism? Note that my ebrake lever is loose until I pull about half way up its normal distance. Loose as if it was pulling on nothing - like the rear brakes were already slightly engaged. I don't understand how the brakes could have engaged themselves overnight like this... The weather has been unusually cold the past few days, but this shouldn't cause a problem.

For a caliper piston to slightly creep out of its housing overnight like this and stay that way, in a hydraulic system, doesn't there have to be some force built up behind it? Like an air bubble... Fluid looks fine though...

[jkrolikowski]

Slide pins are where you remove the two bolts to remove the caliper off from
the car. The ones with the rubber boot.

I see. Thanks. Well, the caliper operates fine, and quite smoothly. It's just that the piston seems to be protruding slightly, pressing the brake pad onto the rotor slightly. That's what seems to be happening, though I haven't taken anything apart yet to see...