Front driver side brake not working.

JIVETIMEJIMMY

MEMBER
CHEVROLET TRUCK

Hi, I have a 1984 Chevrolet P30 Postal Truck with 144,000 miles on a 6.2 liter diesel engine. Since there is rarely any place to ask questions on a truck like mine, I'll use the truck repair section... The front driver side brake isn't engaging when I press the brake peddle. I was driving the truck, and it started shimmying like the front end was coming out from under the truck. After $275.00 worth of a tow bill, I took off the wheel, and sure enough, the brake will not stop the wheel if I'm pressing the peddle to the floor. First off, how do I get the caliper off, and secondly, what would make this happen? Got any kind of advise for me to make this brake work?? :shock:

1 Reply

NITESPOT

MEMBER
6 POSTS

There are a few things that could cause a caliper to not function properly. First check the brake lines running from the caliper to the master cylinder. Make sure that it isn't crushed, broken, cut, leaking, etc. If anything looks bad, then fix or replace it. Then check to see if the caliper piston is moving. Have an assistant press the pedal while you look to see if it's even trying to squeeze the pads into the rotor. If it's not doing anything, then it could be frozen up, and might need replacing. There should just be two bolts (probably hex head) on the back side of the caliper, one on top and one on the bottom. They may have some kind of rubber boot or cap on them that you would have to pop off, but I doubt it. The caliper should come off after removing the two bolts, if not there may be a lip on the rotor preventing it from sliding off. In that case use a big C-clamp to gently squeeze the caliper piston in enough to clear the lip. If you are replacing the caliper then also remove the flexible hose from where it connects to the metal lines coming from the master cylinder. Installation is the the reverse of removal. Then bleed the new caliper. How could this happen? Well it's hard to say. With more info I could tell you and give you a more precise procedure to fix it. Why did you have to have it towed? Is the caliper locked like a parking brake is on? If so then, the slides that the caliper moves on could be rusted and seized, or the caliper piston could be seized. Also when did the shimmy happen? When you were applying the brake, or not braking?