1994 Mercury Sable New brakes are locked up

AARONBG25

MEMBER
1994 MERCURY SABLE

Brakes problem
1994 Mercury Sable Front Wheel Drive 120000 miles

I put new brake caliper brackets, new pads, and new rotors on the front on my Sable wagon. I bleed the brake lines, and now the car won't move. It feels like the brakes are locked up. Any ideas?

7 Replies

JAMES W.

MECHANIC
2,395 POSTS

Did the calipers "recompress" hard? Were the slide pins for the calipers free? After the new pads were installed in the calipers, did you have to force the calipers onto the brackets? What shape were the rotors in? Please advise.

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Sunday, December 7th, 2008 AT 7:52 PM

AARONBG25

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4 POSTS

The slide pins were fine, and there was no problem putting the calipers in the brackets. The rotors are brand new. What do you mean by recompress?

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Sunday, December 7th, 2008 AT 8:48 PM

JAMES W.

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When you pushed the caliper pistons in to make room for the new pads, did they go in hard or just gradually as you applied pressure. The reason I ask is sometimes over a period of time, sediment collects in the bottom of the caliper bore and when you "recompress" the piston as it travels back out it will jam as you step on the brake and not release the rotor.

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Sunday, December 7th, 2008 AT 9:20 PM

AARONBG25

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That sounds like that could be it. What's the best way to clean that out?

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Sunday, December 7th, 2008 AT 9:27 PM

JAMES W.

MECHANIC
2,395 POSTS

IF, and I repeat, IF this is your problem, you have 2 choices. 1- install rebuild kits in your existing calipers. This gets kinda' tricky if you haven't done it before. The calipers have to be almost sterile when you put them back together, or 2- replace them with rebuilt units. If you elect to go with rebuilts, when you bleed them, be sure you don't run out of fluid in the master cyl.