Brake Locked up on Insterstate

**Cobra Killer** · 04-22-2010, 02:06 PM

I was driving in the rain the other day and out of nowhere my right front brake locked up. I recovered from the spin and got to the shoulder and shut it off, restarted it and it drove normal for 20 feet and locked up again. My ABS light comes on when I am on the interstate because my drag radials are about an inch bigger than my front. Then I blew a DR and put a full size spare on for the mean time so I had two different size tires on the rear. I am just trying to list everything I think could affect it. Its my DD so any help would be awesome.

**cancam99ss** · 04-22-2010, 02:19 PM

that happenned to me ! my mechanic had been messing with my brake and actually had my brake line stuck to the caliper check it out pull it apart check all the bolts and cables

**sjsingle1** · 04-22-2010, 03:02 PM

caliper pins frozen????

**cammed goat** · 04-22-2010, 03:20 PM

At first I thought wheel bearing.

**sunsetorangess** · 04-22-2010, 03:36 PM

Staggered tires will not cause a wheel to lock up.
Did you touch the brake pedal befor it locks up or is it random? Could be wheel bearing, sticking caliper pins, I have also seen rubber brake lines that collapse when the pedal is depressed.
Brake fluid just eats away the inside of the brake lines so you cant tell its happening until you hit the brake, then after a while the fluid drians back and everything seems normal until it collapses again.
J

**Spaz** · 04-22-2010, 04:48 PM

there is a conector that plugs in to your caliper... make sure that is completely pluged in... TOW your car!!! don't chance it...

**DaddySS** · 04-22-2010, 05:19 PM

I suspect you have a frozen caliper and when the rotor and pads heat up and expand it locks. If the RF rotor is getting hot it's a good bet. Replace the caliper, bleed the brakes and you'll be good to go. As a rule I would replace both fronts and the pads or rebuild both fronts - whichever you feekl capable of tackling.

**transamgirl89** · 04-22-2010, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by DaddySS

I suspect you have a frozen caliper and when the rotor and pads heat up and expand it locks. If the RF rotor is getting hot it's a good bet. Replace the caliper, bleed the brakes and you'll be good to go. As a rule I would replace both fronts and the pads or rebuild both fronts - whichever you feekl capable of tackling.

And this is exactly why I don't take my car to a mechanic for brakes. Half the time they never take the caliper pins out and lubricate them when it's so easy. I had a pin stick in my firebird and just got a new pin and brace and was good to go. Nothing really hard.

**Cobra Killer** · 04-22-2010, 07:48 PM

Thanks for the replys. This happens without me touching the brakes at all. And I know it isnt from the brake rotor expanding cause it sat for a day and still did it in literally ten feet. ABS sensor is plugged in even tried unplugging and it still did it. Also it isnt a gradual lock up. It is instant quick as a blink lock. The brake will lock and then I will obviously come to a stop, touch the pedal and it unlocks again. Could be coincidence but I am stumped??? Could it be like a a seal leaking by inside the hydraulics somewhere?

**JayTA98** · 04-22-2010, 08:01 PM

I will definatly check the brake line and get it replaced. most of the time people just hang the calipers without securing them with string or a able tie. If the line is weak and the caliper drops by accident it can create an internal leak. I will try replacing the line 1st.
If the problem still happens discoonnect the ABS fuse(disable the ABS) to see if still happens? If not then is something related with the ABS.

**FORD RECOVERY EXPERT** · 04-22-2010, 08:17 PM

try jacking it up and spinning it by hand, see what happens....

**Cutlass** · 04-23-2010, 04:12 AM

could be the brake pad seperated from the backing plate and is jambing up in there. Pull the wheel and look around

**Spaz** · 04-23-2010, 05:55 AM

Originally Posted by Cutlass

could be the brake pad seperated from the backing plate and is jambing up in there. Pull the wheel and look around

i sisn't even think of that...

**cammed goat** · 04-23-2010, 07:43 PM

I have never heard of such a thing like this.

**INMY01TA** · 04-24-2010, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by Cutlass

could be the brake pad seperated from the backing plate and is jambing up in there. Pull the wheel and look around

That's what I'm thinking too.

**Cobra Killer** · 04-26-2010, 07:34 PM

Thanks for all the help guys I found out the the bottom bolt on the caliper where it bolts to the spindle was broke. Couldnt tell by looking at it but the whole caliper was coming off the spindle and getting wedged into the rotor. Cant believe it. ARP bolts on the way, guess the brake upgrade was a little to much stress on the old bolts.

**Z28boy2000** · 04-26-2010, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by Cobra Killer

Thanks for all the help guys I found out the the bottom bolt on the caliper where it bolts to the spindle was broke. Couldnt tell by looking at it but the whole caliper was coming off the spindle and getting wedged into the rotor. Cant believe it. ARP bolts on the way, guess the brake upgrade was a little to much stress on the old bolts.

wow thats crazy, some ARP's will cure that issue for sure

**natews6** · 04-27-2010, 07:30 AM

wow, what bad luck. never heard of something like that

**DaddySS** · 04-30-2010, 12:11 AM

Originally Posted by Cobra Killer

Thanks for all the help guys I found out the the bottom bolt on the caliper where it bolts to the spindle was broke. Couldnt tell by looking at it but the whole caliper was coming off the spindle and getting wedged into the rotor. Cant believe it. ARP bolts on the way, guess the brake upgrade was a little to much stress on the old bolts.

GM recommends new caliper bracket mounting bolts and of course they need to torqued correctly. Sounds like someone overtightened your bolts at some point - a brake upgrade will not brake the caliper bracket bolts but overtightening is never good.