Breaks are locked, siezed?

Hal1 · 26-11-2008 1:39pm #1

Just got into the car (mk1 focus),pressed the brake peddle once and the brakes are solid won't budge. Anyone have experience bleeding brakes? there's a small valve on the caliper and I have more brake fluid if it needs a top up. I was planning on changing the pads, had put it off and now this.

Rovi · 26-11-2008 1:46pm

I suspect, as you say you were planning to change the pads, that one or other of them has worn so far that it's allowed a piston to extend so far out of the calliper that it's now unable to retract, or something similar along those lines.
It could also be a master cylinder/pedal problem, but I'm leaning towards a piston/pad issue.

Jack up your wheels one at a time and see which one is jammed, and inspect and go on from there.

JoeySully · 26-11-2008 1:48pm

is it just the handbrake thats seized ?? has the car been sitting in one spot for a while ??

Darragh29 · 26-11-2008 1:48pm

Was the day lying up for a while???

itarumaa · 26-11-2008 1:50pm

Correct me if I am wrong but if you have air in your brake system problem should be that pedal goes all the way down, if the pedal is completely hard then most likely pads are connecting the disks all the time.

Hal1 · 26-11-2008 1:54pm

Rovi is right. Handbrake is down and I managed to remove drivers side pads but caliper won't retract, therefore can't mount it back onto the wheel hub. Car is used regulary enough.

Darragh29 · 26-11-2008 1:56pm

Hal1 wrote: »

Rovi is right. Handbrake is down and I managed to remove drivers side pads but caliper won't retract, therefore can't mount it back onto the wheel hub. Car is used regulary enough.

Is it front or rear pads you are changing??? If rear, you'll need a wind back tool to wind back the calipers.

Hal1 · 26-11-2008 2:00pm

Darragh29 wrote: »

Is it front or rear pads you are changing??? If rear, you'll need a wind back tool to wind back the calipers.

Front pads. I have another 2 ton jack should I jack up the other side and inspect it too?

Darragh29 · 26-11-2008 2:11pm

Hal1 wrote: »

Front pads. I have another 2 ton jack should I jack up the other side and inspect it too?

Yeah but also use axle stands. Don't ever get under a car that is just being held up with a jack...

If you can't get the piston back, it's most likely the piston is seized. What happens is if you let the pads wear down too far, you get a huge amount of heat generated at the metal pad & disc surface (because there is no more pad lining left), and this can cause the piston to get almost get welded to the caliper sleeve. I've seen this happen once recently on a Focus. You're most likely looking at a new caliper on that side. Some motor factors will do an exhange for you, you leave in the old caliper, they give you a recon one. I think I paid around 60 quid for a recon caliper recently enough...

blackbox · 26-11-2008 2:25pm

How many wheels are seized?

If no wheels will rotate it is probably a problem with the master cylinder.

Hal1 · 26-11-2008 4:00pm

Problem solved. I bleed the brakes and was able to push the caliper piston back in. Pads on, topped up brake fluid and pumped brakes. Looking good thanks for all the help and suggestions. The pads where in bits there was a skim of rubber left, will post a pic later.

Darragh29 · 26-11-2008 4:17pm

Hal1 wrote: »

Problem solved. I bleed the brakes and was able to push the caliper piston back in. Pads on, topped up brake fluid and pumped brakes. Looking good thanks for all the help and suggestions. The pads where in bits there was a skim of rubber left, will post a pic later.

Hang on, did you not open the brake fluid reservoir before trying to push back the caliper!?! If you didn't, maybe this is why you couldn't push back the caliper???

Hal1 · 26-11-2008 4:26pm

First thing I done was open the fluid reservoir, then I push caliper piston back in and it shot its load literally :pac:. I made sure not to get any on the paintwork so far so good.

Darragh29 · 26-11-2008 4:28pm

Hal1 wrote: »

First thing I done was open the fluid reservoir, then I push caliper piston back in and it shot its load literally :pac:. I made sure not to get any on the paintwork so far so good.

I had this before where I put a piston back in and it ended up getting stuck again. Just keep an eye on it.

Hal1 · 26-11-2008 4:34pm

Will do thanks Darragh29.

Plug · 26-11-2008 6:35pm

Darragh29 wrote: »

Hang on, did you not open the brake fluid reservoir before trying to push back the caliper!?! If you didn't, maybe this is why you couldn't push back the caliper???

I remember I did this before and it dawned on me that it was cloased, I went to open it and brake fluid burst all over me:D

Breaks are locked, siezed?

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