My front right caliper is screwed up. I've had three different sets of wheels on this car in the past six months and have also gotten an alignment. But regardless, the car still pulls to the right and there is always a vibration. Sometimes the vibration gets worse, so I pulled over and could feel significant heat from the front left wheel. So obviously my caliper is dragging, wearing out my brakes and probably ruining my rotor. But, it doesn't do this all the time; I can tell when it is and isn't dragging hard. If I hit the brakes a couple times it eases up. It basically seems like the caliper is "sticking".

Anyone else ever have this problem? I figure I'm going to have to replace the caliper & pads, and I'll probably have to get the rotor cut or replaced as well.

Any thoughts? Solutions, cost, etc?

 

it may have just been a typo but if your left front is dragging (drivers side) then the car should pull to the left not to the right..... I'd start by bleeding the brakes properly then if need be remove the brakes and calipers and lube/inspect them....

 

Yep, it was a typo. It's the RIGHT side that's problematic...

 

I figured as much but it never hurts to clarify.... I would start by bleeding the brakes and checking the fluid levels to make sure everything is adjusted properly....

 

Overheating damage may require a new rotor at this point, check it out & use your judgement.

Check that the caliper slide pins are moving free like they should. If they're seized, the caliper piston has plenty of force to apply the brakes, but then the outboard pad won't RELEASE because the slide pins are stuck.

Then check that the pads steel backing plates aren't wedged tight in the caliper bracket. Sorta the same thing happens; the caliper has plenty of force to apply the brakes, but the pads are wedged & won't release. I've often had to file a bit off the steel backing plate to allow them to move freely.

ps.edit...
Brake-caliper grease is good where the pads backing plate rides against the caliper bracket.

 

Thanks, I'll check into that. What tools will I need to work on this?

 

I have to assume that the car in question is for the 2002 accord v6........Has any work relating to the brakes been done recently ??

 

No, there has been no recent work done to the brakes.

 

For the brakes its mostly normal tools, but I'll try to remember...

Caliper slide pins are probably 13mm wrench or socket.

Something like an old screwdriver to pry on the caliper. Gotta compress the piston enough to pull the caliper off the pads.

Coathanger or something to hang the caliper. Don't let it hang by its own hose.

Caliper bracket bolts to steering knuckle - 17mm socket w/ breaker bar.

To get the rotors off from the hubs, you have to loosen a small phillips screw. Get one of those impact drivers - like a screwdriver you hit with a hammer.

Can of PB Blaster if you live anywhere they use salt.

C-clamp to compress the caliper piston to make room for the new thicker pads. ONLY on the front.

Rear caliper pistons(if you do them) have to twist inwards because of the handbrake auto-adjust mechanism. Use a putty knife as a big screwdriver.

Turkey baster to suck brake fluid out of the reservoir. When you compress the pistons it pushes back to the reservoir & maybe overflows.

Better yet, bleed your brakes enough so the fluid is all fresh out to the wheels. (You should do that every 2 years.)

File (mill bastard) to clean up the backing plates of the new brake pads so they work OK. Sometimes they wedge into the caliper bracket so tight that they don't release (dragging brakes).

Brake caliper grease for where the pads fit into the caliper bracket.

Desert will probably think of about a dozen more that I've forgotten...

 

I believe you need a 10mm open ended wrench to bleed the brakes and I think the caliper side pins are 12 mm actually... the main sockets I've found/used for honda's are, 10,12,14,15,17,19 if you've got deep wells, wrenches and standard sockets in those sizes, with a couple of phillips/flathead screwdrivers you can work on about 50% of your car....