Brakes dragging!

[SrBigbutt]

I've been trying to get my 88 Supra running and back on the road. It had been sitting for a very long time. I now got it running but I am unable to drive it because the brakes are dragging pretty bad and the Antilock light on the dash is lit. I'm guessing the rear brakes are seized. I don't think its the parking brake, but I could be wrong. I guess I will just have to take everything off and inspect and flush the system.

Any suggestions, and what does the Antilock light mean?

 

[92TealSupra]

I've been trying to get my 88 Supra running and back on the road. It had been sitting for a very long time. I now got it running but I am unable to drive it because the brakes are dragging pretty bad and the Antilock light on the dash is lit. I'm guessing the rear brakes are seized. I don't think its the parking brake, but I could be wrong. I guess I will just have to take everything off and inspect and flush the system.

Any suggestions, and what does the Antilock light mean?

Anti lock light can be a number of things. If any wires to the sensors are cut, borken or bad that light appears. Was it on before the car was parked?

I would look at the rear calipers and take them off and see if they an be pressed in well. Your E-brake most likly breaks letting everything go loose, not tighter

 

[jdub]

I have a great idea...look in the TSRM!
http://www.cygnusx1.net/supra/Library/TSRM/MK3/manual.aspx?S=BR&P=1

Hint: the ABS system has diagnostic codes

 

[Mk3runner]

Some cars read anti lock if fluid Is low. Change fluid and exercise the calipers. Like maybe crack bleeder and push piston in. Maybe rebuild kit.

 

[SrBigbutt]

I've been reading the TSRM all day and I will check the codes when I get home. I'm not sure if the light was on before it was parked, as I just got the car.

It has brake fluid and I did loosen the bleeder valve on the rear brakes and only one of them had fluid come out. I guess I will take them off and see If I can press in the cylinder.

 

[Mk3runner]

Probably got stuck.. Bleeder open and c clamp dem bitches LOL. Just work them a few times and see how it acts

 

[SrBigbutt]

A little update. I went to read the codes for ABS but when I unplugged the ABS Actuator connector the light went away and I didn't get anything. It no longer turns on! Maybe it reset.

But my brakes were still dragging. I took the rear calipers off and noticed that they were still dragging a bit. So I took the rotors off and adjusted the parking brake and lubed it. It seemed to help the rear. But now it feels like the fronts are doing the same thing. I also had a nice layer of rust on the rotors. I will probably put some WD40 and drive around a bit to see if that helps.

Also when I was driving back and forth and I hit the brakes it seems like the driver side front brake is really biting more than the rest. I will probabably flush the system again and remove the calipers and pump the brakes and push them back in. That will really get all the pistons moving.

 

[gaboonviper85]

Son did you seriously just say you're gonna spray wd40 on your rotors and drive around????!!!!

 

[supradjza80]

Son did you seriously just say you're gonna spray wd40 on your rotors and drive around????!!!!

X2, that is a terrible idea. Brake cleaner is your friend, not wd40. If the brake calipers are sticking, rebiuld or replace, WD40 has no place in the brake system. One other thing you can do is take the sliders apart just in case they are the culprit. Lube the sliders with high temp anti-sieze and see if that improves it otherwise, replace calipers or rebiuld the piston seals.

 

[Keros]

If more than one brake caliper is dragging, there's a high potential that the brake master cylinder is leaking. This would cause the pressure in the system to remain after the brake pedal is released, keeping pressure on the cylinder in all of the calipers. Rebuild or replace the master cylinder before doing the calipers, as that it's common for the master cylinder to die after 20+ years. It's not uncommon for a caliper to fail and jam up... it is very uncommon for more than one to do it at the same time though, or all 4.

Also, WD40 is a degreasing agent containing lubricants and solvents... most of which you want far away from brake pad material. Only use brake cleaner to clean brake components because it evaporates without leaving a residue and doesn't react with brake pad material (as far as I know!). Grease all the slider pins with high temprature brake grease. Brake pad material is like a sponge... keep anything and everything liquid away from it.

Anyway, I would recommend replacing the master cylinder and servicing all of the calipers; clean them up, regrease all the guide pins and put it all back together. You don't need to remove the calipers from the car to do this (it does make it easier though)... just clean up any rust scale and dirt that might inhibit the sliders from moving and regrease any parts that do move.

If you can move the pistons in the caliper (a big C-clamp works best) and there is no brake fluid present around the seals in the caliper, the caliper does not need to be rebuilt and rebuilding them will not fix your problem or make them work better.

I have read that the ABS block can clog up and cause wheels to lock... but your problem doesn't exhibit the same symptoms those people experienced. The only successful remedy to this was to replace the ABS block with a good one... I don't think this is your problem though. Search around if you want though because there's several threads on this.

On a final note, it's not worth your life. If you HAVE to drive the car and you're not 100% sure you can fix the problem, find someone who can and pay them to.

I hope this helps, good luck.

 

[adampecush]

I will probably put some WD40 and drive around a bit to see if that helps.

If this thought seriously entered your mind, please have your brakes repaired by a qualified professional. The braking system is not something to piss around with if you are not 100% confident of your abilities and knowledge.

 

[SrBigbutt]

I really wasn't planning on putting WD40 on them but I had read a couple post that suggested that if the rotor was really rusty to get it to atleast move and then to degrease them afterwards. Didn't sound like a good idea but i'm glad that I mentioned it here to confirm. doh! haha.

This car had been sitting for 8 yrs, so I had just got it started and was only rolling it back and forth about 2 feet. But the brakes were seized. So far I have flushed the system, greased all the sliders, adjusted and greased parking brake cable, removed calipers and pumped the brakes and confirmed the pistons were moving, then I open the bleeders and compressed them a few times. I've bled the system, but now i'm working on replacing the valve cover gaskets, so I haven't tested them yet.