Sr '00 Brake Issue

January 11, 2009

Hi everyone,

Hope you can help me. I have owned my SR for 4 yrs now and driven over 70,000 miles with very few issues at all. It's the best car I have ever owned :thumbsup: .

I have now got a problem in that my offside front brake is sticking on. I have had to change pads twice in 8 weeks due to this.

When the car is first driven after starting up the offside front brake is sticking on and causing an incredible shudder. What is happening is that one of the two pistons is not releasing causing a lop-sided wear of the pad. It eventually releases after up to 10 minutes driving. In the meantime though the shudder on the car is unbelievable. It also recurs if I have to put the brakes on hard.

It doesn't affect the braking strength and once released its OK until I need to brake sharply. It feels like its a hydraulic problem and not a mechanical one as calipers and pistons have been checked and cleaned but the issue is still apparent.

I have been told that it may be a collapsed bit of flexi brake pipe and not the master cylinder as it is only on one side. I just though I'd check on here to see if anyone has had this problem before and solved it.

Cheers

Kev

January 11, 2009

Hi everyone,
Hope you can help me. I have owned my SR for 4 yrs now and driven over 70,000 miles with very few issues at all. It's the best car I have ever owned .
I have now got a problem in that my offside front brake is sticking on. I have had to change pads twice in 8 weeks due to this.
When the car is first driven after starting up the offside front brake is sticking on and causing an incredible shudder. What is happening is that one of the two pistons is not releasing causing a lop-sided wear of the pad. It eventually releases after up to 10 minutes driving. In the meantime though the shudder on the car is unbelievable. It also recurs if I have to put the brakes on hard.
It doesn't affect the braking strength and once released its OK until I need to brake sharply. It feels like its a hydraulic problem and not a mechanical one as calipers and pistons have been checked and cleaned but the issue is still apparent.
I have been told that it may be a collapsed bit of flexi brake pipe and not the master cylinder as it is only on one side. I just though I'd check on here to see if anyone has had this problem before and solved it.
Cheers
Kev

The problem is unlikely to be the master cylinder as it operates the offside front brake and the nearside rear on the same circuit. Your problem is the front only and a collapsed flexi hose is possible but the usual problem is a sticking piston in the caliper caused by corrosion on the piston surface sticking in the seal. If the piston is ok then change the seal. The brake problem only disappears after driving because your pad is wearing away to provide clearance. Sometimes the pad can stick in the caliper and does not move back when the piston does. Fitter.

January 11, 2009

Hi everyone,
Hope you can help me. I have owned my SR for 4 yrs now and driven over 70,000 miles with very few issues at all. It's the best car I have ever owned .
I have now got a problem in that my offside front brake is sticking on. I have had to change pads twice in 8 weeks due to this.
When the car is first driven after starting up the offside front brake is sticking on and causing an incredible shudder. What is happening is that one of the two pistons is not releasing causing a lop-sided wear of the pad. It eventually releases after up to 10 minutes driving. In the meantime though the shudder on the car is unbelievable. It also recurs if I have to put the brakes on hard.
It doesn't affect the braking strength and once released its OK until I need to brake sharply. It feels like its a hydraulic problem and not a mechanical one as calipers and pistons have been checked and cleaned but the issue is still apparent.
I have been told that it may be a collapsed bit of flexi brake pipe and not the master cylinder as it is only on one side. I just though I'd check on here to see if anyone has had this problem before and solved it.
Cheers
Kev

If only one of the pistons is sticking, the problem simply cannot be hydraulic as it would affect both pistons. I suggest that you strip the caliper, inspect the pistons and if they are ok, fit new seals and reassemble. Make sure there is no corrosion build-up behind the seals.