2011 RT Front Brakes 'dragging' and heating up

[lemdog]

Hi all,   first off,  sorry for the wall of text,  but i am just trying to eliminate everything to find the source of the problem.

Recently my '11 AWD front brakes started to get super hot.   About 3 weeks ago,  my inner left pad had worn down to nothing.  So I replaced the pads.

I am well familiar with the issues with the size of the <2013 Journey brakes.   Have also had to replace rear pads due to excessive wear and sticking a few times.

 

I have read as many posts about this as i can.  Also have researched and watched many videos on the U-toobz.
   I am just trying to eliminate everything i can so i know what to replace next.

 

Rotors are about 1yr old.   No pulsing in pedal or steering shake under braking.  (experienced many warped rotors)
Pads about 3 weeks old.

 

Symptoms:

-Heat and brake smell after driving.  I drive mostly highway.
-Vibration felt during braking from high speed (comes in waves during braking)
-Slipping/jittering(?) sensation when almost to a stop but still brakes biting and allowing me to stop.

 

Observations:

-wheel can move while off the ground so the piston/pads don't seem to be 'locked' to the rotor
-rotor can move by hand once tire is off
-i can push in the piston via C-clamp with not TOO much effort
-i can push in the piston via screw driver before taking caliper off
-pads move freely in the slots and are greased up a ton
-glide pins are greased and move freely and normally
-caliper moves nice and freely once all assembled (before pushing brake pedal)
-piston is lubed

I have gone over the above carefully many times and still there is heat and symptoms.

My guess is that the piston is not retracting.  My next check/replace would be the rubber brake lines as i have read about those pinching and not allowing proper flow-back of fluid to release piston pressure.    Perhaps the rotors are now cruddy due to warping?

 

Is there a proper test to do to check to see if its actually the brake line (rubber hose) that is causing the issue?   Or is there anything i have missed?  i have seen a few caliper pressure test videos using the bleeder screw.  

 

  I have done hundreds of brake pads/rotors but this journey has given me the most brake grief in the past year.   I have owned it for about 4yrs now.

 

i don't want to just start ordering parts for $$ if i don't need to.

 

thanks for any response/info if you have any recommendations.

[lemdog]

If the general response is "go after the brake hose lines next"  please feel free to scorn me for posting something that already has many posts on here.    I don't mind.

 

Haha!

 

I will go after that next.

(ps.... there is no pulling to one side while braking either!)

[2late4u]

from what you have described looks like you have covered most of every thing, i would replace the rubber brake lines as mentioned as it would be the least expensive thing next, iv never had that problem but you are up in the rust and salt belt so that might be your problem other then that i would suggest a brake shop for more answers.good luck and report back what you find.   P.S.  there is a certain way to bleed your system so check that out also.....

[lemdog]

@2late4u

yup,  definitely drive in some harsh salty winters thats for sure!!   Rust proof my car every fall.

i inspected the rubber lines last night and there is a metal clip the hose runs through that is bolted to ......something,  i forget what and cannot picture it but the clip does look like it "Could" cause a pinch of some type.   was tempted to see if i could open that clip a bit to relieve any squeezing,   but i didn't touch.

 

the hose route is the least expensive and i have priced it out already.

funny enough,  i just found out my new-ish neighbor is a mechanic......... for Chrysler!!!!!!    Bro,  why didnt i know this a year ago when they moved in!??  haha!

i still plan to catch him and have a chat to get his thoughts.    thanks for your feed back.

i will post back later as i like to update to give others information.   i am not a one post wonder and find it annoying!!

 

 

[lemdog]

So i am following up on my post,

I spoke to my neighbor (mechanic for Dodge/Chrysler) and he suggested i go after the calipers and change them out.  We had a long discussion about it all and his experience in almost all of these cases have been calipers over anything else.

So i picked up some calipers and changed them Sunday night and bled the brakes.    All seemed well cept i still had some vibrations and heat still producing from front.   Hotter than what should be expected.

I then decided to replace rotors as i am sure they were pretty much ruined and about a year old.    (they were pretty much CRAP especially on the inner side)

 

Yesterday I replaced front rotors, ensured the slide pin bolts were bolted (keeping inner nut stable) and could move the caliper to-and-fro on the glide pins,  and also,  managed to safely get a screw driver into the clip the flex-hose runs through and opened it slightly just to avoid any pinching.

once all had been done and after  a few good drives between yesterday and today......... no vibrations, no heat,  seems to be normal operating temperatures.

 

BUT i do want to add,  that since i did change many things,  its hard to tell exactly WHICH one fixed the issue.    I can say that i have experienced the vibrations before under braking and it had to do with how you tighten the slide pin bolts.   you NEED to make sure you hold the inner nut with a 15mm wrench while you tighten the pin bolt and ensure you can move/slide caliper to and fro.

I say this because I experienced this before on our 2010 caravan (same brake design) and fiddled with the pin bolts and inner nut and it did solve the odd vibration issue.

i believe that if the slide bolts/caliper bolts are NOT properly tightened,  then it will be incorrectly mounted causing the caliper/pad to be against the rotor at all times,  causing wear, heat and vibrations once you hit the pedal.

next..... two rear wheel bearings and a set of 4 new tyres. (when $ permits).