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Slight bind in front brakes

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M

MGNoir

Jedi Hopeful
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Have my Midget up on jack stands right now, and found out that my front wheels won't free spin - the brakes are binding a bit. I had heard mention of backing off the brake light switch in the housing by the master cylinder. Backed it off 3 turns but no difference.

Suggestions for a cause or fix?
 
I don't believe the front brakes are adjustable, they either work or don't. it may be that spinning quicker (ie driving) allows the pistons to move a little further back.
 
a sticky piston in the caliper could cause it. Worn brakes move the pistons to the outer end of their travel and could be sticking a bit... Do the wheels spin at all?
 
I can spin them by hand fine (and have been driving the car). Just that once I let go after a hand spin, I don't get more than one turn out of them.
 
Sounds like they are fine. Are you sure it is the brakes and not the wheel bearings?

m
 
This is all part of checking for shaking above 50MPH or so?

Got any looseness in the wheel bearings?

Play in steering or suspension bit?
Ruber bushes okay?

As you roll the wheel slowly by hand (not spin) do you feel any stiff spots, like a warped rotor?

Disc brakes are often stiff.
You can use a flatbar and retract the pads from the rotor to check for wheel bearing issues (and, if you take the wheel off, retract said pads, hold the upper part of the suspension and give the hub a spin.....you will FEEL bad wheel bearings).

To make sure you don't have an issue with brake fluid pressure holding on the calipers, crack the bleeder on the caliper, then close it.

Any excess pressure will go "poof!" and it will spin.

Hoses, master, several things can cause that.

Dave
 
I'm not sure how much of a gap I should see between pads and disc but I essentially don't see any. The disc binds at certain spots (this done with wheel off) as it turns. Both sides do it by the way.

I'll try the pressure bleed thing as if there was excess pressure that would explain both brakes. Also I just noticed I'm getting some squeal from the front so the pads are probably shot.
 
The high spots in a slighty warped rotor will cause stiffness at certaon points, especially dual-piston types (caliper doesn't move side to side).

There should be virtually no gap, but, prising the metal backing of the pad away from the rotor should move them, unless the hoses are collapsed, the calipers frozen, master cylinder not releasing...etc.

Just crack the bleeder screw, any excess pressure should pop off right now, then immediately close the bleeder.
 
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