Really tight front brakes!

Hey guys,
I need some help with my front brakes. This week I pulled the rotors to replace/grease and replace the bearings and races. The brake pads are supper tight going back on. I can even notice it when I'm driving... like really notice it. what did/didn't I do? Has anyone had this issue? Do I need to bleed the brakes?

Truck82 said:

Hey guys,
I need some help with my front brakes. This week I pulled the rotors to replace/grease and replace the bearings and races. The brake pads are supper tight going back on. I can even notice it when I'm driving... like really notice it. what did/didn't I do? Has anyone had this issue? Do I need to bleed the brakes?

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You got the correct brake pads? Did you have to push the caliper pistons back into their bores to get the pads installed? Usually you'll have to, for them to fit correctly. The pads should just very slightly drag on the rotors; this is for self cleaning purposes.
If you have not replaced the brake hoses, it may be time to do that. Bits of rubber come off the inside of the hoses and clog the calipers so they stick. Had this happen on my OBS Burb a few years ago, and just recently changed calipers, hoses and pads on my one ton because it was beginning to have this problem. And the calipers and hoses were the original parts so it was time....
All the small black specks in the washtub are the rubber bits I'm talking about. This is the driver's side, but passenger side was just as bad there.
Second picture, you can just see the edges of the inboard pad, and the slight gap between it and the rotor.

HotWheelsBurban said:

You got the correct brake pads? Did you have to push the caliper pistons back into their bores to get the pads installed? Usually you'll have to, for them to fit correctly. The pads should just very slightly drag on the rotors; this is for self cleaning purposes.

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I didn't replace the pads. Just the wheel bearings, races, and grease seal. I didn't have to push the caliper piston in to instal the pads. Should I have done this and will it change anything?

Another possibility is bad calipers. When pads wear caliper pistons move outward take up the wear. When pushed back old piston surfaces are slid over rubber seals. With time and heat, brake fluid deteriorates into just plain crud. It's likely time for rebuilt calipers and hoses.

fast 99 said:

Another possibility is bad calipers. When pads wear caliper pistons move outward take up the wear. When pushed back old piston surfaces are slid over rubber seals. With time and heat, brake fluid deteriorates into just plain crud. It's likely time for rebuilt calipers and hoses.

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Should I replace the rotor also? I don’t know at state it is “worn down” at.

Truck82 said:

Should I replace the rotor also? I don’t know at state it is “worn down” at.

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Yes those are grooves on the surface

Those don't appear bad but should be machined. Machine shop doing the work will measure thickness. Usually, we just toss rotors. Not worth the labor time at a shop however those rotors have hubs and are more expensive to replace. Might be cost effective to machine them provided they are thick enough.

fast 99 said:

Another possibility is bad calipers. When pads wear caliper pistons move outward take up the wear. When pushed back old piston surfaces are slid over rubber seals. With time and heat, brake fluid deteriorates into just plain crud. It's likely time for rebuilt calipers and hoses.

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Yup, calipers can stick for this reason too. Best thing is to replace the calipers and hoses; then you know you have clean parts. And on my one ton it did not take too long on either side, even with cleaning up the mounting surfaces so they can be greased with hi temp brake grease. Square body caliper pins/bolts don't have sleeves on them like the OBS brakes do, so it's easier to get everything properly lubed. The sliding surfaces need to be cleaned and lubed too.

fast 99 said:

Those don't appear bad but should be machined. Machine shop doing the work will measure thickness. Usually, we just toss rotors. Not worth the labor time at a shop however those rotors have hubs and are more expensive to replace. Might be cost effective to machine them provided they are thick enough.

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Have you ever had O’Reilly do your rotors? It’s $25 a rotor. That doesn’t seem too bad or is that expensive?

calipers are probably fugged up , corroded / rusted

One issue at a time.
How’d the brakes work before you did the bearings? Because just taking them off and back on should make zero difference in braking. Unless you swapped pads and the grooves don’t match up. But it would be less responsive.
You could have sticky calipers but usually one is worse and it’s obvious because the brakes pull to the side.
I would have retracted the calipers back just because I was there. First to see how nicely they moved (if they’re old and could be sticky) and second to push back as much old brake fluid and replace with new. Always keep as fresh of brake fluid in as you can. It makes sense to do a lazy man’s brake flush while you’re working on it.
Whether you need to turn the rotors or not, if they weren’t pulsing before and worked well then I wouldn’t bother.

Grit dog said:

One issue at a time.
How’d the brakes work before you did the bearings? Because just taking them off and back on should make zero difference in braking. Unless you swapped pads and the grooves don’t match up. But it would be less responsive.
You could have sticky calipers but usually one is worse and it’s obvious because the brakes pull to the side.
I would have retracted the calipers back just because I was there. First to see how nicely they moved (if they’re old and could be sticky) and second to push back as much old brake fluid and replace with new. Always keep as fresh of brake fluid in as you can. It makes sense to do a lazy man’s brake flush while you’re working on it.
Whether you need to turn the rotors or not, if they weren’t pulsing before and worked well then I wouldn’t bother.

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The brakes were OK before I did the bearings. There was a little bump/pulsing but very minor. The pistons on the calipers are very stiff

Truck82 said:

Have you ever had O’Reilly do your rotors? It’s $25 a rotor. That doesn’t seem too bad or is that expensive?

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To me that sounds a bit expensive...back when we had a drum/rotor lathe at our parts store I charged $4 each for drums and $8 each for rotors. $3 more per rotor if they were not cleaned out and bearings were still inside the hub. But that was in the 80s....

Are you sure it's brakes and you didn't over tighten the front bearings.Are you sure you got the correct bearings? How did you tighten them?

Truck82 said:

The brakes were OK before I did the bearings. There was a little bump/pulsing but very minor. The pistons on the calipers are very stiff

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How do you know if you didn’t squeeze them back in?
Easy enough,pop the calipers back off and cycle them in and out. Hard to believe they’re both equally as bad coincidentally the same time you removed them. So maybe it’s something else?
Sorry hard to diagnose online so just making suggestions.