Really tight front brakes!

[TotalyHucked]

I'm gonna jump in here and vote it's time for new calipers and lines. Sounds to me like the pistons may be corroded and not retracting properly. The pistons do take a good bit of effort to push back in, I usually use a C-clamp with an old back pad against the piston. It's hard to describe since it's a feel thing but they should go back in fairly smoothly with minimal effort to turn the handle. While you're replacing calipers, I'd go ahead and do the soft hoses too if they're original. That's cheap insurance.

 

[TotalyHucked]

Also, I'd go ahead and either get new rotors or get those cut, they look terrible and you already said you felt some pulsing before. They're warped. I've never had good luck with cutting rotors, always end up warping again soon after so I just buy new ones

 

[Bennyt]

I think I'd take the calipers back off and take a good look at everything. Recheck wheel bearing tightness. Clean and compress pistons and reinstall and see if it improves. Piston should be slow but steady when compressing similar to compressing a shock.

If your calipers physically look good and pistons don't have pits, you can order rebuild kits pretty cheap and rebuild in just a few minutes.

Lines should be flexible and free of cracks. Unfortunately you can't see if they are failing internally so if you don't know how old they are, I'd replace.

Normally I order a lot of parts online through Rockauto but with heavy items like rotors, calipers, etc, I order through Summit so I don't have to pay shipping.

 

[Truck82]

JB8 are higher GVW likely not what you have.

Didn't mean to confuse you. There is at least one poster here that likes to jump on any little mistake. Covering my a**.

Now I’m curious. What GVW is it?

 

[Truck82]

Lines should be flexible and free of cracks. Unfortunately you can't see if they are failing internally so if you don't know how old they are, I'd replace.

My lines are really cracked up. I’m for sure replacing them

 

[Truck82]

I'm gonna jump in here and vote it's time for new calipers and lines. Sounds to me like the pistons make be corroded and not retracting properly. The pistons do take a good bit of effort to push back in, I usually use a C-clamp with an old back pad against the piston. It's hard to describe since it's a feel thing but they should go back in fairly smoothly with minimal effort to turn the handle. While you're replacing calipers, I'd go ahead and do the soft hoses too if they're original. That's cheap insurance.

This is what I’m looking about doing. I should be able to get everything from Napa or O’Reilly

 

[ChuckN]

This is what I’m looking about doing. I should be able to get everything from Napa or O’Reilly

Start soaking the hard metal line/rubber hose junction now with some PB Blaster. It’s not always a problem but it can be, especially if your truck has seen road salt.

 

[TotalyHucked]

^Good tip

 

[Grit dog]

Thumbs… ?

Not sure why you rolled your eyes. Your inexperience is obvious and the advice you’re getting is all helpful.
So, no, you couldn’t push back a brand new caliper piston on a car by hand. It takes significant pressure.
Maybe your description of the issue is misleading. If you didn’t over-tighten the bearings and the brakes worked before doing the bearings, there is almost nothing that would cause the wheels to drag now.

 

[Grit dog]

PS, this is part of the reason my comments about your query of doing a lift kit were what they were.
IMO you have some things to fix and some things to understand before jumping into major disassembly and creating more problems before solving current ones
Like brake hoses for example. If you’re gonna lift it, make sure the hoses you’re now gonna replace are long enough.

 

[Grit dog]

I’d go back to describing exactly how the brakes feel now and how that’s different than last week. Re-reading your initial post, you’ve explained that you didn’t identify any caliper piston issue because you never actually tried to retract them with enough force. Therefore it would be very difficult to reassemble especially with grooved pads and rotors and likely a lip on the rotor from wear.
That is now what you should have expected based on your reassembly.
Now on to the “new” operational issue. Describe that. If it’s not stopping as good, possible you may not have the same pads in the same location therefor the custom grooving doesn’t match up and your brakes will suck until they wear the same to make full contact.
If you’re sure the same pads went back in the same spot then it’s back to the symptoms when braking.

 

[Grit dog]

Now I’m curious. What GVW is it?

Your gvw is on the door tag.

 

[Ricko1966]

Back in the 80s?!? You probably had to watch for dinosaur crossing signs back then…

Yep,but we knew how to do our own brakes.

 

[Truck82]

Not sure why you rolled your eyes. Your inexperience is obvious and the advice you’re getting is all helpful.
So, no, you couldn’t push back a brand new caliper piston on a car by hand. It takes significant pressure.
Maybe your description of the issue is misleading. If you didn’t over-tighten the bearings and the brakes worked before doing the bearings, there is almost nothing that would cause the wheels to drag now.

Didn’t mean to seem like I was giving attitude with rolling eyes. More of an embarrassment look from me because I didn’t know. Yes I know I’m inexperienced and I really do appreciate all the help you guys have given me. Fixing things is what I do best but diagnosing the problem isn’t my strong point. Once I find the problem, I can usually get it fixed and done right. So I’m not sure either what the problem is.

 

[Truck82]

Yep,but we knew how to do our own brakes.

Brakes are optional. I can build an engine and drive but who needs to stop?