My brakes needed some work as the right rear caliper had seized, and the front left brake hose wasn't relieving pressure so the pads would be biting down even when the brake pedal was off. As it was about time to replace the pads, I went ahead and did that, and figured since two rotors were being replaced, why not all four?! Also replaced the hose and line on the front left, and right rear line because it was easier than getting the hose off the line in the front, and getting the line off the caliper in the rear!

After this I bled all the brakes (obviously), and everything was good! Drove to work, thinking "Oh yeah, that's what brakes are supposed to feel like! I totally forgot!", got to work, got out, put my hand in front of all the wheels to make sure there was no excess heat coming from any of them, everything felt good!

On the way back home, everything felt fine, but as soon as I got out of the car, I smelled brake pad dust! Did a temperature check with my hand on all the rotors (holding my hand just in front), and the front left was hotter than the other three!

Any idea what would be causing this? After I replaced the pads, hose, line, and caliper (which I greased the heck out of), I thought I'd be done with this debacle, but it's still there! Rear is fine, but the front is the problem! I don't reckon it'd be the master cylinder, as that's a part that when it fails, it fails. It just doesn't kinda fail, it's in full on "not work anymore" mode when it breaks! Proportioning valve doesn't sound like it'd be a problem, either, as those are robust parts, and I can not imagine it failing.

I'm at a loss! Any ideas?

 

If the hose is new, you are sort of left with a sticking caliper as the only option.

The best way I know to diagnose that is to jack it up and if it's clearly dragging, bleed it and see it it'll free up. A sticking caliper won't loosen up just because you bleed it. Any other problem requires fluid, and opening the bleeder screw will correct the problem.

 

Seeing as it was just bled and it's still sticking, guess I'm left with the caliper. It was sticking before. After I got the pistons compressed and the new pads in, I went on the brakes to see if the caliper would release, it wouldn't, but all it took was a little pry from a screwdriver to get the pads off the rotor. After that I tried to replace the hose but couldn't get it off the line, so I replaced the line, and after applying the brakes on again, I put it in neutral, went on the brakes, checked it again, the rotor spun freely and it seemed to be fine. Now it's pinching down a little too hard, but I know even a little too hard will mean it's going to eat through my pads, and won't exactly be good for the rotor.

Are caliper repair kits worth checking out? I've never used one, now feels like a good time to try one out!

Thanks for the second opinion.

 

It depends on your situation, how long you'll keep the car, the $$$ in your pocket .....

Nothing wrong with the kit but it's more labor intensive. The nice thing about buying a rebuilt caliper is it's all rebuilt and comes with a warranty, usually lifetime. So should it fail in a year, two or ten you simply trade it in. BUT, I have two vehicles that I've had almost twenty years so I am warranting parts on them and that lifetime thing is paying off. If you only think you're going to hang on to it for a couple years saving a buck here and there makes sense.

You might also check out a pull your own parts to see what you come across.

Don't forget to check out the mounting pins. Caliper pistons can be in good shape and it's the outer pad that is dragging because the caliper itself is hung up on it's pins or slides.
Are you sure it's the inner pad that's rubbing ??