When you step on the brakes in my '90 Accord, the car pulls to the right. A whole lot. The rotors are relatively new, and the pads are brand new. Could there be a problem with my calipers?

 

anyone?

 

When was the last time you got an alignment done?

 

I dont know. But why would that matter the car goes straight when your not on the brakes.

 

The side opposite the pulling is not working like it should. I would take the wheel off, push the brakes, and check if the rotor will turn. I guess it could be stuck piston, clogged line, try bleeding that calliper and see if you can figure it out.

 

Did the pulling start as soon as you put the new pads on? Along with the previous recommendattion, make sure everything is clean - grease or oil on the rotor or pads could cause a problem. Make sure tire pressures are equal on both front tires as well.

 

caliper slider pins might need cleaned and lubed; maybe a sticking caliper

 

check alignment

check suspension

check tire pressure

 

Im assuming the caliper is bad, because before I did the pads it pulled to the right, and the driver side pads had more material left than the passenger side. The slider pins on the driver side seemed stuck, but maybe they became stuck because the caliper wasnt moving. All 4 pins are cleaned and lubed and I checked to make sure they slid easily. Can a caliper become seized? I always figured when calipers went the seal would become bad and they would lose fluid.

 

Yeah, the piston can seize without leaking. There is a seal on the piston itself (if that is damaged, it will leak), then there is the boot that is supposed to keep dirt off the piston. If the boot is damaged and junk gets behind it, the piston could corrode and stick in the bore. If the slider pins aren't sliding, then one pad will have significantly more wear than the other on the same caliper (assuming the piston ins't seized). How many miles on it? My '90 LX still has the original calipers and rotors and only third set of pads at 257,000 miles and still stops with only a little pulsation (next time it needs brakes - everything gets changed).

 

Right now its at 311,600. If the caliper is seized is there a way to check. I know I can have someone hit the brake and try to spin the wheel, but will it hold it at all? I would just like to be sure before I go out and spend $50 dollars on a new one.

 

Wasn't clear from previous posts - are you sure you have pressure to that caliper? Depends on how badly it is seized as to whether a person could turn the wheel or not. It might hold enough so that a person couldn't turn it. You could try a light "power brake" with the front on jack stands or a lift (be careful). If the right side stops turning and the left doesn't even with moderate to high brake pedal effort, then it is likely seized. The other option is to undo the caliper as if you are going to change the pads and see if you can move the piston in (using a C clamp or equivalent) or out (see if it will clamp onto a piece of wood or something, you'll need something in the caliper to prevent the piston from coming out of its bore). If it doesn't move, time for new calipers, they should be replaced in pairs particularly if both have been on the car for a while. New flex lines is probably a good idea also.

 

That's weird, because when I changed the pads the caliper did move in, it actually seemed to move in easier than the passenger side. There couldn't be a problem with the master cylinder or proportioning valve could there?

 

try bleading all the lines, and cheacking the tire pressure. if neither of these work try you caliper slide bolts, sould do at the same time. just take them off clean em, and lube em, then tourq em. if none of that works, it mostlikely needs an alingment, and possiably shocks.

 

Can you explain how an alignment or shocks would cause my problem.