micah

Well, I'm onto problem number two on this car. Its an 82 FB. The front left wheel is hard to turn.. I have never driven this car... so.. whatever problems it had before I towed it home are news to me. So, I did a rebuild, got the thing running.. went for a spin.. the wheel grips so bad that if I let go of the wheel it pulls to the left. Even after a little spin around the block, its STILL just as bad. I was thinking wheel bearing at first, but then I thought that it would have some sort of noise associated with it. I would think stuck caliper, but the wheel still grips when I stop.. I tested this by going in reverse then stomping on them, both front tires gripped and slid on the dusty driveway.

Could a caliper get frozen only in a certain range of its travel? I'm getting ready to lift the car and take the calipers off to inspect it closer, but what do you all think?

--Micah

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Calipers fail more frequently than wheel bearings, that's where I would start. I think you may have a point about the limited piston travel in the caliper. It may also be that the slide pins are frozen and the caliper is only clamping from 1 side.

When wheel bearinos fail, they can make a horrible noise and don't last long until they sieze, basically welding themselves to the spindle.

micah

Yeah, thats been my experience with wheel bearings as well...

I'll take a look at the calipers when I get the wheel off... I broke a couple adapters from 3/4" to 3/8" and I couldn't budge the lugs with my tire-iron.. lame. I'd throw a cheater bar on the tire iron, but after watching me slice through some fairly high-grade adapters, I don't want to hose my tire iron.. or the pipe.. lol

I sprayed it down the PB Blast.. I'll let it soak over night and hit it tomorrow.

Thanks for your help so far.

--micah

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Impact works much better on siezed lugs.. Use anti-sieze when you reinstall the lugs.

Kentetsu

The slide pins can become so corroded that they will move under the force of the pedal, but will not allow the caliper to move back away from the disc. New pins can be hard to find, but hopefully you'll be able to clean them up enough to reuse them...

micah

Impact was what I used first. THEN the tire-iron.. Then a huge breaker bar. Hopefully them soaking in pb blaster overnight softened it up a little. Picking up some new adapters tonight and perhaps a new socket for the lugs. Might have to just drive the thing to a tire place and have them zip them off then back on. Who knows.

micah

Luckily I have another 82 GSL that I can strip the brakes off of. Stupid lugs...

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

As odd as it may sound, sometimes tightening a frozen nut/bolt then trying to loosen it often helps break the stubborn ones loose. Gently use the impact for that. The vibration from the hammering helps break the rust bond.

Tire shop might be your best choice. I had to do that with my box van a couple years ago.

micah

Yeah. I tried the tightening trick as well.. Sorry. I didn't mention that. I almost always try that unless I'm dealing with aluminum or something weak..

micah

Went and bought a 1/2" 21mm socket... worked with my 3' breaker bar. Also, swapped the caliper.. worked like a champ.. I now have a driveable car with a fresh motor. YAY! Man its been a long time since driving a 7.... Gotta get my FC going now!