When is a brake dragging?

[CobyRupert]

I have a Ford F-250. Front passenger side is making a scraping noise, almost like pads are gone. But constantly, even when not braking. Hubs are unlocked.
I look, pads are good.
Ok, must be sticky caliper.
I can turn the tire “fine”. Turn hub fine with tire off.
Press brake pedal and release, tire still turns “fine”.
But what is “fine”?

It doesn’t spin like a roulette wheel. If I give it a “1 grunt” heave and let go, tire turns about 1/4 to 1/3 of a rotation before stopping.
Is that sticking or would you say normal?

I also notice my rims are getting older and flakes of metal/paint seem to be chipping. Could that be getting between pads and disk and making scraping sound? Constantly?
Cleaned it up and will take it for a drive and get a infrared thermostat to test results.

 

[Rebeldad1]

When was your last brake check? How low or what percent of your brake pads are left?

More than likely its time to replace them if you dont know.

Disc pads have a indicator tab built in. Its purpose is to give you a warning when the amount left is minimal. its a metal tab ment to drag on the rotor and make noise. They arnt rocket science so they can make noise from arount 30% left down to nothing at all. Sometimes they dont work and the first squeal you hear is metal to metal with the rotor.

Also metal flakes can come off a wheel and embed in the friction material causing the same result.

If you dont know check them right away. The next time you use your brakes it could be interesting.

 

[Rebeldad1]

By the way they can "look" fine. You need to pull the pads out and look...

 

[newbury]

<Snip>
It doesn稚 spin like a roulette wheel. If I give it a ? grunt heave and let go, tire turns about 1/4 to 1/3 of a rotation before stopping.
Is that sticking or would you say normal?
<snip>

1/4 turn? sounds almost locked up.

Get if off and look at it.

 

[Diggin It]

But what is “fine”?

It doesn’t spin like a roulette wheel. If I give it a “1 grunt” heave and let go, tire turns about 1/4 to 1/3 of a rotation before stopping.
Is that sticking or would you say normal?

That's not 'fine' in my book. Should be at least 1-2 full rotations. Wheel Bearing?

 

[CobyRupert]

You get 1-2 full rotations?
I can see there’s lots of pad left.
I jacked that corner and felt for wheel bearing, but didn’t feel anything.
I took it for a two mile drive. Used brakes 3-4 times.
3 brake disk’s temperatures were in the 150’s degF range.
The right front was in the 170’s F.
So it’s dragging a little. Yet not too bad.
Probably gets worse over more miles as disk heats up and expands.

Time to get it off.

 

[Rebeldad1]

Very few wheels will freewheel more than 1/4 turn with disc brakes on the front. With 4X4 maybe less. a good indicator if its ok is to turn both sides by hand. Should feel the same.Some calipers as they get old the rubber lip the cup sits in becomes less flexable and wont push the cup away. Also if there is any kind of gunk buildup in the caliper cup area it wont release. Really not a issue because as you drive the caliper self centers and helps push on the cup giving it clearance. Even with that they can turn hard freewheeling by hand. 2X4 wheel bearings seated tight or grease old. 4X4 axles and hubs drag.

 

[CobyRupert]

Very few wheels will freewheel more than 1/4 turn with disc brakes on the front. With 4X4 maybe less. a good indicator if its ok is to turn both sides by hand. Should feel the same....

Thanks for the idea. I’ll give it a spin.
Maybe I’ll drive it a few miles farther next time and check temps again.

 

[CobyRupert]

When checking for bearing I got no wobble. But when spinning tire, with hubs unlocked, I detect a faint click when I reversed direction. Was that part of the unlocked hub? I don’t think it was a bearing?

 

[Diggin It]

Thanks for the idea. I’ll give it a spin.
Maybe I’ll drive it a few miles farther next time and check temps again.

::Groans::