01 2500 HD brake sticking

[foulpole18]

My rear passenger brake seems to be stick a little. I have to drive it 15-20 miles a the it starts to smoke a smell really bad. It appears to be coming from the caliber/pad area. I took the wheel off and the brake engages and disengages ok and the parking brake does the same.

I was wondering if I should change the pads and rotor (no visual that would indicate anything out of the norm) and see if that helps or if there is something else I should try? Is there anything visual to see if the rotor is shot?

Thanks

Brian

[Macgyver55]

Jack up the rear wheels and try spinning both to see if there is any more drag on that side than the other. (You'll have to have it in neutral while checking it) Its not uncommon for the emergency brake to not fully release due to rust on the actuator at the wheel.

[foulpole18]

Jacked it up and spun the wheels. Didn't seem to be any difference between the 2. Is it possible the rotor is warped on that side and just rubbing a little? That might explain why I have to drive it so far to get it hot.

What do you guys think?

[Macgyver55]

You'll normally feel a pulsating pedal with a warped rotor, and all it will usually do is push the pads back a bit further (if they are not seized) as you drive causing a somewhat lower brake pedal. Does the rotor have any grease on it (backside) like maybe a axle seal is leaking?

[foulpole18]

No grease. When it gets hot it smell like a semi locked up the brakes on the freeway.

[Macgyver55]

Ok, so then it could be a pad that is seized in the anchor, a caliper that is sticking, or a collapsed brake hose that wont bleed off quickly and keeps the brake applied for a time after using it.

Sorry, I should have told you to drive the truck to warm it up and then and apply the brakes right before trying to free spin the wheels on the jack. They should be free as soon as you let off the pedal. If they are not free, you can then open the bleeder to see if it a pressure problem or not, or pull the caliper and see if the pads are seized. Its not uncommon in this climate to find them really corroded.

[MJ1657]

My '02 1500 did the same thing about a month ago. It ended up being the caliper was sticking.

[foulpole18]

What did they do to fix that? Can you clean a sticking caliper up or did you have to replace it?

[MJ1657]

I replaced the caliper. I think you can still buy kits to rebuild calipers but in my experience your'e better off replacing it.

Simple fix, bolt on the new caliper, bleed it and your'e done.