Brake or Hub Problem?

[Gary21]

Last time I jacked my truck up, I noticed my front tire (Passenger Side) was very difficult to turn by hand. I dont know much about the truck, but isn't the tire supposed to rotate kind of easily? I have a 1999 GMC Sierra Classic 2500 4x4. Does anyone know if the front brakes are self adjusting, and maybe they're to tight, or may a hub isn't fully disengaging. I notice resistance when I take off from a dead stop, so I think there is something wrong. Thanks, Gary

[sixnickel]

Sounds like you have a brake caliper hanging up or a bad brake hose. After a short drive is the right wheel hotter than the left? Dose the right wheel have more brake dust? Jack it up put a jack stand under it ( safety first)pull the wheel try to turn the rotor if it turns hard open the caliper bleeder screw, if fluid squirts out and the rotor turns easy the hose is bad. If the rotor still turns hard the caliper is bad. If you have to replace the caliper I would do both and with new pads.

[Gary21]

Thanks for the reply. I checked after I got home from work today, and the Right wheel was so hot I couln't even touch it. So would that be a bad caliper, or just needs adjusted?

[njdevi11]

This is by no means an easy repair option but its basically free.

You probably have a whole bunch of rust and stuff inside your brake cylinder.

my brakes were locking up in my 2002 jeep wrangler and this is how i fixed it without buying a new caliper.

(1) remove the wheel and tire, remove the bolts in the back that hold the caliper on.
(2) remove the caliper and support it so its not hanging by the brake line. Put a catch pan underneath it. Remove the brake pads from the caliper
(3) pump the brake pedal until the piston comes out. there will be a lot of brake fluid spilled.
(4) use a polishing wheel or a brake cylinder hone (available at sears) to polish or hone the inside of the cylinder and the piston.
(5) reinsert the rubber gasket behind the piston and push the piston back into place (I used a vise), be sure to lube it up first.
(6) reinstall the caliper pads and wheel.

If your not inclined to tinker like I am, go get a new set of calipers and pads (depending on how many miles are on the pads) and you can do both sides in an hour or two.

I just looked on rockauto.com and the calipers for your truck should be about $20-$30 each.

[sixnickel]

Disk brakes have no adjustment. As the pads wear the piston just moves out of the caliper and dose not go back in as far each time. Calipers drag for 2 reasons a collapsed brake hose or a stuck piston read my previous post.