LF kelsey Hayes caliper started dragging.

[AlV]

Greetings,
During my resto I converted to a set of Kelsey Hayes. For the first few hundred miles everything worked great. Then the left front brake started to drag and now the car pulls to the left.
Ive read some treads and I am familiar with the knock on these brakes but I replaced the caliper and flexible hose but the left front is still dragging.

What in the proportioning valve could impact just the left ront brake?

1969 340 Dodge Dart
Manual Disk/Drum brake brakes MC36406
Stainless steel hardlines

Thanks

AlV

 

[TrailBeast]

I'd be opening the bleeder and see if it lets go.
If it doesn't then it has zero to do with fluid flow, prop valve or lines but limited strictly to the caliper itself. (like a frozen piston)
If it lets go when you open the bleeder then you know it's in the fluid system and not the caliper.

 

[AlV]

Thanks trailbeast.
No pressure when I crack the bleeder. And this is a second caliper. What are the chances the second one is doing the same as the first! ( rhetorical)

This is annoying.

 

[TrailBeast]

Thanks trailbeast.
No pressure when I crack the bleeder. And this is a second caliper. What are the chances the second one is doing the same as the first! ( rhetorical)

This is annoying.

So the brake didn't let go when you opened the bleeder?
Caliper is dragging, so the chances of it being the caliper again is really high I'd say.

 

[AlV]

So the brake didn't let go when you opened the bleeder?
Caliper is dragging, so the chances of it being the caliper again is really high I'd say.

nope it didn't and Oye, This F'n caliper!

 

[BillGrissom]

Presumably you get fluid out of the bleeder when a helper pushes the pedal. If not, try removing the bleeder all the way, just in case it is clogged w/ gunk. If the caliper still doesn't retract, sounds like it must be a bad caliper, since there would be no fluid pressure inside. Stainless Steel Brake Co. got their start by retrofitting stainless parts into the Mustang and Dart K-H calipers, since jamming rusted pistons was a common problem.

 

[AlV]

Presumably you get fluid out of the bleeder when a helper pushes the pedal. If not, try removing the bleeder all the way, just in case it is clogged w/ gunk. If the caliper still doesn't retract, sounds like it must be a bad caliper, since there would be no fluid pressure inside. Stainless Steel Brake Co. got their start by retrofitting stainless parts into the Mustang and Dart K-H calipers, since jamming rusted pistons was a common problem.

Thanks Bill.
Yes fluid fliows when the pedal is applied.
What's getting me is that I replaced the hose and caliper and I'm still having the same issue.
The fluid is new ( less than 500 miles on it). This whole brake system is new either the exception of the prop valve.

 

[Darthomas]

The whole point of 4 separate pistons is having that many places to get seized up.
That's what disc brake 4 piston calipers DO.
That's one big reason why Mopar went to floating caliper with one piston.
Much more "movement" in a single piston, and less likely to get stuck.
Best of luck.

 

[AlV]

Comon' Man! LoL

I did the easy stuff, replaced Hose and caliper. I should be good to go... No?
It worked great initially, why would the second caliper have the same symptom?
I fear that I'll spend money on the SSBC caliper w/ss sleeve only to have the same result.
Is there something else I should be looking at? Cross over tubes, brake line, Prop valve.

Has anyone else had a dragging caliper not repaired by replacing the Hose or the caliper?

 

[BillGrissom]

If the bleed port is open, how could there be any fluid pressure in the caliper? If there is no pressure, how could anything in the hydraulic system be the culprit (hose, tubes, MC, prop valve)? The only hydraulic thing I could envision is something locking pressure up on the side without a bleeder, maybe a piece of rubber acting like a check valve in the cross-over tube, or such.