Caliper seized after brake job

[cscase]

Hey all,
I recently bought a 1994 Ranger (2.3), which I have been working on getting fixed up to be a daily driver. With the help of a buddy, we had most of the kinks worked out, and I had it in the shop to get the exhaust checked out and a brake leak fixed, then when I thought I had everything all in order... wouldn't you know it... I finish the day with smoke pouring off my front right wheel.

The shop replaced the RABS valve, which was where the leak was coming from, and I also had them replace pads and rotors.

When I first picked it up, I didn't notice anything obviously wrong except a slight smell, which I figured was new rotors/pads wearing in? I live about 15 miles from the shop. On the way home, at one point I was braking for a red light ahead, from about 50 mph, and the truck pulled really hard left. I let off the brake and it straightened out, and I didn't veer out of my lane but nearly did. At that point I was only a couple miles from home, and noticed that the truck seemed to be pulling slightly to the right normally, just a little, and left when I braked. I pulled up to red light a block from home, and smoke was pouring off the front right wheel. Talking about a lot of smoke! Clearly visible from inside the cab. I cleared the light and drove another couple hundred yards, parked it at my apartment.

So, it'll be tomorrow before I do anything, but just wonder if y'all might have any speculation about the cause. Is it most likely just that caliper didn't like being compressed and seized up, no fault of the shop? Or could it be something going on with wrong part for rotor replacement? The shop that did the work comes highly recommended and I really get the impression that they are good guys, which is why I was willing to drive so far.

I'll call them in the morning, but I figure if it's up to me to fix it, I'll need to replace caliper, the (brand new) brake pads on that side, check the rotor for warping... Reckon that will get it? Wheel bearing? What all is likely to have been jacked up by all that heating?

So anyway, I am just looking for any theories, experience, or general advice that anyone can offer. If y'all are interested I'll be sure to post back the outcome.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I|'m interested.

 

[cscase]

update

Guy from shop that worked on it yesterday said that he noticed when he bled the brakes that the fluid was dirty. I suspect the caliper hose had junk in it and wouldn't let the caliper fully release. It had been dragging on the rotor, not hard locked up but dragging. Went ahead and replaced both calipers and their hoses, and put new pads, flushed fluid. The rotor was not warped or gouged or anything, and it seems to be fine now.

So, I guess all is well that ends well.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The rubber inside of brake lines can come apart and act like a check valve. You have enough power with the pedal to force the fluid to the caliper but the caliper doesn't have enough power to force it back... so it sticks on.

I had it happen to me, it was just the brake line. I also put new pads and a rotor on it, I didn't really check the rotor but it was smoking bad and prior to me stopping I thought it was a problem with my engine losing power. I figured if it was coming on hard enough to pull down my 302 it was coming on pretty good and probably hosed.

 

[RonD]

+1 to what 85_Ranger said

The flexible lines on the front brakes can look fine on the outside but be bad on the inside.

Where did the "dirty" brake fluid come from?

From deteriorating rubber lines

Yes brake fluid can get old but it doesn't really circulate, lol, so "dirty" fluid usually means a local "dirt" source.

 

[Die.Fledermaus]

Flex rubber hose is sometimes hard to troubleshoot, it rots from the inside typically.

15 miles is nothing of a distance if they take care of problems that quickly.