Hi, everyone. I need some help. My 04 discovery has an intermittently sticky front passenger brake. Every 2 or 3 times i drive the car and arrive at my destination, i can smell brakes and the brake components on that wheel are blazing hot.

Took the caliper off and determined that neither piston is stuck and the guide pins move freely as well. Plenty of life on the pads. Sprayed everything down with brake parts cleaner, put new pad lube on and it was fine for about 60 miles. But after arriving home from the grocery store last night, the front right brakes were again smelly and very hot.

Pads, rotor and caliper were replaced 13 months/less than 5000 miles ago...

 

I have heard of people having a problem with the flex lines on some vehicles were the inside of the hose starts coming apart (delaminating from the wire braid).
This turns the hose into a check valve not allowing the pressure to relieve completely causing the pads to drag?

 

Interesting. So I should try replacing the brake lines?

 

Yes, as mentioned by BacklnA88, the inner portion of the hose becomes a check valve of sorts. Especially, if the caliper has been dropped or allowed to hang with brake line attached. The hose is made up of two types of rubber, Outer - softer, weather resist, durable coating and Inner - harder, able to with stand high pressure of hydraulic brake system. So, when the caliper gets dropped the inner portion cracks inside, because it is not ment to stretch. This cracked section let's fluid under foot/power assist pressure travel through...but then the compromised section of the hose will not let the fluid return...hence...not releasing the caliper. That's why you don't notice the issue while pushing the caliper in with a c-clamp or large channel locks...you overcome the compromised area of the line with your ability to create pressure. The caliper can't do this, so it stays applied.

So, yes...change brake hoses.

Also, to anyone that is reading along that has a vehicle that pulls one way or the other while braking...brake hoses are a suspect here too. Since the good hose receives fluid easier than the bad/compromised hose and this action causes pulling or a back and forth grabbing feeling in the steering wheel.

Brian.