I'm struggling with what I believe are the front brakes dragging.

Seems like it is in both front brakes. If first thought it was the wheel hubs. There was a little play in them so I replaced them but I'm still getting the dragging noice.

The dragging noice is when the car is coasting if very low speeds with no acceleration. Just does not seem to be rolling smoothly.

The brakes pads and rotors seemed to not be far off from being needed to be replaced so I replaced them with new pads, rotors and calipers just to eliminate another variable.

When I have the front on jack stands and take the left front wheel off and have someone rotate the right front tire I believe what I'm hearing is from the brakes.

I think I blead them correctly.

I'm thinking next step is a Brake Master Cylinder Repair Kit.

Would this help with the brake pistons retracting when releasing the brakes and give more room between the brake pad and rotor?

Thoughts?

 

I would consider installing a pressure gauge in the bleeder port to make sure they go back to zero pressure after being released.

 

Dumb question, but you sure you're pushing the piston all the way in before putting the caliper back on?

 

You wouldn't get new pads on without pushing them back in.

 

Pretty each to check for dragging brakes, take it for a drive out in the country where braking is minimum. At some point, pull over and check the alloy wheel temperature or even the rotor temperature with your hand. See if one or more seems excessively hot. A laser thermometer is perfect for this if you have one. Under normal conditions the fronts may be slightly warmer than the rears.

 

But you can without pushing them all the way in. That would cause rub

 

Please explain, over 20 years and working on disc brakes and this is the very first I have ever heard of this theory on a hydraulic brake system.

 

Well unfortunately I think I mis-diagnosed the problem as the brakes.

I tried Extinct's using a pressure gauge on the caliper. This problem is all the gauges are standard thread and the calipers are metric. So you need an adapter that is not available locally but only found on-line. I did try to use a short piece of the same type of tubing to bleed the brakes to connect the gauge to the bleeder screw but I had no success getting a reading.

I eventually took the caliper off and put an old brake pad and a short 2x4 piece of wood in the space where the pads and the rotor goes. I held them in place with some zip ties. I then hung the caliper and secured it close to to the inner wheel well with more zip ties. The idea was to take the brake variable out of the equation of what is making the dragging sounds. (the wood and brake pad are so the pistons don't come out too far).

This is on the front left wheel so I could not turn left so a proper test drive was not possible. But I was able to go in reverse straight for about 100 feet and then forward for 100 feet. I'm still gettin the dragging sounds so I guess I at least know the brakes are not my issue.

I'm going to be at a Land Rover trail ride this next weekend so hopefully I can do some more diagnosing with other LR3 owners.

 

I guess I dont see what a pressure gauge would do except show an issue upstream of the caliper. Which might be possible if a line if kinked, but its not something I have heard of before. But it certainly will not show there is an issue with the caliper.