Why is my brake proportioning valve stuck in one position?
If your brake system has not been previously worked on or suffered no brake leaks from the wheel cylinders, calipers or master cylinder, chances are the brake proportioning valve is stuck in one position, tripping the brake dash light.
Why does my brake caliper lock up when I drive?
The most common reason for the calipers locking up when you are driving is that the caliper piston is seizing in the bore and not releasing. If this is the case, then a piston replacement is necessary.
What happens if one of the front calipers is stuck?
If one of the front calipers is stuck open, you may notice the vehicle pull strongly to one side under braking. This is because only one of the front brakes is working to slow the vehicle. The front brakes do the vast majority of the braking on most vehicles.
What to do when your front brakes won’t release?
Spray a little penetrating oil onto the cleaned piston, use the C-clamp to push the piston back into the caliper. Place the brake pads back into the caliper in the same position as they were removed. Reinstall the caliper and pads onto the spindle. Push the brake pedal while someone watches the caliper extend out against the brake pads.
Why does the proportioning valve only work on rear brakes?
Vehicles with drum brakes in the rear have much lower pressure for the drum brakes than the front disc brakes. This is why the proportioning valve only lets a particular amount of pressure through to the rear brakes. If you suspect there is an issue with your proportioning valve, check for the following symptom:
Why are my brake calipers not releasing properly?
Water and other dust can come into the handbrake wires and cause them to rust. This will cause the brake calipers not to release properly when you release the handbrake. To fix this, you can try to lubricate the handbrake cable and the arm on the caliper and move it backward and forward a hundred times to see if it gets better.
What happens when the proportioning valve goes bad?
Rear wheels lock up. Since the proportioning valve decreases the pressure sent to the rear brakes, the main symptom the valve is going bad is the rear wheels locking up when the brakes are applied. Furthermore, the wheels will lock up more easily on wet surfaces. The rear brakes may feel touchy when applied even gently.
Why are rear brakes not equal to front brakes?
Equal brake force cannot be applied to all of the wheels on the car at the same time because the rear wheels will lock up. Vehicles with drum brakes in the rear have much lower pressure for the drum brakes than the front disc brakes. This is why the proportioning valve only lets a particular amount of pressure through to the rear brakes.