ok. 01 1500. truck has sat between 6-12 months. just got it up and running. while driving my front drivers side brakes stay engaged (not too much but enough to smell the pads burning and eventually i can feel the truck slowing down), when i step on the brake pedal (which is stiff) the passenger side grabs hard and the truck pulls to the right. gonna bleed them tomorrow i guess... you guys have any thoughts?

 

I had that problem. Not sure why the calipers were locking, I guess that question is academic - Just went ahead and used the opportunity to replace the calipers and pads and it fixed it.

 

The slide pins or where the caliper slides on the steering knuckle are probably just rusted!

 

i replaced my calipers a little over a year ago. they didnt get much use so i guess i would consider them "new".

if it is just rust do you think that it will loosen up eventually?

but what would make my brake pedal so stiff?

 

If all you did was take the old ones off and replace, without properly cleaning and lubing the slides, a year is more than enough time for them to lock up. Plus where you live has a major impact.

 

You may want to look at the flexible rubber brake lines to the caliper. I had this happen once before on a different truck. The cause was the interior of the rubber lines had deteriorated enough that the insides were breaking up and caused the caliper to not want to release once the fluid pressure had. This debris acted like a one way check valve inside the hose. After replacing the rubber lines and replacing the brake fluid with new, they were perfect once again.

 

i'd think an 01 would be new enough not to have any brake hose problems yet.
i'd remove the tires and look it over.
spray wd40 all over the caliper pistons, try not to get too much on the pads, lube the slides, probably bleed them just for good measure.
i'll bet they're just rusted up.

 

by slides do you mean the pistons in the calipers?

 

no. the pistons are on the inside of the caliper in round holes. might be one or two per caliper and they have rubber boots. they extend out and press against the pads. spray the $hit our of them with wd40. you may have to remove the pads to get at them, maybe not. the slides are at the top and/or bottom ? and the pads side back and forth on them to grip the rotor. its the small bolts with the rubber boots. clean and grease the points where the pads slide on them. i can't see it in my head and i can't explain it but you'll see when you look at it.

 

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. thanks. i always called them clips.