View Full Version : Sticking Front Brake Caliper PBR
JETAV8R
09-06-2021, 08:22 AM
Factory supplied brake kit when car was delivered three years ago. Have been driving for 2.5 years now and 5000 miles without any brake issues at all. Saturday, while about 100 miles from home, I started smelling hot brakes. Was hoping it was the truck I happened to be following. As soon as there was a place to pull over, I stopped and checked and sure enough, it was me. Passenger side front brake was hot. Lots of brake dust on the wheel. I let it cool a bit. Backed up and depressed the brake pedal hard several times. Drove the rest of the way home without incident, but used the brakes sparingly. These are the PBR brakes. Does anyone have a part number for the exact caliper at NAPA, AutoZone, Advance Auto, etc? Would like to replace it at this time with the same part number.
I have had the same problem intermittently for a couple years. Happened to me a couple weeks back after being fine for a year, not sure what’s causing it as the swelling pistons problem that is well known doesn’t seem to go away. Mine is always the drivers side front. Not sure if it’s sticking slider pins? Maybe some junk in the brake cylinder blocking the brake line so the piston can’t retract?
Not sure part number but they are for 99-2004 mustangs, just ask the parts store for that. I just picked some up to replace mine, hopefully get to it this week.
rich grsc
09-06-2021, 12:54 PM
The PBR's are notorious for this. I do believe replacing is the only option. The piston which are non-metallic swell and stick.:mad:
JETAV8R
09-06-2021, 02:51 PM
Thanks. Just picked one up at O Reilly's Tomorrow's project.
nuhale
09-06-2021, 04:10 PM
Take a look at the "upgrade" cobra style brakes. Bigger 13" rotor and stainless pistons.
I bought the powerstop kit on rockauto.com KC1304D
just swapped mine out a week ago...
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?34938-NUHale-s-MKIV-7275-Build-Thread-Brake-Upgrade&p=467837&viewfull=1#post467837
CraigS
09-08-2021, 07:02 AM
3 yrs or so ago when I looked into this some people had found rebuild kits w/ steel pistons. I could not find any then but there is always a possibility some have been released since. Back in the day I rebuilt 100s of calipers, MCs, and slave cylinders. But today no one bothers w/ that since the remans are so inexpensive.
John Ibele
09-08-2021, 10:17 PM
To CraigS' point, I recently had my DS front brake exhibit the same problem. I had powder coated the caliper and hence didn't want to simply replace the caliper. The brake service place I went to didn't have the refresh kit in stock, so I just bought a reman caliper for $35, pulled the parts and put into my powder coated caliper, which fixed the problem.