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Having problems with my front brakes

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Old May 24, 2013 | 02:19 AM
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Default Having problems with my front brakes

My car has been hasn't been driven for almost half a year because of my brake problem. At the moment I cannot drive my car because my front brakes keep locking up. In the beginning when I start my car I can feel the pedal just goes straight to the floor and after searching on here people have told me that it's a booster problem. So after waiting for a bit I decided to change the booster and master at the same time since I have to remove both of them anyways. I bleed the master prior to installing at as the instructions told me to. I also measure the distance of the push rod to the original length of my old one and when I try to drive the car it was the same problem. My driveway is on a decline so what i do is throw the car in neutral and the car does not move what so ever.

Next order of business was to jack the car up on all 4 and try to spin the wheels and the rears are fine but the fronts will not budge. I came to the conclusion that the calipers are seized so I replaced the front two calipers and bleed the brakes with a friend and when I went for a test drive it felt awesome. After a day of driving the car the brakes then started to lock up again in the fronts when I was nearly home. I then asked a local speed shop and they told me that it's my brake line from the inside is collapsed so I ordered a set of steel braided lines and here is where I'm at now. The brakes are still locked and I cannot drive the car. I don't know what else to replace as I pretty much replace most of the brake components up front already. I made sure to check for leaks and I do not see anything. Hope someone can help me with my dilemma.
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Old May 24, 2013 | 07:02 AM
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ID your car....... you could have a faulty brake actuator, proportioning valve, or ABS module. the parts you replaced were probably all still good. sometimes professional help is less expensive than diy.

Last edited by billydpowe; May 24, 2013 at 07:34 AM.
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Old May 24, 2013 | 09:01 AM
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Too many variables.
Just because you replaced it, doesn't mean it's good.
It is possible to get a bad part from the get go.
Sometimes masters are a pain to bleed correctly.
Sometimes things are installed incorrectly or a plastic plug is left in on accident.
Sometimes theres something contaminating the system and no matter what you replace it just lodges itself somewhere else.
Sometimes fixing one thing makes something else downstream to finally let go.
Hell it could be simple as the wrong parts, 90-92 had different calipers, rotors and pads than 93-94.
Or not the brakes at all.

Diagnosing over the phone is the same as the internet, pretty difficult without details and specifics, but those can be useless if your terminology is different than the next guy's. Maybe you'll get the right answer, maybe you'll get a lightbulb going off from something unrelated, but it's a crapshoot and worth exactly what you paid for it.

We have no idea what year your car is, what the original problem was and what your experience is.

I think you need to be methodical from the top to bottom, because throwing parts at it is just going to be expensive and frustrating. It might be time to send it to a pro.
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Old May 24, 2013 | 03:44 PM
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When you had the calipers off, did you try rotating the front axle without them? My brothers 96 Corolla had an issue like this, and it turned out the be the front wheel bearings had literally "burned up" and fell into chunks on the floor when i backed off the axle nut to inspect it. I was surprised the car was still capable of moving at that point
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Old May 24, 2013 | 06:25 PM
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Originally Posted by YoshiMan
When you had the calipers off, did you try rotating the front axle without them? My brothers 96 Corolla had an issue like this, and it turned out the be the front wheel bearings had literally "burned up" and fell into chunks on the floor when i backed off the axle nut to inspect it. I was surprised the car was still capable of moving at that point
Problem solved.....it turns out my problem was the stupid brake pedal itself.
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Old May 24, 2013 | 06:37 PM
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whats the story with that? Was it jamming up on something?
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Old May 24, 2013 | 06:43 PM
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Originally Posted by YoshiMan
whats the story with that? Was it jamming up on something?
I was wondering why the pedal was so stiff like there was no play what so ever. I look down at the pedal and just thought to myself is that pedal slightly crooked? several hours later removed the brake pedal assembly I see that the pedal is off alignment causing the actual brake pedal to get stuck and the brake will remain engaged.

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Old May 25, 2013 | 02:32 AM
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wow, never saw that before. nice job.
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Old May 25, 2013 | 07:23 AM
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QUESTION: Why only the front brakes were locked up, same pedal for the rears, or are you telling us your rear brakes are not working properly?
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