brakes...

[Chobobulous]

I can hear my brakes dragging slightly when i drive. I inspected it today, when the front end is lifted and you spin the tires, you can hear the brakes dragging some. There is little play in the bearings on the front. With the rear end lifted and if you turn the tires you can hear the rear brakes drag slightly too. There is alot of play in the rear passenger side wheel bearing so maybe that will fix the rear dragging problem on that side. I have no e-brake. I plan on replacing the rear wheel bearings on friday. I have a few questions about what could be making them drag.

1. Brake pad pins are slightly warped and pretty corroded.
Could this keep the pads from fully disengaging.
2. It does not have an anti rattle spring.
looked through repair manual and it is not too clear on its placement.

What else can could cause the brakes to not fully disengage.

3. Who sells timkin bearings. I have asked the auto parts stores around here and no one knows what i am talking about.

[TominMO]

I can hear my brakes dragging slightly when i drive. I inspected it today, when the front end is lifted and you spin the tires, you can hear the brakes dragging some. There is little play in the bearings on the front. With the rear end lifted and if you turn the tires you can hear the rear brakes drag slightly too. There is alot of play in the rear passenger side wheel bearing so maybe that will fix the rear dragging problem on that side. I have no e-brake. I plan on replacing the rear wheel bearings on friday. I have a few questions about what could be making them drag.

1. Brake pad pins are slightly warped and pretty corroded.
Could this keep the pads from fully disengaging.
2. It does not have an anti rattle spring.
looked through repair manual and it is not too clear on its placement.

What else can could cause the brakes to not fully disengage.

3. Who sells timkin bearings. I have asked the auto parts stores around here and no one knows what i am talking about.

Get a Festiva Haynes manual if you do not have one. They can be found at many McParts stores. There are some pretty good pics of the anti-rattle spring in there.

1. Could be, but I'm more inclined to have you look at the calipers. They may well need rebuilding, if they are not too far gone, or replacing.
2. The anti-rattle spring is shaped like an M (or W). On the front pads, there are three holes on the top. The outer two are for the pins that hold the pads in place, and the center holes on each pad are where you insert the ends of the anti-rattle spring. The top of the M (or bottom of the W) has one of the pad pins go thru it, to secure it in place. Hope that's clear.
3. Try www.rockauto.com for the bearings. They list a Timken set but it is unclear what the application is. Try the Beck-Arnley rear inner and outer sets. Good name FWIW, and cheap.

This link goes right to Festys. You may want to put it in your Favorites list.

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?carcode=1128147

[Chobobulous]

I have the ford service manual and the clip pictures are pretty vague, its mostly yea it goes here, the exploited diagram isnt so helpful. So from what i understand only one side of the pads are really "sprung" back?

What else am i looking for on the caliper? The piston is kind of rusted on the inside but the inside shouldnt matter right?

[TominMO]

I have both the 91 Ford Festy manual and the Haynes. Both have good pics/drawings of the situation. I guess your manual is not the Festy-specific one?

Right, only one side is sprung, the top where all the holes are. The two center holes (i.e. each center hole of both pads) are the sprung ones.

The caliper piston should compress back into the body of the caliper pretty easily with a C-clamp (remember to take the top off the master cylinder reservoir). If it doesn't, you are probably looking at getting a new caliper.

For my two cents, if you have to cough up the bux for new calipers, this is the perfect time to upgrade to Aspire brakes. Even if you just do the front ones for now. Due to the different Aspire bolt pattern tho, you might want to carry an extra spare, in 4x100, to go along with your Festy spare for the rear.

[georgeb]

There's an arm that protrudes from the back of the rear brake that can be tapped toward the brake when it is stuck (end of E brake cable). While you're inside the drum that mechanism needs to be cleaned and lubed. Sometimes you can loosen up a dragging caliper by having a helper step on the brake while you push the piston back in with a prybar (pads removed) enough times to where it easily pushes in. Don't let the piston fly out. If you're really cheap you can remove the seal with a flosser point and sand the bore with 220 grit paper then reassemble.

[Bert]

Wheel bearings are fairly generic and a parts supplier will be able to cross-reference whatever numbers show on your existing ones. The ornery pre-load bearing setup in front hubs may necessitate your removing the entire hub and having a professional (KIA dealer comes to mind) press those in for you including the 'any one of 22 different' spacers. Back bearings are relatively simple if you use a brass drift or a press to install the inner and outer races.

[WmWatt]

Clean the pins on the front calipers so the pads can slide easier. Can be done without removing.

For bearings photos see
http://www.photobucket.com/Festiva-backwheel also replace "back" with "front"

[TominMO]

Clean the pins on the front calipers so the pads can slide easier. Can be done without removing.

I like to wire-brush 'em, then use some grease.

[Chobobulous]

i have the teal green festiva car shop manual body chassis electrical powertrain so i must be looking at the wrong chapter or something, mine just shows an exploited view from up high, ill get the clip on there the way you explained it to me and post a photo.

As for the aspire brake swap, i dont have the time right now i am going to south carolina for 7 weeks then i come back and go god knows where 7 weeks after that. I will do it eventually it will just take me some time.....

I have both the 91 Ford Festy manual and the Haynes. Both have good pics/drawings of the situation. I guess your manual is not the Festy-specific one?

Right, only one side is sprung, the top where all the holes are. The two center holes (i.e. each center hole of both pads) are the sprung ones.

The caliper piston should compress back into the body of the caliper pretty easily with a C-clamp (remember to take the top off the master cylinder reservoir). If it doesn't, you are probably looking at getting a new caliper.

For my two cents, if you have to cough up the bux for new calipers, this is the perfect time to upgrade to Aspire brakes. Even if you just do the front ones for now. Due to the different Aspire bolt pattern tho, you might want to carry an extra spare, in 4x100, to go along with your Festy spare for the rear.

[Chobobulous]

so, here is the photo, did i get it right?



and this is what my rotors look like, i want to get them turned but i dont want to have to take the hub completely apart.... the pad is not catching toward the bottom of the disk, i think its clear enough to see...

[nitrofarm]

You are missing a spring that goes on one side only

There should be one more spring that goes from the bottom pin to the top pin.Its shaped kinda like a Gull Wing. Also you have the ends in the holes correctly but the 180 needs on the clip you have sit on top of the bads. Not on the inside like you have them. When you bought new pads didnt they come with two more springs? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.... I'm at work going off memory.Plus all I have been doing is Aspire Brakes for the past 6 months. But I think they are the same.....

[Chobobulous]

I didnt buy these pads, i am trying to unscrew up what someone else did

[nitrofarm]

I didnt buy these pads, i am trying to unscrew up what someone else did

You have the small little locking pins that hold the large pins in place right? I forgot there are two styles.The single gull wing style. Or the little tiny spring pins. But you still have to get the large one in place properly.Somone can post a pic.You are close,but still have to get the 180 bends above the pad.They rest right on top when installed proper ok-

[WmWatt]

I took both my front brakes off at the same time and could not remember how the springs went back on. My front wheels were making noise and heating up. A Ford dealer charged me $100 to take the springs off and put them on the right way. They were rubbing on the rotors making a noise and generating heat, so the mechanic said. It fixed the problem. I should be glad it wasn't the bearings which I had also replaced at the same time. Lesson learned: do wheels one at a time.

[nitrofarm]

I didnt buy these pads, i am trying to unscrew up what someone else did

I took both my front brakes off at the same time and could not remember how the springs went back on. My front wheels were making noise and heating up. A Ford dealer charged me $100 to take the springs off and put them on the right way. They were rubbing on the rotors making a noise and generating heat, so the mechanic said. It fixed the problem. I should be glad it wasn't the bearings which I had also replaced at the same time. Lesson learned: do wheels one at a time.