Broken brake, need help!

[72mach1]

So when I apply the brakes at anything over 3 mph, the pass. side wheel jumps and shudders like it's going to break off. Now it's starting to apply braking force at a MUCH slower speed then when the pedals pressed. As in, 50% brake, wait 5 seconds THEN the brakes slowly get to 50%. It;s spookey, any body have any clues?

 

[Loup-garou]

Front or rear wheel? My first thought is that it could be a suspension problem or a blown shock absorber. A severely warped brake rotor could also be a factor.

This is confusing to diagnose - it sounds as though the brakes are slowing that wheel (hence the jumping and shuddering), but that reaction to the braking system is preventing the wheel from helping to slow the car. Sound about right?

Check for a damaged tire and/or bent wheel, too.

 

[72mach1]

Sorry, it's the Pass side front wheel. I've had teh wheel off, and the brake rotor is not cracked, and spins free, if it's warped it's not enough to see by eye. IT makes the entire car shudder but you can feel the tire hopping through the steering wheel.

 

[BornInAFord]

Did you check your pads? Caliper?

 

[bnickel]

could be a bad wheel bearing or cracked spindle too. this is one of those thing that's really hard to diagnose over the internet.

 

[72mach1]

Lots of pad left, caliper looked good, nothing obvious. Could it be a pinced brake like, I had run over a good size racoon earlier.

 

[Rusty67]

Check to see if the caliper mounting bolts are all there and all tight as well as the bolts that holt the caliper bracket to the spindle.

 

[runawayabc123]

My dad had a problem similar to this on a 99 Taurus. It turned out to be the wheel. The front right was where the problems seemed to be occuring. It turned out to be a bad wheel on the back right. We found it by rotating the tires and then we REALLY had problems on the front right. It was a dented steel belt in the tire. You could see it is you looked real close.

Try rotating your tires and see of the problems moves around.

 

[mustangdave]

fluid on the pad from a leaking caliper/hose?

 

[D.Hearne]

How old are the brake hoses? When they get old, the inside liner can collapse and cause these syptoms too.