[DeTomaso] Front Brake Caliper Piston Sticking

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

Guy wrote:

 Very recently noticed the left front brake is late to apply and late to 
release, causing significant swerving.
Was thinking it might "limber up" with additional driving, now wondering if 
more driving will only make it worse.
Got to Alameda and back + San Ramon and back earlier, both ~100 mile round 
trips, no issue.  This started after that.
Am signed up for a multi-hundred mile event on the first, been too cold and 
rainy to do any tinkering.  So maybe I get stranded with a locked wheel.  
Or the problem just goes away.
Thoughts, predictions, experience ?

>>>Not getting this until the first, unfortunately.   I presume you are 
going on the Anti-Football Rally?   That's a great event!

I will join the chorus of others who suggest the fault lies with the brake 
hoses.   Earlier this year, you may recall a short blurb in the PCNC 
newsletter about a small tech session at Garry Choate's house.   We were helping to 
get a 14K original mile '72 back on the road; the car is bone stock.   
Braking left something to be desired and the owner bought Porterfield pads.   
During the installation process we discovered that three of the four calipers 
were almost completely non-functional due to stock hoses that had 
deteriorated and swollen internally, cutting off the flow of fluid (and pressure).   
The car was projected to drive there and drive home at the end of the day; 
instead it remained behind on jackstands while new braided steel flex hoses 
were sourced.

Based on that one experience, and knowing that your car lies dormant for 
very long periods of time, I would suggest that you start there.   It may well 
be that your calipers are still in fine shape and require no attention, and 
all you have to do is change the hoses.   At this point, I think you should 
do it just as a matter of principle--yours are 40 years old, after all....

Hope you had fun this morning.   Let us know how it went?

Mike
-------------- next part --------------
   Guy wrote:
   Very recently noticed the left front brake is late to apply and late to
   release, causing significant swerving.
   Was thinking it might "limber up" with additional driving, now
   wondering if more driving will only make it worse.
   Got to Alameda and back + San Ramon and back earlier, both ~100 mile
   round trips, no issue.  This started after that.
   Am signed up for a multi-hundred mile event on the first, been too cold
   and rainy to do any tinkering.  So maybe I get stranded with a locked
   wheel.  Or the problem just goes away.
   Thoughts, predictions, experience ?
   >>>Not getting this until the first, unfortunately.  I presume you are
   going on the Anti-Football Rally?  That's a great event!
   I will join the chorus of others who suggest the fault lies with the
   brake hoses.  Earlier this year, you may recall a short blurb in the
   PCNC newsletter about a small tech session at Garry Choate's house.  We
   were helping to get a 14K original mile '72 back on the road; the car
   is bone stock.  Braking left something to be desired and the owner
   bought Porterfield pads.  During the installation process we discovered
   that three of the four calipers were almost completely non-functional
   due to stock hoses that had deteriorated and swollen internally,
   cutting off the flow of fluid (and pressure).  The car was projected to
   drive there and drive home at the end of the day; instead it remained
   behind on jackstands while new braided steel flex hoses were sourced.
   Based on that one experience, and knowing that your car lies dormant
   for very long periods of time, I would suggest that you start there.
   It may well be that your calipers are still in fine shape and require
   no attention, and all you have to do is change the hoses.  At this
   point, I think you should do it just as a matter of principle--yours
   are 40 years old, after all....
   Hope you had fun this morning.  Let us know how it went?
   Mike