I apologize for the length of this but I want all details included. I was hearing a lot of rattling and clunking in the front of my car so I took it to the shop. They told me front wheel bearings were bad, tie rod ends and sway bar links need replaced. I replaced all those parts. All parts were new and in working order. I got the car back from the shop with a dragging sound at the front left wheel. I personally removed the brakes and rotor and had the rotors turned and put NEW brake pads on from orileys. Now the dragging sound is louder (it is NOT a screeching sound and it is NOT my brake pad indicator causing this. I both feel it and hear it lightly. I hear it lightly while not applying the brake and when I apply the brake this dragging becomes louder. It sounds like it has to be the pads against the rotor. I called orileys and they said it’s probably the cylinder on the caliper that’s not opening property, causing a drag of the pads. This could be but what are the odds that this happened overnight? As soon as I got it back from the shop this started!? When I had my brake pads and rotors off, I was able to turn the new wheel bearings by hand and they both turned very nice and smooth I doubt it could have anything to do with the wheel bearings. Orileys suggests that I need to replace the caliper on the side I’m getting the noise. The car is a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix GT and I’ve never had any issues like this with the car before. Any suggestions? Thank you for your time and assistance!
It could be the caliper or it could be the flexible hose to the caliper collapsing inside. A lot of people replace both front or rear calipers in pairs.
When you have the car lifted, and try turning the wheels, does the left have more drag than the right?
I would guess the rubber flexible brake line - it’s quite possible that the garage took off the caliper, and rather than support it, they let it hang on the flex line, which could possibly damage it internally. It may have been next to failing anyway, at 10 years old. I’d replace both L and R; check the calipers when disconnected to make sure they travel in without any resistance, then of course you’ll need to bleed the brakes. I would take this opportunity to bleed the lines going to the rear as well, since the fluid is 10 years old.
I believe it did feel like there was more drag on the left side. When I
changed the pads and used the c clamp on the piston on the left caliper, it
was much harder to push In than on the right side. I figured I’d just start
with a new caliper. Do I need a special tool to remove/install those
flexible lines?
If your flex line is partially collapsed, it would make the caliper harder to push in.
I would try the flex line first.
Invest in a nice set of brake line wrenches-it won’t be the last time you’ll need them.
So brake line wrenches are what I need? Someone was telling me ill need a
press of some sort for one of the ends on that brake line opposite of the
end that goes on the caliper. is this true?
Usually that is held in place in an indexed hole in a metal tab, which is held tight with a ‘U’ clip (I don’t think U is the correct terminology, but it looks like one). So, don’t remove the clip until you’ve broken the the line free; it will hold it from turning.
My money is on the caliper sticking. Collapsed brake line innards do happen, but 99% of the time when a caliper is hard to retract it’s due to a sticking caliper.
Believe it or not this could be as simple as a slightly bent dust shield /backing plate rubbing against the rotor. If that’s the case you can easily bend it back by hand. It happens.
EDIT: Just to clarify why I think it may be a bent dust shield. One: You had the wheel bearings, tie rod ends and sway bar links replaced. They are right in the area of the dust shield. They may have banged it or pried against it during the repair. Two: The dry rubbing noise started immediately AFTER the repair. It’s a classic example of a bent dust shield rubbing on the rotor.