Brake troubles - collapsed brake line?

[Sobek]

Hey guys,

Probably a real simple one here. My XJ sat for a year before I got stuck back into fixing it - new tyres, water pump, thermostat, MAP / TB sensors and ICV, belt etc etc. Thing is, I'm having a problem where the longer I drive and the more I use the brakes, eventually the front left caliper will all but lock up.

I got stuck in some particularly bad stop and go traffic the other day after I'd done the water pump / t-stat and was test driving it, and the left caliper had locked so bad I was doing 3000rpm just to go 20km/h to find a side road to park it. Stopped it, it was smoking, called a ride home and went back a few hours later to drive it home. If it sits for a few hours it goes back to being normal again.

At first I thought seized caliper after sitting for so long, but the fact that it gradually gets worse then recovers after sitting for a few hours, makes me think brake lines? And if so, any recommendations for where to get them? I found these on eBay, what do you think?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251275640573

Thanks guys

[someaussieguy]

If you have/are going to lift your xj, you would be better off getting longer brake lines from the get-go. My local brake shop made them, fitted and bled them for $80 each, 80mm longer than standard. Also they could do braided for around $120 each I think.

Cheers

[Sobek]

Yeah, I'd read about that - hell, I had to dig deep just to find info on the regular brake lines because all anyone talks about is lifting and extending! Hah! But no intentions to ever lift it here. It's old and beat and I'm just looking to give it a little TLC and keep it running... Always hate sounding like a stinge but $$ matter when it comes to the Jeep. Standard rubber lines (if they are indeed what's needed) will do me just fine

Got under there and had a play with the existing hoses, they're not brittle or cracked or anything, but I know that doesn't exactly count for much. Might need to pop the wheel off again and take a good look at the caliper. Just wanted to get some opinions if anyone's had this happen to them before... save myself some back ache maybe haha.

[Billnick]

Sounds to me more like a calliper than a brake line. If the calliper wasn't releasing far enough and was dragging slightly it would slowly heat up, expand the fluid and force the pads onto the disc. When it cools down the pads retract. I can't think how a collapsed brake line could do this.

[watchkeeper]

Thats weird because mine did almost the same thing today !
Been driving,(No problems) parked up for 10minutes, left and noticed 6 or seven "squeaks" then didn't 'feel right' Braking it wanted to pull to right, just cruising wanted to pull left.
Limped home, with every orifice clenched (5klm) Pulled up, got out to a cloud of smoke from the LHS, much HOT !

Figuring "stuck" caliper ???? Pulled wheel off but nothing obvious

Have to wait for rain to stop for further investigation

[xjeepping]

Originally Posted by watchkeeper

Braking it wanted to pull to right, just cruising wanted to pull left.

Seized Left caliper piston/s. Won't release so dragging to the left, then won't apply, so operational caliper pulls to the right.

[someaussieguy]

Supposedly a collapsed brake line can cause a caliper to stick, I think the theory is it that there is significantly more pressure when your depress the pedal pushing the caliper closed than there is when you release the pedal and the fluid travels back up the line to the master cylinder. I've had a mechanic tell me this when mine were sticking, although it ended up being dodgy calipers in my case.