NickelPlate
Senior member
Hi Auto Experts,
My 1991 Dodge Grand Caravan needs some brake work and admittedly it's been many years and other than the occasional brake fluid check, the brake system hasn't been touched. I'm starting at the front end since those get the most abuse and I have it jacked up and on stands. The pads being many years old are pretty wasted and are easy enough to replace however I suspect other issues as well and I'm not sure what parts to replace.
For awhile now the brakes have had a tendency after the vehicle sits for a week or so to grab hard sometimes right out of the driveway. Also within the last few months I've noticed after braking that I continue to hear a grinding sound even after the pedal is released and eventually goes away as I drive down the road. This has gotten progressively worse and the grinding/sticking is bad enough now where I don't want to drive it.
The rotors have some grooves on the inside but the outsides look okay other than quite a bit of rust where the pads don't make contact. The caliper assemblies are also really rusty. When turning the rotor by hand I can feel friction, it's not smooth like I presume it should be.
I suspect I have sticking calipers but I need some opinions here. What should I replace first? I've been told it could be the piston or cylinder is sticking in which case a rebuild kit is in order? The caliper slide pins likely need lube/replacement and the brake hose could also be shot although I see no evidence of leaks and the brake fluid level is good other than being dirty and needs changing too.
Should I just go ahead and replace all the above or something else? It's an old vehicle and I only want to spend what I need to get it back on road again. It's not going anywhere and I don't mind having it sit in the driveway until I figure it out so I'm willing to try out the cheap/obvious fixes first before sinking a bunch of money into tons of parts.
Thanks,
NP
My 1991 Dodge Grand Caravan needs some brake work and admittedly it's been many years and other than the occasional brake fluid check, the brake system hasn't been touched. I'm starting at the front end since those get the most abuse and I have it jacked up and on stands. The pads being many years old are pretty wasted and are easy enough to replace however I suspect other issues as well and I'm not sure what parts to replace.
For awhile now the brakes have had a tendency after the vehicle sits for a week or so to grab hard sometimes right out of the driveway. Also within the last few months I've noticed after braking that I continue to hear a grinding sound even after the pedal is released and eventually goes away as I drive down the road. This has gotten progressively worse and the grinding/sticking is bad enough now where I don't want to drive it.
The rotors have some grooves on the inside but the outsides look okay other than quite a bit of rust where the pads don't make contact. The caliper assemblies are also really rusty. When turning the rotor by hand I can feel friction, it's not smooth like I presume it should be.
I suspect I have sticking calipers but I need some opinions here. What should I replace first? I've been told it could be the piston or cylinder is sticking in which case a rebuild kit is in order? The caliper slide pins likely need lube/replacement and the brake hose could also be shot although I see no evidence of leaks and the brake fluid level is good other than being dirty and needs changing too.
Should I just go ahead and replace all the above or something else? It's an old vehicle and I only want to spend what I need to get it back on road again. It's not going anywhere and I don't mind having it sit in the driveway until I figure it out so I'm willing to try out the cheap/obvious fixes first before sinking a bunch of money into tons of parts.
Thanks,
NP
Last edited:
