Brake Drag

Brake drag occurs when the lining is in constant contact with the rotor or drum. Drag can occur at one wheel, all wheels, fronts only, or rears only.

Drag is a product of incomplete brake shoe release. Drag can be minor or severe enough to overheat the linings, rotors, drums, and park brake drums.

Minor drag will usually cause slight surface charring of the lining. It can also generate hard spots in rotors, drums, and park brake drums from the overheat-cool down process. In most cases, the rotors, drums, wheels and tires are quite warm to the touch after the vehicle is stopped.

Severe drag can char the brake lining all the way through. It can also distort and score rotors and drums to the point of replacement. The wheels, tires and brake components will be extremely hot. In severe cases, the lining may generate smoke as it chars from overheating.

Common causes of brake drag are:

• Drum brake shoes binding on worn/damaged support plates.
• Parking brake partially applied.
• Loose/worn wheel bearing.
• Seized caliper or wheel cylinder position.
• Caliper binding on corroded bushings or rusted slide surfaces.
• Loose caliper mounting.
• Mis-assembled components.
• Long booster output rod (Out of Spec Condition).
• Drum brake shoes binding on worn/damaged support plates.
• Damaged brake lines.
• Damaged caliper abutment clips.

If brake drag occurs at the front, rear or all wheels, the problem may be related to a blocked master cylinder return port, faulty power booster (binds-does not release) or the ABS.