HELP WITH BRAKES/MASTER CYLINDER

[Flat6Valk]

I had a weird experience yesterday.  '99 Interstate.  I took a short ride and noticed the front brake lever was harder to pull than usual.  (I have a standard also that I had just rode earlier in the day so I thought I was imagining things).  As I went further the lever was even harder and I felt like the front wheel brakes were binding.  I pulled over and sure enough the wheel was beginning to lock up. 

I was not sure what to do, but as time passed and the brakes cooled the wheel became free and the lever pulled but not like it used to.  I drove back to garage and by the time I arrived the same conditions of hell lock was developing.

Is this a symptom of a faulty master cylinder?  I think the brake fluid is ready to change, darker in color, but not low in the cylinder.

[Tfrank59]

I would look at your calipers, particularly if the pistons are sticking, if your pads are so worn that the pistons have to stroke excessively far.  Just a thought.  Also, can you tell if it is locking up on both sides/calipers or just one side?

[trout dude]

I would check the caliber's was it left and right binding? If the pistons in the calibers can not move back this will happen also the slides this is the easy to check. Thats were i would start.
Dennis

[Flat6Valk]

both sides seemed to be sticking.  both rotors hotter than hot it seemed to me.  The brake lever would not budge when the system was acting up.  when the brakes and rotor cooled the wheel would turn.  the pads are not overly worn.

[Paladin528]

The seals on the piston in the master cylinder need to be replaced.  Not a horrible job.  The fluid is not being released from the system back into the master cylinder when you release the lever.  As things heat up the problem gets worse.  For all intents and purposes your brakes are hydrolocked.

[hubcapsc]

Time to take off the calipers, pop out the pistons, clean everything up
and put it all back together with fresh fluid (and pads probably). I went
through the motions a couple of years ago and went ahead and
rebuilt the master cylinder too, and changed out the lines (with new OEM
lines). I thought the seal in the master cylinder was a pain to deal with and
the place where the lines transition to hard line at the steering head
was difficult to tighten enough to prevent a leak there, but I sure do
like my good front brakes 

-Mike

[Ricky-D]

Change the fluid. You have contaminated fluid that is expanding with the heat produced

and is causing the calipers to apply the brakes causing even more additional heat which

is making the fluid expand even more. That is what your problem is!

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