Vannin' Home Forums Dodge Troubleshooting (Dodge) proportioning valve

Having a brake issue with my 76 Dodge Van.
With my manual (Chilton, not the best to start with) being in another state right now, does anyone know if the B200 Dodge van has one of these proportioning valves on it?

The van was setting for the last 4 years but before she was setting (and exposed to the elements, yes, I need shot for that) I had done the new rotors and pads. The rubbers were still good on the calipers and showed no signs of ware so I just skipped over them. I did also replace the rubber hoses at that same time.

Now, the right front caliper is hanging a little. Enough at times that the wheel feels hot and its hanging up.
I replaced the master with a new one, fluid was a little discolored but not really bad down in the bottom of the old master.
Problem seems to come and go ??
Some times its seems just fine, even diving hard on the brakes at times does not always trigger the hanging issue.

I can pull the wheel, compress the caliper about a 1/4", pump it back out, compress, pump it back out, compress, pump it back out and the caliper has released to normal.

I don't know about the valve but it could be you have the same problem I had. The mount (forgot it's actual name) that the caliper slides on had grooves worn into it from the metal backing on the brake pads which caused the pads to stick. One of mine got smoking hot once, had to cool it with water to be able to limp it home. I replaced the mounts with ones from a junkyard but it was hard finding any that weren't grooved already, ended up getting a pair off of a pickup.

The "proportioning valves" on B-vans were actually a hold-off valve, which by acting as a time delay is intended to improve the balancing of the response between the front disk brakes and the rear drum brakes, especially on icy surfaces. I don't believe that the issue you have on one side is likely to have much to do with the hold-off valve.

You've already replaced the rubber flex lines, which are a typical cause. They can collapse internally, acting as a one-way valve. I sure hope your new ones haven't failed in the few years you've had them, (and not been using them!) but stranger things have happened...

Do you suppose the pads or the rotor on that side may have become contaminated with oil, paint, etc.? Contamination can cause some pretty astonishing grabbyness, especially on one side or the other.

MikeH_Vannin described a variant of the sort of caliper issue I just posted a picture of in your introduction thread. Here it is again:



Note the eroded milled "way" on the left side of the caliper. As he said, the adaptors can suffer from the same issue.

On the off chance that it might be involved, have you checked the brake pedal and linkage to see that it moves smoothly and returns all the way? According to the service manual, the brake switch could also be misadjusted sufficiently to cause brake drag. I'd think that either of those possibilities would affect both sides more or less equally though, unless your brakes are already worn more on one side than the other.

The fluid breaks down the lines when it sits, needs changed occasionally, you're likely having issues with the rubber line not letting the fluid drain back.

Thanks for the tips.
Everything went back together without a hitch.
Front caliper inspection of the rebuilt ones shows they were in good shape, good rebuild. Never did trust rebuilders myself...
New rubber lines, calipers, pads, bearings, races, seals, master, and blead out the whole system with fresh fluid.
I was able to pull off a Gravity bleed too !!!
Hard peddle and when I had help to bleed it out, no air in any lines !!

Thanks again guys...