front brakes binding(caliper pistons slow to return, both sides)

hello.i'm new to this having not owned my freelander long. my problem is my front brakes were binding on causing the front wheels to heat up way beyond normal and causing a burning smell. it was left for a few hours when the aa turned up and took it for a drive and it seemed to have cured itself. i've driven in to work this morning and they were heating up again but were not as bad.my friend and i stripped them down on the ramp at work and tried to push the pistons back in and they were very tough to do. i've changed the flexi hoses in case they had swollen inside and bled them but when you put your foot on the brake and then release it the discs are impossible to turn for at least 30 seconds before you are able to turn them again.any help would be grateful.i'm hoping its nothing major.we've released the bleed nipple and they loosen up.

Have the brake pads been changed recently?
If so it could be that you have rust ridges on the pistons that are stopping them retracting properly. I was going to strip the calipers down and replace the pistons and seals after it happened on mine. But it stopped happening before I got around to it

Had a similar situation with the front r.h. on mine.
Bought a pair of pistons and seal kits. When I removed the r.h. piston there were rust patches on the outside diameter of the piston, it was tightish to remove and had to be tapped out using a pin punch through the tapped hole where the hose banjo bolt screws in-compressed air would not move it. The piston bore in the caliper was rust free & smooth.
The l.h. caliper piston was free & clean but I replaced it together with the seal.
The pads were replaced and since doing the repair the problem has gone.

TIP.
Clamp the brake hoses before disconnecting them, this will result in just having to bleedi the front brakes.

thanks for the info.no, i haven't changed pads yet as the ones in it were not too bad,plus i'm going to try and get them somewhere cheaper as the place we use at work wanted £43 which seems a little dear to me. left it at work yesterday but drove it this morning and it was a lot better.drove it home this evening and the drivers side has now stopped heating up and the passenger side only a little bit warm. i've only just bought the car and don't know if it has been sitting for a while. if it does it again then stripping calipers and new pistons and seal may be the way to go. thanks to the both of you.

variotomatonini said:

thanks for the info.no, i haven't changed pads yet as the ones in it were not too bad,plus i'm going to try and get them somewhere cheaper as the place we use at work wanted £43 which seems a little dear to me. left it at work yesterday but drove it this morning and it was a lot better.drove it home this evening and the drivers side has now stopped heating up and the passenger side only a little bit warm. i've only just bought the car and don't know if it has been sitting for a while. if it does it again then stripping calipers and new pistons and seal may be the way to go. thanks to the both of you.

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Mine were sticking, so stripped them down, rubbed the pistons down with wet and dry, replaced all the seals including the ones on the guide pins, no bother since.

I had the the same problem on mine. My guide pins was rusted in the caliper. Was a PITA to get out. Had to heat them up and hammer them in then out again.

This was like 3 hours ago