Sticking front calipers

[jryland]

99 GrandAM GT

I was getting a brake grinding noise from one of the front brakes.

I had the front of the car up on 2 axle stands and removed the wheels. I then put the car in reverse and then drive and one of the front wheels was not moving. I removed the complete brake system from that one wheel and it now started to move - stuck caliper/piston. The piston does go back into the housing using a c-clamp ok.

Is there some way to tell if it's definetly the caliper sticking or is it a consequence of there being a blockage in the hose (brake line) that is not releasing the pressure and so the piston is sticking?

[hass]

Why not just put it in neutral instead of R/D?

Or is there an advantage of doing it that way?

[Kebo]

I have not had this happen on the GA but have experienced this problem with my full size Chevy Van and found the problem to be in the rubber brakeline that runs from the metal line to the caliper. The inside of the line deteriorates and causes the fluid to not flow back to the master cylinder. I replaced that line and have not had any further problems with that and that was two years ago.