Left Rear Brake Getting VERY hot

[HanibalTheCannibal]

I noticed a clutchy smell yesterday and I felt my wheels and the driver side rear brake is WAY hot. I imagine my brake is locking up or grabbing. I have new pads about 8,000 miles ago, so whats up??

Any hints on what to look for?

[HanibalTheCannibal]

Well, I just removed, cleaned and reassembled that brake and everything loks good. Piston retracts easily with a C-clamp, sliders were nice and smooth, no rust, plenty of fluid in reservoir. But they still hang a little.

I read on another forum where a guy had bad fluid causing his brakes not to retract. He bled new fluid into it and it resolved. I want to do this but I do not want to get any air into system. Do you just bleed the brakes at each wheel with the bleed valve like a traditional (non ABS) brake system? I didnt see a regular bleed valve though.

PLEASE help

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by HanibalTheCannibal

Well, I just removed, cleaned and reassembled that brake and everything loks good. Piston retracts easily with a C-clamp, sliders were nice and smooth, no rust, plenty of fluid in reservoir. But they still hang a little.

I read on another forum where a guy had bad fluid causing his brakes not to retract. He bled new fluid into it and it resolved. I want to do this but I do not want to get any air into system. Do you just bleed the brakes at each wheel with the bleed valve like a traditional (non ABS) brake system? I didnt see a regular bleed valve though.

PLEASE help

i have 2000 sil. 4x4....the method i use every time i replace pads is open bleed screw and using C clamp slowly retract piston until it is bottomed out and repeat 2x.....then refill brake res...

when the brake pistons are pushed back with out doing this the contaminated fluid can damage the brake system....




i have also many years ago , filed the caliper pins so the the caliper slides easy....also the pad edges may need filing to aid in proper fit as sometimes they are to big...

since doing it this way i get 50,000mi on the rear and 90,000mi on the front....

[HanibalTheCannibal]

I have already replaced pads all the way around, and they are still ok. What I need to do I am thinking is to completely bleed new fluid in. I oepned reservoir cap and it doesnt look right, plus I get the dragging.

[rhandwor]

What is the mileage on the vehicle, actually the rubber stretches and pulls the piston back slightly after use. Usually I buy a rebuilt caliper when ever I have one hanging up. I went to a brake mfg. school and they showed pictures about this.
I think the brake fluid has been boiled so it needs flushed. You can also pull the fuse for the anti lock and see if this helps. I would use a line clamp for the rubber hose if you change the caliper as the anti lock makes it very hard to bleed the system.

[HanibalTheCannibal]

The mileage is just over 70K, and those rubber things are still very pliable and pull the caliper when I had it off.
I am going to empty the master cylinder with a small pump I have and then I will refill it with new fluid. Then I was going to go to each wheel and bleed until new fluid comes out.

I am going to use the "one-man" method where you put a tube from bleed valve into a container of fluid.

I definitley do not want air to get in the ABS I assume, so I am going to take all precautions. Man I Just spetn 3 days in my garage replacing a transfer case in my wifes jeep, now this

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by HanibalTheCannibal

The mileage is just over 70K, and those rubber things are still very pliable and pull the caliper when I had it off.
I am going to empty the master cylinder with a small pump I have and then I will refill it with new fluid. Then I was going to go to each wheel and bleed until new fluid comes out.

I am going to use the "one-man" method where you put a tube from bleed valve into a container of fluid.

I definitley do not want air to get in the ABS I assume, so I am going to take all precautions. Man I Just spetn 3 days in my garage replacing a transfer case in my wifes jeep, now this

if you do as i suggested earlier you will be able to safely replace fluid...and get brakes to work properly....trying to remove the bad fluid with out pushing the pistons fully back is impossible .....your vehicle your problem..good luck your way......

[rhandwor]

I used to rebuild calipers before they jacked up the seal prices to close to a rebuilt caliper. I always had to put a piece of wood where the pads are and use air to blow out the piston. I think a rebuilt is $15.00 and a rebuild kit was around $13.75 which is not worth the labor.
After you do your work with the vehicle on jack stands and the wheels off rotate it and you can tell if they are going to drag. Usually mine always hung up around 100,000 miles. Just feel each wheel then rotate the front pads.
A bad anti lock can cause unusual problems is why I suggessted to pull the fuse then rotate the wheels again. You will certainally find the problem just take your time.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by rhandwor

I used to rebuild calipers before they jacked up the seal prices to close to a rebuilt caliper. I always had to put a piece of wood where the pads are and use air to blow out the piston. I think a rebuilt is $15.00 and a rebuild kit was around $13.75 which is not worth the labor.
After you do your work with the vehicle on jack stands and the wheels off rotate it and you can tell if they are going to drag. Usually mine always hung up around 100,000 miles. Just feel each wheel then rotate the front pads.
A bad anti lock can cause unusual problems is why I suggessted to pull the fuse then rotate the wheels again. You will certainally find the problem just take your time.

i too used to rebuild calipers but i never used air pressure... i would do one caliper at a time and use the brake pressure to force out the pistons that way fluid would not get all over everything just rap a cloth or plastic bag over caliper when forcing out...


one time my sons front caliper siezed on a sunday morning....no parts available so did as above filed the piston bore which was badly rusted reinstalled and about 3 months later when it was warm out replaced caliper.. to my surprise the damm thing didn't leak and worked perfectly but obviously the weather seal was destroyed...the reason this rusted was the person who last worked on brakes did not vent air out of weather seal this then caused a hole to be created from chaffing......

[HanibalTheCannibal]

Originally Posted by j cAT

your vehicle your problem..good luck your way......

LOL

Just got back from a 15 mile, heavy braking trip through the mountains. All wheels were equally warm, and no smokin brake pad smell. You should see the fluid I took out it looks like old motor oil. I went with Synthetic DOT 3. It stops nice and even when you really jam on the brakes. No ABS activation either. I am scheduled to have the recall issue dealt with next week just to be sure, even though I replaced both hubs, bearings and wheel sensors. Wouldn't hurt to have the recall serviced anyway for future problems.

Real test will come when I go out of town this week, 100+ miles through the mountains.

[HanibalTheCannibal]

Originally Posted by rhandwor

A bad anti lock can cause unusual problems is why I suggessted to pull the fuse then rotate the wheels again. You will certainally find the problem just take your time.

I pulled fuse but no difference. I just got back from a test run. No probs yet. I will jack up tomorrow and check em out. There is going to be some resistance either way, right? I mean I am spinning the driveshaft, so the wheels do not just spin away with little effort, they are somewhat resistive but much better than before.

[rhandwor]

Since the problem is in one side you want both sides to feel the same.

[HanibalTheCannibal]

Ok. Thats pretty much what I ended up with both sides equally resistive. With truck on jack stands, I watched the wheels brake and release easily.

[rjeffery]

Hanibal, what method did you end up using to flush the brake system? I am planning to do mine in the not-to-distant future.