New brake pads, now very hot brake

taylorcom

taylorcom

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Hi,

I just installed new rear-brakes pads on my 3.0 CS. I notice that the passenger-side rear wheel is getting very hot (too hot to touch for very long, but not so hot that a wet finger will sizzle ...).

The other 3 wheels on the car which all feel much cooler.

When I did the new pad install, I noticed that the spring piece that the rods hold in place is bigger on the passenger-side caliper than on the driver-side caliper.

I've attached a pic of the driver-side caliper. In the passenger-side caliper (where the heat seems to be coming from), the ends of the spring piece actually extend onto the edges of the caliper body.

Could this be causing the passenger-side brakes to drag on the disk and produce heat? Do the pads just need to "settle in," or should I try removing the spring piece on the passenger side?

Thanks in advance.
 

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Could be. The caliper was replaced with a new one cerca '95. The other caliper (pictured), which is running cool, is much older, though.
 
clean the

area of all rust. Especially the "groove" where the pads rest. Any rust, dirt, mud, etc. will **** the pad off to one side. Same symtom as a sticking caliper. I use a file and a wire brush.

Yes, if one spring is different. Buy new ones. I can still get them at the local autoparts- try for a 635 or 535. Not terribly expensive.

If you took the calipers off- try a torque wrench on the mounting bolts.
 
Cleaning is a good idea, thanks. I did not remove either caliper.

Are those springs necessary? Is their function to move the pads away from the disk? I ask because they don't seem strong enough to move the pistons.
 
I just removed the pads, cleaned the caliper housing, and put a small dab of brake grease on the metal edges of the pads (where they touch the caliper housing). I removed the spring-clip thing and test-rove the car.

The wheel still heats up, though the brakes seem to work fine. I'm sure they ran cooler with the old, worn-down pads still installed.

If I just use the car like this for a while, could the new pads wear down to a point where the brake runs cooler? Am I putting anything in danger by doing that?

Thanks.
 
You may have a collapsed brake hose causing the pad to not release, you need those spring clips too. I must admit I've never seen such a rusty caliper.
 
Yup, Chris, could be a brake hose.

BTW, the rusty caliper pictured is a lot older than the one that's overheating. The one that's overheating was replaced in '95, tho I don't know if they replaced the hose.

I imported the car in the mid-80s and used it for my daily commute for 10 years, so it's been around the block a few times. It still looks pretty good, however.
 
Personally I'd take it as a sign and do the hoses and front calipers. I have had a similar problem on a merc 107 and I cleaned the caliper and pad travel area, I renewed the hoses and all was well but if I see reasonable priced calipers I will change soon.
 
what was the relative condition of the pads when you removed them?
Why did you change them?
Did you do both sides?
Did you flush the brake lines or did you bleed them?
 
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