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New Rotors&Pads, front brakes get hot/smoke? Uhhhhh.


Kyle94
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So some of you may know i just recently replaced my front rotors (brand new) and pads (ceramic) on my '98 r50. I noticed on driving it a time or two after changing them, that my brand new rotors felt like they were warped. I figured that maybe they just needed broken in.

 

Well apparently that is not the case because i took it up in some hills/twisties just driving around, using the brakes a lot. And by the time i got to the bottom, my brakes were smoking (smoke billowing out the front of my truck) and it didn't stop very well until they cooled down.

 

I've checked everything i can think of so far. Besides the wheel bearings. Which i plan to do sun/monday.

Here's what i've checked:

  • Wheels spin freely. (rotors seem warped? :( )
  • pads installed correctly
  • no play like the wheel bearings are shot
  • all bolts are in.
  • stepped on the brakes and had someone immediatly turn the wheels after releasing and no hung up calipers.

I've not the slightest clue what else to check. Has this happened to anyone else?

 

They also get pretty fricken warm driving across town.

 

 

:scratchhead::wtf::headwall:

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I have taken the wheel and spun the hub, they spin freely. but grab ever so slightly every once in a while... (not enough that i can't turn them)

Edited by Kyle94
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Well, if you've got a harbor freight near by pick em up. They're all kinds of useful and it's the best way to tell if your rotor is actually warped. Although if it was literally smoking it was either ungodly hot and probably warped now or you're dripping break fluid somewhere.

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Well, if you've got a harbor freight near by pick em up. They're all kinds of useful and it's the best way to tell if your rotor is actually warped. Although if it was literally smoking it was either ungodly hot and probably warped now or you're dripping break fluid somewhere.

Or possibly didn't clean all the oil off them from when they were packaged? Though that wouldn't be the pulse
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I used brakekleen and sprayed the hell out of them and wiped them off... Tho I did a lot of figidting around under there trying to get the pads in. But once I figured it out they went I good. (Read, put them in when it was dark. Haha)

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I would take the new rotors to a shop and have them turn the rotors enough to make sure they are right.I have seen it happen before with the new ones out of the box when I worked for years at the parts counter.The only other thing like someone said about the caliper locking up.Good Luck

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I went and talked to the store i got my rotors from and the guy behind the counter (REAL mechanic, i know him outside of oreilly) doesn't think its the rotors but he'd glady replace them for me. But i'm going to take the truck to my tire shop and see if they can't check things out for me. Guy behind the counter also said it sounds like the wheel bearings are shot. But he isn't 100% sure. and its 100$+ just to do the wheel bearings on both sides. I really don't know whats up with it. lol. hopefully the shop can shine some light on it...

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Take your hub off and inspect the wheel bearings. Fairly easy to do.

Something is amiss though. Check everything. Could be a stick caliper, slider etc.

Once diagnosed, if they will swap your rotors, do it. Possibly pads too if they have gotten hot enough often enough.

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Didn't think to ask about pads..... but im sure they have a warranty.

I don't really know what to check in the wheel bearings? i have them out to do the rotors obv. but idkk.

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Did you follow the FSM for tightening the front bearings?

I dont know the torques off hand. But its something like; tight, spin few times, back off. Tight, spin back off. Lightly tighten. Done.

The final torque is basically finger tight IMO.

 

But read the FSM it has exact procedures and torques.

 

If your front bearings are too tight. That can cause issues.

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Yeah. I tightened them. Loosened them up. A few times. And just hand tightened them. I may have gotten them too tight though. That is possible. I may just try to adjust them after work tomorrow. But it's possible driving it with them too tight. The bearings might be messed up now? :(

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Yeah. I tightened them. Loosened them up. A few times. And just hand tightened them. I may have gotten them too tight though. That is possible. I may just try to adjust them after work tomorrow. But it's possible driving it with them too tight. The bearings might be messed up now? :(

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I just got to thinking about something..... my alignment IS off. And i think something in the front end is worn out. could this cause a pulsation? and any other side effects?

i get a clunk from the front end, a fairly solid clunk, if i change gears while sitting still sometimes, and when driving down rough roads. i don't know what bad struts do? or if the subframe is loose? grrrrr.

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