smoke after brake job? - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

madness410 · 06-13-2011, 09:20 AM

did pads and rotors on my front wheels yesterday...driving around I smell smoke. I get out and look and one of the wheels is smoking up, can't tell where it's coming from. the other one is perfectly fine. I haven't completely broke the brakes in yet. is this a normal problem before they are broken in or did i screw something up

edpontiac91 · 06-13-2011, 10:01 AM

Did you wash the rotors before you installed them? They coat them with a grease at the factory and your supposed to wash them to get it off.

Also did you bleed the brakes at all? You may have gotten some fluid on the rotors also.

WildBillyT · 06-13-2011, 10:01 AM

Something is not right. Is it a rear brake?

madness410 · 06-13-2011, 10:09 AM

I did not bleed the brakes...they are front brakes. I must have completely forgot to wash them...would it make them smoke that much?

after driving for 5 miles or so the other wheel is fine it's just the d/s wheel that smokes and smells like something is burning...the wheel is hot to the touch

Blackbirdws6 · 06-13-2011, 10:48 AM

Check to make sure the greased pins (guided the caliper) are sliding properly and did you make sure the pads are seated right? I would pull the wheel off and take a look.

If you didn't touch the hydraulic system, then you should not have to bleed the brakes.

sweetbmxrider · 06-13-2011, 11:00 AM

Needs a caliper or hose. Was that side lower than the other pad wise?

If it were my car, I would do calipers and hoses both sides.

madness410 · 06-13-2011, 11:27 AM

yeah the hydraulic system wasn't touched. the pads should be seated right I didn't do anything differently to the passenger side it's the drivers side that's giving me the issue only. if I take the pads and rotors off again are they no good after that

sweetbmxrider · 06-13-2011, 11:36 AM

You should be alright. The pads are seating to the rotor. I would assume its the hose that is bad though since you just did the brakes and I am assuming the caliper's piston pushed in fine. I still recommend calipers and hoses for both sides, they are most likely original and if one thing went, its only a matter of time for the other.

BonzoHansen · 06-13-2011, 12:02 PM

does it pull when you apply the brakes? get it in the air and see if that wheel is tight.

I'm with them on checking for a caliper pin issue (did you clean & grease them?) or caliper/hydraulic issue. And Adam is right, hydraulics in pairs (so both sides) if it gets that far.

should have opened the bleeder before sqashing the piston back in.

madness410 · 06-13-2011, 02:32 PM

if they are still seating how long does it take? and will it make the wheel extremely hot? I didnt grease the caliper pins I just went along with what the Haynes manual said and it didn't say anything about it. if I take apart everything again will any of the parts be compromised?

BonzoHansen · 06-13-2011, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madness410

if they are still seating how long does it take? and will it make the wheel extremely hot? I didnt grease the caliper pins I just went along with what the Haynes manual said and it didn't say anything about it. if I take apart everything again will any of the parts be compromised?

1. seating is not your issue
2. haynes fail
3. no, not if you don't contaminate anything (brakes pads, really) and you don't break anything. however based on inspection your LF rotor and/or pads may be trash.

edpontiac91 · 06-13-2011, 03:24 PM

Also take the front end up in the air and spin the front wheels. If the LF is not turning as freely as the RF (it is binding) you may have a problem with that rotor already, as it may be warped from the heat.

sweetbmxrider · 06-13-2011, 04:57 PM

Yeah what scott said. Spray the pads with brake clean if you think anything got on them but you should be alright. Just don't drive the car until its repaired. If the rotor looks "blued" you should replace it.

greenformula92 · 06-14-2011, 08:03 AM

its probably either the caliper sticking on there is a bubble on the inside of the hose, which very well could have occured when you took the caliper off

jam01 · 06-14-2011, 08:52 PM

the new rotors come coated with a chemical, if you did not use brake clean to clean them off you are probably burning the coating. pull both wheels and clean them good with the brake clean, you should pull the pads off and clean them with a lite sand paper. just a scuffing to get the coating off.

madness410 · 06-14-2011, 09:44 PM

im going to assume the caliper is sticking. thinking back on it now before i swapped the brakes the car pulled a little to the left, and made a weird rubbing noise every now and then. after the swap the left side is the one thats screwed up which is odd because i did both sides identically, not a thing different.

im putting 2 and 2 together and thinking the hydraulic system is going bad...so i bought calipers and hoses and im going to do both sides tomorrow. any advice or heads up about anything is appreciated but i have the general gist of everything, adam has been helping me out

madness410 · 06-16-2011, 12:40 PM

took a little time since it was my first caliper swap but everything works great now. got to give a special thanks to adam (sweetbmxrider) for all the help via forum and text..helped me out big time..beers on me whenever i see you bud.

sweetbmxrider · 06-16-2011, 09:46 PM

No problem Jon. Props to you tackling it yourself.