Today I noticed my 03 Tahoe z71 right rear brake smelled very hot after driving about an hour. I got home took it all apart and found no seized caliper, brake pads are good, slides are good. Everything looks great. I put it all back together and went for a drive. I drove 15 mins and then my left front was so hot I couldn’t get close to it, found excessive brake dust. Slides move freely. Figured I’d order a caliper and hose. I drove 15 mins home and my right rear is super hot again and my left front is ok. What the heck is going on lol
Brakes getting hot
- Thread starter Bigtrite
- Start date
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you might want to swing by harbor freight or anywhere that sells the cheap infra-red thermometers and then you can check all 4 corners of your brakes and confirm it is just 1 getting hot and not all 4, etc
What @Doubeleive said. Brakes slow you/stop you because of friction and friction equals heat. I am not buying that the heat/smell problem is moving around on your truck. Plus, at the rear, consider that the smell/problem could be from parking brake problem.
"Left front was so hot I couldn't get close to it"? What does that mean? You could not get close, makes no sense to me. Could not touch, makes sense.
"Left front was so hot I couldn't get close to it"? What does that mean? You could not get close, makes no sense to me. Could not touch, makes sense.
ya it doesn't make sense that one would get hot and then turn around and a different one would get hot instead. I mean it's certainly possible (somehow) but all 4 should be tested to confirm. maybe a pocket of air moving around? or abs pump really screwy,,, just guessing.
I have heated my brakes up to the point of almost catching on fire (like you might see in racing) and that didn't make enough heat for me to not get near it.
Yea, I have seen a smoking rotor or orange glow rotor pull in to my shops but could walk up to it, no problem. Seen lots of red hot rotors on NASCAR and they are still changing tires.
Front left was so hot couldn’t get close to it means, put my face near the wheel and it was much hotter than the rest by a long shot and I couldn’t get my hands close to the rotor when I pulled the wheel. I’m not selling you anything so no need to “buy” the problem moving around bud. RR was very hot and could smell what a locked up caliper smells like. Drove again. LF was smelling like a locked up caliper. RF and LR were nowhere near as hot at the other 2 corners. Just as an FYI, I found the problem. LF brake hose is collapsed causing the LF to obviously get much hotter due to not releasing the pressure as fast. Still unsure why the RR is getting hot. I have 4 calipers, 4 rotors, all new pads and all 4 brake hoses on the way.
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I found the LF hose is collapsing but I’m still unsure why the RR was getting so hot. Today none of them got too hot. They were all about the same temp give or take. The LF has brake dust all over the wheel, wheel well and tire while the rest don’t. I just washed it 2 days ago so all the brake dust happened within 60 miles
The rear could be the hose starting to collapse but they don’t have the metal bracket like the front does so I’m not sure. The park brake isn’t dragging, the piston compressed very easy, the pads are worn evenly and the slides are free
I was not buying the "problem moving around" as the initial description seemed to be saying. Then you also share more detail, other than "could not get close".
As always, I will respond to the info given. If you then get more detailed and share more info, then I can give a better opinion.
By the way, at 71 years old, I would ask with all sincerity, "bud" doesn't go over very well. If you wanted a more "mellow" response from me and others, we always do better when ALL info is shared. I cannot read minds.
All the info I have is listed. I’m not sure why the LF was not as hot the first time. I have a temp gun but it was not with me so I don’t know the exact numbers. The RR smelled hot but the LF definitely had that locked up caliper smell to it. I’m not sure if my Tahoe has 4 wheel ABS or not. I decoded all the RPO codes but none say anything about the ABS. I could smell hot brakes when I pulled into my garage and it was coming from the LF and RR when I got closer to them and smelled them. The RF and LR never had a hot smell or anything like that
you 100% have 4 wheel abs, that's why you have 4 abs sensors, collapsing lines could be from age or contamination. I personally flush the brakes annually the fluid gets burnt and it's no longer up to spec, brake fluid is hydroscopic it absorbs water (reducing the boiling point), if not flushed it can ruin the whole system.
brake fluid is normally clear looking not black.
Yes, all info was listed, eventually. Two different posts finally contained all of it. I responded to the first one.
Thank you! I’m going to flush the brake system when I change the calipers, hoses and pads. I appreciate the help!
I got it figured it out thanks anyway.
be sure to keep the reservoir full when flushing, if air gets in there you will have to purge the abs pump with a scan tool
Coveman
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Perhaps since one caliper was dragging the vehicle’s stability control was compensating and the RR was doing extra braking?
The RR was definitely the hottest at 304 degrees while the fronts were both around 140 degrees and the LR was around 240 degrees. I just replaced all 4 rubber lines, all 4 calipers, rotors and pads and did the break in process. Now I’m getting 140 on the fronts and 220 on both rear. I’m not sure why the rear is working harder than the fronts but they work.
rockola1971
Full Access Member
To speed up the flushing I first use medicine syringe to suck out all of the old brake fluid out of the master cylinder reservoir. (Of course during this, dont even think about letting someone touch the brake pedal). Then fill it with new fluid so as your flushing you are putting fluid that is brand new into the lines and calipers which reduces the amount of fluid that you need get all the old stuff out.
