Smoking Hot Rotors? What gives

[treepete]

ok my whole post was just wiped, so now you get the abbreviated version.

I smelled something funny at the gas station this morning. check my front wheel while putting in air and it was hot between the spokes. whatever..

I got to work and checked it again, and it was totally SMOKING from behind the rotor. smelled like burning plastic or chemical smell that Im not used to smelling from ANY vehicle. smoke everywhere.

I have a movie of the smoking, but I cannot attach it, for the file type is invalid.

so yeah. safe to drive home? or get it towed or what the heck is going on there?
thanks for reading this post and thanks for the warm welcome.

Pete

 

[blueflamed03]

brakes out of adjustment?

 

[BlueTahoe2001]

Brake caliper pistons stuck in one position and riding the pads against the rotors?

 

[bowtiefreak]

I'm going with stuck piston.

 

[road1will]

or a smoked wheel bearing

 

[ravingmadman]

Yeah, pull off wheel, remove the caliper bolts (you'll need a long-handled hex wrench), get the caliper off, remove the inner brake pad (it just clips in, use a screwdriver to pop it off), use a C-clamp to push the piston back into the caliper. If it moves freely (it will be slow), that's not your problem, check your wheel bearing by putting a couple lugs back on, and trying to wiggle the disc in all directions. Bearings are easy and cheap to do yourself. $150 in parts, and with the tools, only an hour to do each side. You don't have to pack them, or anytyhing, they just bolt off, bolt on. Easy. PM me for instructions? If there's enough interest, I'll post another how-to with some pictures.

 

[treepete]

I was talking with Jiminy and he said the same about the piston being stuck. He thinks perhaps that the inner pad is being pressed onto the rotor, causing the heat, as well as the truck wanting to pull to the right. ( which I didnt mention, cause I thought it was due to the low air pressure.)
Ill have to get the hotrod out of the garage and pull the yukon in there and have a look.

AS SOON A JIMINY RETURNS MY AIR COMPRESSOR... ahh crap I gotta take the wheel off by hand??? dude.

lame.

thanks for the tips guys I will look at it and let you know what I find. all people seem to think hung caliper.

 

[Yuk_Nali_6.0]

deleted

 

[treepete]

yeah, hung up piston in the caliper. Good news is that they are 15.99 from autozone minus the core. Man, I seriously heat treated the pads and rotor on this little venture.
I wont be even slightly surprised if the rotor is warped.

thanks for your help, guys.

Pete

 

[blueflamed03]

might be a good idea to have it checked, for heat cracks,etc...

 

[treepete]

yeah, I completed all the work yesterday, and Jiminy came and double checked everything for me. Ill change the drivers side after the holiday, cause the passenger side stops awesome now.

thanks for your help dudes.

Pete

 

[Dr. Overkill]

Be sure the slide pins and their bores in the caliper are very clean and well greased. I was having some brake issues and found a couple of the pins had pretty much frozen in the caliper. I think the last time I replaced pads, I didn't bother cleaning and re-greasing them, and the grease had solidified.

I picked up new o-rings, cleaned everything well (cleaning the bores in the caliper isn't easy, but twisting up a paper towel into a tight spiral and pulling it through works pretty well), re-greased 'em and it was a huge improvement.