Are my brakes broke?

Post by **FlowerPower** » 03 Jul 2008, 16:30

I'm on me hols in Wales at the moment. On the way down, I noticed the front brakes starting to squeal. I managed to get the pads replaced this morning at ATS in Cardigan. After about 30 miles drive I noticed a definite smell or burning plastic/rubber, stopped the van and found it coming from the front wheels. Not too bad and I thought maybe it was just them bedding in. But when I pulled in to a petrol station near Dolgellau, the smell was worse and there was some smoke coming from one of the wheels after I stopped.

Is this normal? <<please say yes!!!>>>

Post by **jamesc76** » 03 Jul 2008, 16:37

sorry but no!!! sounds like they might have seazed you need to get them looked at asap!!!!!!!

Post by **FlowerPower** » 03 Jul 2008, 16:48

James, that is NOT the answer I was looking for. Please try again.

So I'm stuck in a soggy field in Snowdonia for the next three days, how do I check if they are seized?

Post by **kevtherev** » 03 Jul 2008, 17:25

can you move the van by pushing it

get a big flat stone and jack up the front wheel... see if you can turn it

Post by **caveman** » 03 Jul 2008, 17:51

Did the person who did your brakes have opposable thumbs?
They probably didn't do the job right. Lift the corner up and see if the wheel spins. If not something is seized.

Post by **FlowerPower** » 04 Jul 2008, 07:44

The wheels spin, but not freely and there is a slight rubbing noise, which I'm guessing there isn't meant to be.

So, would this just be a matter of the brakes being wrongly adjusted by the ATS guy? Can I adjust them myself?

Or is it something more sinister?

Post by **dekker** » 04 Jul 2008, 09:08

You've probably got a sticking brake caliper piston. As your previous pads wore down, quite a lot of the piston will have been exposed to all the muck and crap underneath. This should have been cleaned off AND free movement of piston checked BEFORE your new pads fitted. Sometimes piston corroded so badly very difficult to get free movement.
Usually though can get things free with patience and working piston in and out using brake hydraulics and g-clamp or similar.
If you're not used to working on brakes I'd get a garage to do this, not something to take any risks with. How far back to ATS guy?
With wheel still jacked up pump brakes hard and then check how easy wheel is to move. Chances are it will be very stiff and then ease slightly.
If you keep driving you may wear the sticking pad down enough so that problem solves itself BUT brakes may overheat that badly by then that you have brake fade (very poor stopping, not recommended) and you warp the disc and glaze the pads.
Sorry but if brakes are new to you I'd defo head for a garage, preferably small independent type not main dealer.

Good luck, D

Post by **kathyshack** » 04 Jul 2008, 09:38

are you in the AA? I once called them out for smoking brakes. they free'd it up for me no problems. I hadn't driven my van for a while so they has seized. Do you drive your van regularly?
kathy

Post by **meggles** » 04 Jul 2008, 09:42

Squealing brakes are not necessarily worn out! Did you, by any chance, keep the old pads? If they are not worn to the metal you can replace them. As with earlier answer, sounds like seizing caliper! so if you refit old pads they will allow pistons to move out far enough to get past the part where they are seizing (if you see what I mean). Then get caliper sorted as soon as you get back.

Post by **BaaaadSlider** » 04 Jul 2008, 12:07

we had the same thing happen on sunday at 7am on our way to a car boot

No squealing though just the smell and a very loose brake pedal.
Pulled up at car boot and kayleigh said she could see smoke comin from front wheels and the smell was awful.
We spoke to our techinal department(thanks Mocki) and was advised to check for an air leak around the wheels and look for a "like oil substance", on checking all four wheels nothing was found.
Took a steady drive to me mums after van being stood for 6 hours and then home after another 8 hours and although i was going very steady there didnt seem to be a problem or a smell anymore.
We will of course get a further inspection done on the van asap.

Post by **Ian Hulley** » 04 Jul 2008, 12:15

I remember replacing my late style pads (with Duron pads) a couple of years ago and Mocki noticed one of the front brakes was binding afterwards .... at The Duke. I took the pads out and measured them and added to the thickness of the disc it was physically impossible for them NOT to bind. I took a file to the pads and took a couple of mm off and that sorted it.

Ian.

Post by **FlowerPower** » 04 Jul 2008, 13:02

Well I've crawled underneath to have a look to see if I can see if anything is crudded up etc, but then realised that I know absolutely nothing about brakes as I've always been too scared to mess with them myself, so I've crawled back out (now covered in sheep poo!) and decided to call the RAC tomorrow and let them have a go.

I'll just sit here for the rest of the day and enjoy what is probably the most fantastic view of Snowdonia I've ever seen (except for the fact that some posh t1t has semi-spoilt it by parking his helicopter about 30 metres from me, despite the fact that I am the only camper in the entire valley and he could have parked anywhere

) and drink heavily.

Thanks for the replies guys!

Post by **Red Westie** » 04 Jul 2008, 16:21

It is of course entirely possible that the brake pads just overheated due to the fact that they have not bedded in/formed to the shape of the worn discs.
If you can imagine that these brand new brake pads are completely flat, you fit them to worn discs and they only touch in a few places, maybe only 25% of their contact area. So the same pressure being applied to 25% of the brake pad equals very hot contact areas and the distinct possibility of brake fade.
That is why when new pads are applied to old discs the mechanic advises a good bedding in period where application is kept to a short light effort and where prolonged hard braking is inadvisable.
When you spin wheels there is always going to be a slight touching/rubbing noise which is normal, seized calipers result in heavy binding.
If on the other hand you had hardly used the brakes in the preceeding 10/15mins before styopping? then that entirely supports the seized caliper theory.
Martin

Post by **dekker** » 04 Jul 2008, 17:47

Good call re RAC n drinking heavily. Things always seem better.

Post by **maxstu** » 07 Jul 2008, 00:53

Hi FlowerPower,

So how did it end up? Still in Snowdonia?

Many of the answers posted were right on the mark IMHO.

One more to ponder....

You've got new brake pads that need bedding in gently and your in a mountainous (Snowdonia) area with murderously steep decents and sharp corners.

They could be suffering from glazing or overheating caused by the above..

Have you noticed at all that your brakes may feel less effective than before replacements were fitted?

Le's hear how things turned out