how much should new pads rub?

[T4RBoarder]

Today I had new rear pads and rotors installed on my car. Tonight I noticed while driving that I could hear a light repetitive rubbing and when stopped I could smell hot brakes. I got out and checked the wheels and the left one was hot to the touch, the right one wasn't touchable at all. Should I be worried at this or are they just bedding?

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Today I had new rear pads and rotors installed on my car. Tonight I noticed while driving that I could hear a light repetitive rubbing and when stopped I could smell hot brakes. I got out and checked the wheels and the left one was hot to the touch, the right one wasn't touchable at all. Should I be worried at this or are they just bedding?

I think I might be concerned. That doesn't sound right to me. There's definately some noise and smell with new brakes but it sounds like something may be wrong.
:cheers:

 

[wis99ski]

Today I had new rear pads and rotors installed on my car. Tonight I noticed while driving that I could hear a light repetitive rubbing and when stopped I could smell hot brakes. I got out and checked the wheels and the left one was hot to the touch, the right one wasn't touchable at all. Should I be worried at this or are they just bedding?

jack it up and try to spin the wheel, it should spin freely. It is hard to tell when you are driving. I had this problem before when changing pads on a car and had to take them off.

 

[T4RBoarder]

I'll jack it up first thing in the morning, I'm also gonna give the guy a call and see if he can take a look at it again. My main concern is that I'm gonna have glazing problems now and that the pads and rotors won't bed right...what are the chances?

 

[lackofguilt]

I had similar problems with my 4Runner when I bought it used. The passenger side caliper was frozen causing the rim to get extremely hot. I changed both front calipers, rotors, and pads to fix the problem and heard no noise or noticed anymore heat from the rims.

 

[T4RBoarder]

I had similar problems with my 4Runner when I bought it used. The passenger side caliper was frozen causing the rim to get extremely hot. I changed both front calipers, rotors, and pads to fix the problem and heard no noise or noticed anymore heat from the rims.

This is on the rear though...when he was doing it he said the calipers looked fine and the pistons retracted perfectly.

 

[nc211]

Three possiblities for this:
1) Caliper piston is stuck, applying constant pressure - but you should probably feel a little uneven feeling when braking if this is the case "a wiggle or pulling effect".
2) The guy forgot to reinstall the spreader clips (most likely the problem)
3) you're just burning off the newness of the pads - as the pads will ever-so-gently rest against the rotors at all times to prevent moisture buildup between the pads and rotors, causing a problem when it comes times to brake.

Most likely though, if there is a problem and you don't notice any sort of pulling or uneven braking, then the guy simply forgot to reinstall the spreader clip that goes over the top of the pads. If memory serves correct, there should be two "V" shaped wire clips on the pads "might be one though, i can't recall". This (these) clips are there to give just enough resistance to the pads to keep them from resting "heavy" on the rotors. If they're not there, then the pads will rest too heavy on the rotor, which in turn will heat up, and give you the results you're getting now. It's quite common if you've had an aftermarket guy do the brake job that they forgot them. It happened to me once when i was a teenager with my 87 GTI.

Look inside the wheel, along the top of the caliper. You should be able to see the wire clip along the back, around where the slider pins are. See it?

Or: just thought of this and noted this is on the back brakes: the slider pin needs to be regreased. Do you see a little black rubber boot towards the top of the caliper, on the inside part? There is also a bolt to the back of that rubber boot. Inside that rubber boot is a slider pin "you have two of these actually, one on top and bottom of the caliper". It's good practice when servicing brakes to slide that pin out "undo the bold and it'll slide out", clean it up, and reapply glide grease.

Did you have this done at the dealership, or somewhere else?

 

[Fuzion]

Did you go with Toyota pads and rotors.
Mine need a change but I was thinking about getting some cross drilled up front. More for looks than anything else.

 

[TNTramair]

Three possiblities for this:
1) Caliper piston is stuck, applying constant pressure - but you should probably feel a little uneven feeling when braking if this is the case "a wiggle or pulling effect".
2) The guy forgot to reinstall the spreader clips (most likely the problem)
3) you're just burning off the newness of the pads - as the pads will ever-so-gently rest against the rotors at all times to prevent moisture buildup between the pads and rotors, causing a problem when it comes times to brake.

Most likely though, if there is a problem and you don't notice any sort of pulling or uneven braking, then the guy simply forgot to reinstall the spreader clip that goes over the top of the pads. If memory serves correct, there should be two "V" shaped wire clips on the pads "might be one though, i can't recall". This (these) clips are there to give just enough resistance to the pads to keep them from resting "heavy" on the rotors. If they're not there, then the pads will rest too heavy on the rotor, which in turn will heat up, and give you the results you're getting now. It's quite common if you've had an aftermarket guy do the brake job that they forgot them. It happened to me once when i was a teenager with my 87 GTI.

Look inside the wheel, along the top of the caliper. You should be able to see the wire clip along the back, around where the slider pins are. See it?

Or: just thought of this and noted this is on the back brakes: the slider pin needs to be regreased. Do you see a little black rubber boot towards the top of the caliper, on the inside part? There is also a bolt to the back of that rubber boot. Inside that rubber boot is a slider pin "you have two of these actually, one on top and bottom of the caliper". It's good practice when servicing brakes to slide that pin out "undo the bold and it'll slide out", clean it up, and reapply glide grease.

Did you have this done at the dealership, or somewhere else?

^^ wat this gentleman said.

chances are its a caliper hangin up or missing one of the clips. maybe they didnt grease the sliders when they reinstalled the caliper....common problem.

 

[drmorbius]

Today I had new rear pads and rotors installed on my car. Tonight I noticed while driving that I could hear a light repetitive rubbing and when stopped I could smell hot brakes. I got out and checked the wheels and the left one was hot to the touch, the right one wasn't touchable at all. Should I be worried at this or are they just bedding?

It's possible the emergency brake is on or was adjusted too tight on both sides, have them check it.

 

[T4RBoarder]

The pads are akebono ProACT and the rotors are Napa Ultra Premium and I had a guy that my pastor knows put them on...he is a mechanic that works out of his garage but has always done great work.

I jacked the car up and spun the wheel as much as i could and it seemed that the wheel turned fairly free but there was definite rubbing, as for the clip, I looked and I didn't see anything "v" shaped but I snapped some pics for y'all to help me out a bit. I apologize in advance for phone pics...it was all I had. I can also snap a few more if needed.

 

[drmorbius]

The pads are akebono ProACT and the rotors are Napa Ultra Premium and I had a guy that my pastor knows put them on...he is a mechanic that works out of his garage but has always done great work.

I jacked the car up and spun the wheel as much as i could and it seemed that the wheel turned fairly free but there was definite rubbing, as for the clip, I looked and I didn't see anything "v" shaped but I snapped some pics for y'all to help me out a bit. I apologize in advance for phone pics...it was all I had. I can also snap a few more if needed.

Did you check the emergency brake?

 

[qballjr13]

Did you check the emergency brake?

Im with you on this one. When I did my rear brakes I didnt losen the shoes the of the emergency brake and snapped all the springs that hold them in place. I ended up with a grinding and burning smell like you are describing. I had never done brakes where the emergency brake was a drum brake type system in the hub of the rotor...live and learn, wont make that mistake again!

 

[T4RBoarder]

Im with you on this one. When I did my rear brakes I didnt losen the shoes the of the emergency brake and snapped all the springs that hold them in place. I ended up with a grinding and burning smell like you are describing. I had never done brakes where the emergency brake was a drum brake type system in the hub of the rotor...live and learn, wont make that mistake again!

When I got in the truck to back it out of the garage today I decided to put on the emergency brake and the first time it actually wouldn't hold the car on level ground but I released it and reapplied it and it worked perfectly...it's almost like it wasn't gripping enough.

 

[qballjr13]

When I got in the truck to back it out of the garage today I decided to put on the emergency brake and the first time it actually wouldn't hold the car on level ground but I released it and reapplied it and it worked perfectly...it's almost like it wasn't gripping enough.

Yup, that sounds familiar. I could almost pump them and then it would hold but it didnt always...my unprofessional opinion, based on experience only, would be that there is an issue with your emergency brake

 

[drmorbius]

 

[T4RBoarder]

I have another thing to add, and I should have probably noted this in the beginning...I had originally thought that the rear caliper had seized up because my truck had been pulling to the right side during braking but the guy said that it didn't seem bad at all and the piston still retracted...could it still be bad even though the piston went back in?

 

[qballjr13]

I have another thing to add, and I should have probably noted this in the beginning...I had originally thought that the rear caliper had seized up because my truck had been pulling to the right side during braking but the guy said that it didn't seem bad at all and the piston still retracted...could it still be bad even though the piston went back in?

Yes it is a possibility, it could frozen in the "fully open" position. If that was the case though it wouldnt be pressing the pad against the rotor...no rubbing, no heat, no smell. Again, this is all my .02

 

[nc211]

My bad man, sorry, I forgot the springs are only on the fronts, not the rear "gotta' quit drinkin' so much for breakfast". I also just remembered I do have the pdf files on my office computer too (not just at home). So, I've attached a few more from the other about the ebrake.

See the "cylinder Slide Pins"? I can tell in your photos that they were removed, by the condition of the bolt. I'm just wondering if they were regreased, and if you're not having one of them sticking? Or, since you've got aftermarket pads, if the pad support plates were removed, causing one of the pads to shift to a point where it's wedging itself against the rotors?

What you've done with the ebrake, is a normal way of setting it. It's a trick we've been doing over on the lexus board for quite some time. It honestly could have been the simple fact that the brake was simply out of alignment "sitting too far to the right or left", causing one of the shoes to rub on inside of the rotor. Now that you've "set it" via the backing up technique.....go take it for a drive and see if that hasn't fixed it! GOOD CALL ON THE EBRAKE SUGGESTION!

 

[T4RBoarder]

I will take it for a spin asap to see if that did anything...what about the bluish purple ring towards the hub on the rotor, it's been really heated there.