GM Longroof Forum
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.



 
HomeHome  PortalPortal  GalleryGallery  Latest imagesLatest images  SearchSearch  RegisterRegister  Log in  

 

 Front brakes are smoking...

Go down 
+4
booster
Buickman1
rcktpwrd
Boomhauers_93Wagon
8 posters
AuthorMessage
Boomhauers_93Wagon




Posts : 91
Join date : 2012-03-07
Age : 35
Location : Pittsburgh, PA

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeFri Sep 16, 2022 2:03 pm

Working out some kinks on my 94' Caprice wagon,

Seems like the brakes are grabbing in the rear and leaving the fronts to do all the work.

So instead of throwing parts at it, what it the proper procedure on adjusting the rear brakes?

Back to top Go down
rcktpwrd

rcktpwrd


Posts : 541
Join date : 2019-03-06
Age : 49
Location : Raleigh, NC

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeFri Sep 16, 2022 5:18 pm

Pull the drums and make sure everything is in good working order, no broken springs and the wheel cylinders are not leaking.

The drum brakes should be adjusted so there is a slight drag when the drum is turned. It's kind of an experience/feel thing.

Boomhauers_93Wagon and Wojtek like this post

Back to top Go down
Buickman1

Buickman1


Posts : 156
Join date : 2021-05-15
Age : 53
Location : Ormond Beach Florida

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeSat Sep 17, 2022 9:48 am

Wouldn't hurt to check the brake fluid too. If it's funky looking, might be a good time to change it.
Back to top Go down
booster




Posts : 574
Join date : 2020-04-21
Location : Andover, Minnesota

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeSat Sep 17, 2022 10:10 am

I think that even with no rear brakes at all, you still would have to do a bunch of heavy stops to have the fronts so hot they smoke, plus it would dive the nose to some degree.

Regardless of what the rear brakes are doing based on what "grabbing" in the rear means, it sounds like you have something sticking on the front causing the pads to drag.  Stuck calipers, stuck pistons, bad hoses that hold pressure, non releasing master cylinder, plugged lines, etc can all do that kind of thing.

It would probably be wise to take apart both ends to see what exactly  you are dealing with at this point.  If the pads have been smoking, they may well be now glazed over and need to replacement and if the rotor is burned it would at least need to be sanded.


Last edited by booster on Sat Sep 17, 2022 12:49 pm; edited 1 time in total

Wojtek likes this post

Back to top Go down
1991BlueBertha




Posts : 169
Join date : 2022-02-24
Location : Mansfield, Texas

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeSat Sep 17, 2022 12:46 pm

booster wrote:
I think that even with no rear brakes at all, you still would have to do a bunch of heavy stops to have the fronts so hot they smoke, plus it would dive the nose to some degree.

Regardless of what the rear brakes are doing based on what "grabbing" in the rear means, it sounds like you have something sticking on the front causing the pads to drag.  Stuck calipers, stuck pistons, bad hoses that hold pressure, non releasing master cylinder, plugged lines, etc can all do that kind of thing.

It would probably be wise to take apart both ends to see what exactly  you are dealing with at this point.  If the pads have been smoking, the may well be now glazed over and need to replacement and if the rotor is burned it would at least need to be sanded.

thats my thoughts too...if the rears "Grab" that means they would be the ones getting hot and overworked.... should lessen the load on the fronts... if they arent working at all, the fronts will get hotter......

more likely than not, if the fronts are smoking, you have a stuck caliper issue.
Back to top Go down
Boomhauers_93Wagon




Posts : 91
Join date : 2012-03-07
Age : 35
Location : Pittsburgh, PA

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeSat Sep 17, 2022 1:41 pm

My bad, if you've got a second to ready I'll give yinz the long version.

Once I brought this 94' Caprice Wagon home to PA I have to get it inspected.

All it needed was front pads and a idler arm.

The front definitely got hot and smoked the day I posted this.

It's not nose diving.

The brake fluid is dark.

They claim to of pulled all 4 wheels off and had a look at things.

I wanted a legit full blown inspection to make sure shes top notch.

Back to top Go down
1991BlueBertha




Posts : 169
Join date : 2022-02-24
Location : Mansfield, Texas

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeSat Sep 17, 2022 1:49 pm

Boomhauers_93Wagon wrote:
My bad, if you've got a second to ready I'll give yinz the long version.

Once I brought this 94' Caprice Wagon home to PA I have to get it inspected.

All it needed was front pads and a idler arm.

The front definitely got hot and smoked the day I posted this.

It's not nose diving.

The brake fluid is dark.

They claim to of pulled all 4 wheels off and had a look at things.

I wanted a legit full blown inspection to make sure shes top notch.

if its a one time thing, brake pads do need to be seated... its normal to smell .... but if the pads were worn out and they replaced them, AND they are dragging and locking up, then i'd say you have a caliper problem.

Wojtek likes this post

Back to top Go down
Boomhauers_93Wagon




Posts : 91
Join date : 2012-03-07
Age : 35
Location : Pittsburgh, PA

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeSat Sep 24, 2022 12:55 pm

Update:

New brake hoses, new calipers, new shoes, all 4 corners bled, the rotors were also cut.

Went down a hill in my neighborhood and I started smelling and seeing smoke.

I pulled over and everything was hot and smoking again.

So what's left??

Keep bleeding the system?

The master cylinder?
Back to top Go down
booster




Posts : 574
Join date : 2020-04-21
Location : Andover, Minnesota

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeSat Sep 24, 2022 1:07 pm

Master cylinder or plugged line.

At home step on the brake and release and watch the master cylinder reservoir for fluid swirling back into the reservoir to see if it is releasing pressure.

If it is releasing step on the brake and release and crack a wheel cylinder bleeder to check for pressure.

If it has pressure at the wheels and not at the master something is plugged or the ABS module is dead would be the most likely.
Back to top Go down
Wojtek

Wojtek


Posts : 231
Join date : 2021-01-13
Age : 74
Location : Columbia Station Ohio

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeSat Sep 24, 2022 3:15 pm

To add if your brake fluid is dark the system should be completely flushed till you get clear fluid in the reservoir
Back to top Go down
94Woody

94Woody


Posts : 2383
Join date : 2008-12-02
Age : 49
Location : Ocala,FL

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeSat Sep 24, 2022 8:50 pm

Went through a similar situation with a dodge pickup my brother put back on the road. It was a bad proportioning valve that was causing the front brakes to hang.
Back to top Go down
Buickman1

Buickman1


Posts : 156
Join date : 2021-05-15
Age : 53
Location : Ormond Beach Florida

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeSun Sep 25, 2022 11:06 am

I would have to agree with the other guys, sounds like proportioning valve or ABS module is acting up. Where did you buy the car from, I'm asking because I lived in Pgh. 50 years and know what corossion can do to the break lines (among other things). Check the wiring going to the ABS and make sure it's not the issue.
Back to top Go down
Boomhauers_93Wagon




Posts : 91
Join date : 2012-03-07
Age : 35
Location : Pittsburgh, PA

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeMon Sep 26, 2022 1:35 pm

I filled it up and let it flush itself out before I hooked up the new brake hoses up front.

This is the first wagon (of 6) I've ever had these much brake issues with. This wagon came from the south, but picked it up from Indiana.
Back to top Go down
vivix




Posts : 19
Join date : 2021-06-14
Location : CT

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeMon Sep 26, 2022 2:55 pm

How full is the MC? I overfilled mine and it slowly locked the fronts as heat built and the fluid had nowhere to go.
Back to top Go down
Boomhauers_93Wagon




Posts : 91
Join date : 2012-03-07
Age : 35
Location : Pittsburgh, PA

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeMon Sep 26, 2022 4:00 pm

vivix wrote:
How full is the MC? I overfilled mine and it slowly locked the fronts as heat built and the fluid had nowhere to go.

Right under the fill line.

I'm genuinely curious, does anyone have a video of front calipers moving?

Reason I ask when I was bleeding everything, the fronts didn't seem to move a bunch.

I'm losing sleep over this for crying aht loud...

I've never had troubles like this
Back to top Go down
booster




Posts : 574
Join date : 2020-04-21
Location : Andover, Minnesota

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeMon Sep 26, 2022 5:26 pm

If you have the pads out, and the piston pushed in, you should be able to easily move the caliper back and forth by hand. They usually rust and lock up on the two angled connections of the caliper to the carrier, preventing the caliper from moving. Very common in this style caliper.
Back to top Go down
Boomhauers_93Wagon




Posts : 91
Join date : 2012-03-07
Age : 35
Location : Pittsburgh, PA

Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitimeMon Sep 26, 2022 6:13 pm

Update as of 6:12pm Yinzer time zone...

Both wheel cylinders are wet and have leaked. I am hope this is indeed the issue.
Back to top Go down
Sponsored content





Front brakes are smoking... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Front brakes are smoking...   Front brakes are smoking... Icon_minitime

Back to top Go down
 
Front brakes are smoking...
Back to top 
Page 1 of 1
 Similar topics
-
» new brakes?
» Front disc rotating tight / front brake pistons doesn´t release
» New brakes....
» Big Brakes
» Brakes getting hot

Permissions in this forum:You cannot reply to topics in this forum
GM Longroof Forum :: Longroof Tech :: Suspension, Steering and Brakes-
Jump to: