Help!!! I screwed something up today.... Hopefully someone knows where I should start tommorow. I did the rear brakes on my 95 (non abs if that matters). Not easy but not as bad as I thought it would be. Everything seemed to be going good good pedal feel and all. tonight I smelled something funny and looked out the window to see smoke pouring from the right wheel sitting on an off ramp. After a close look it seems that the pads my be dragging how can I fix this? Thanks

Todd
AIM
Maximaking

 

Did you check to see if your wheel would turn smoothly with the car jacked up and the parking brake off? Did you remember to put the metal clips that are suppose to push the pads apart when not applying the brakes? If you can give more detail maybe I can try to help you figure it out. Hope this helps somewhat.

 

There wasn't any clips in there like there are the fronts. I don't know if the wheel spins.

 

did you use any type of "disc brake quiet" sprays that may have cause that smoking?

 

Yes I did use some grease that autozone recomened. it's suppose to keep them quiet. I only used it on the one side cause I forgot about it... Now that's the one that was smoking... think that could be it.... I was carefull to apply it only to the side that does not come in contact with the rotor....

Thanks
Todd

 

I'm not a mechanic or anything, but I have changed my brake pads several times and never had problems. What "I" would do is first check to see if the wheel would spin freely when the handbrake is up when the car is jacked up. That way you'll know if the brakes are dragging. Then since you say the one side you applied grease is smoking, then that might be the problem, I not saying definitely. I don't know where you applied the grease but that grease is suppose to be applied only on the top and bottom where it slides, not on the whole back side. And then I guess just check to make sure everything fits right and that all your brake lines are okay and nothing is leaking or anything. That's about all I can think of. Good luck.

 

Thanks man... I'll chek it tommorw.

 

I hope you didn't use "grease" on the pad backing... but if it was labeled something like "anti squeel" or something like that, then it should be ok... most that are included with store bought pads are silver in color.

You didn't force the piston back in with a conventional disc brake spreader did you?... it screws in... probably not the problem since the problem is on one side only, though.

There will be some smoke (and smell) after coming to a stop when the first time the pad gets heated up but it shouldn't last too long.

Do as suggested above with the "free spin"... If you're brakes were really dragging/seized.... your rotor would be almost glowing red after a freeway run (don't ask how I know...hehe)

Good luck!

 

Nah, I did the pistons the right way turning them in. but I think one of them is draging from looking at it cause it is worn much more than the other side. Hopefully I wont have to replace the rotor. Thanks Todd

 

OK checked it today... The wheels do spin, however you can here the pads rubbing but they will still spin by hand. Im off to the store to buy the tool I rented for the pistons and tear it apart again. Hopefully I did something like not compress this pistons all the way. This could cause it right??

 

(I don't get up as early as you...lol... hope this still applies!)

There will always be some slight sound of the pads against the rotor when you spin the wheels by hand too... compare it to the other side... If it's the same.. I'd just drive it and keep a close eye on it...

 

Some thoughts
When you installed the rear pads did you check that the pin on the back of the pad engages one of the 4 slots on the face of the piston?

Did you check that the caliper "floats" on the mounting pins? You need to pull back the rubber boots, remove the pins and lube them with moly or hi temp grease so the caliper will float (move freely on the pins)

You mentioned that you added some "grease" to the pad, you need to put a very light film of moly or other hi temp lube on the ears of the pads where they slide in the mounting.
No grease on the back of the pad.

Any of these could cause the caliper to bind and the pads to drag

 

If you're still working on it now, I would suggest putting the grease on the top and bottom of the brake pads where it contacts the calipers so it can move in and out smoothly. If you did indeed put it on the whole back side, try to use some brake cleaner and clean it out.

 

You should feel if the pads are dragging, car may feel a bit more dead and drop speed by itself a lot faster.. but I suppose they can drag just a little bit so you can't feel a thing..
When you just install new brake pads, the first few times you stop, (maybe more) they will smell or cause "smoke"... This is because you were putting the pads in and touched the rotors surface, or the pads with your greasy, oil covered hands (no diss ) When this stuff rubs against metal really fast, it will burn and cause the smell, It also may take a bit of time for the pads to settle in right if the rotors surface was not all that smooth...

The shims (thin metal plates) you have to put between the pad and caliper (i think) help the pads seperate from the rotor, I forgot to put those things in when changing my front pads and now I can be coming to a stop or letting the brake go and it will make a screetching noise or rubbing feel... nothing bad, just annoying, pads don't drag though, (at least I don't think they do)
That anti-sqeal stuff is usually blue, they provide it with the pads most of the time, you should put it on the shims or between the shims and pads.. it may also cause the burning or smoke if it gets between the pad and the rotor when they are applied.

When I did my rear pads, I didn't know you have to turn the freakin piston, so I barely squeezed the pads on, the brakes were locked on, then I figured it out and did everything over and turned the piston completely in.. It actually slowly pushes out as your pads wear more and more.. so with newer pads you have to force the whole thing back in.. This may cause them to drag a bit if you didn't turn them back in all the way, also, I'd get the shims on...

It can burn, or smoke for longer then just first few times you brake, mine were like that for about 30 minutes of city driving, it just takes some time to have the pads settle in with the uneven surface of the rotors, and then there is the grease and all that ****...... I suggest you wait, then if it's still there, take everything off and check it.

 

Maybe your Caliper is seized? When I did a friends Altima, the dumb thing seized after we changed the pads. We had to reaplce it and it wasn't cheap!

SHUMAX