Burning rubber smell at right rear tire

I start to get rubber burning smell from driver rear tire this week after driving to work (about 8 miles). Not sure if it's the brake or anything else. Anyone has similar experience? Car has 140K. Thanks.

I think you want to get under there and take a look after you've driven the car.

 

Do you have a set of ramps ? drive the car, then back up into them.

I check the driver side rear disc and it's very hot after driving, comparing to other disc at normal temperature. Now I'm guessing it's the caliper that is going bad and hopefully it's not the disc. Not sure if it's a easy work to diagnosis and DIY or I should have a mechanic do it for me.

Easy to diy. Jack up the car, if the wheel won't spin easily without the e-brake on, then you've got a stuck caliper. Could also be the parking brake shoe inside. You'll find out once you get the caliper off.

Or just park on a slight incline and see if the car will roll by down on its own.

 

It is most likely a stuck slider pin or the piston is rusty.

 

unless you've done brakes before, find a good repair shop and have it done right. I bought three bracket from the dealer last fall for my cars. I had stuck slide pins.

 

 

How many miles on the brake pads ? you may want to buy centric rotors and pads from one of the trusted guy's here so the shop can install good parts when they fix your caliper and change the brake fluid.

 

check out KNSbrakes or PM underdog or contact Mike at http://www.AZPinstalls.com

Is your car slammed with 245 / 255 width tires?

I heard it's better to do BOTH rear brake instead of one. If it's only one caliper is bad, should I have both rear pads, calipers, and rotors replaced. I got the car last year so not sure how long the the brake is on there. It's a car I only dive like 300 miles per month and not an aggressive driver.

I heard it's better to do BOTH rear brake instead of one. If it's only one caliper is bad, should I have both rear pads, calipers, and rotors replaced. I got the car last year so not sure how long the the brake is on there. It's a car I only dive like 300 miles per month and not an aggressive driver.

I would inspect / service the other caliper and rotor and replace both pads (especially given you can't just buy one side of pads).

Only replace one caliper if it bad, don't let the brake shop tell you to replace both. They should be able to pull the slide pins and grease them.

 

Or wait till it warms up and follow the walk through on here.

As max said there is no reason to replace a perfectly good caliper. Any good shop should be able to take the slides out, clean and regrease them. I've done this many times. Now if you have any rust on the piston causing the caliper to hang up then I'd recommend a new caliper vs rebuilding. By the time you by the kit and rebuild it you could have bought a reman.

Changed the caliper and pad today. My caliper is a bit stuck so change both side to make it consistent. However, my rotor still heat up really fast after driving 3 miles. What might go wrong? Wheel bearing? I did not hear any noise tho. Any thought?

ALWAYS replace calipers in pairs. Release rates on the pistons will be different as will activation times when the pedal is depressed and it can also cause ABS issues in a panic situation if the axle doesn't react at the same speed.

 

Centric reman has LGT either fully loaded (complete with hardware and pads installed-remove hose, 2 bracket bolts, and remove the entire unit. Replace in opposite order. The entire job with new rotors can literally be completed in about 30 minutes mechanically and another 20 to bleed them) or "semi" loaded (includes everything EXCEPT pads-all retaining clips, anti rattle clips, etc.in place as though pads were there but you supply your own friction. Same R&R procedure except you install the pads either before you install the calipers or after they are on the car. Second option is easier as the caliper is a pivot away design and only requires one slide bolt to be removed. About double the total time of loaded if you've not done them before) and they come zinc dichromate plated in a very nice goldish shiny finish.

 

Tip for bleeding-lightly clamp hose before removing banjo bolt from caliper to minimize fluid loss. Have the old caliper assembly on the car sitting in place but ready to just lift off when you remove the banjo hose bolt and the new caliper right there ready to install PREFILLED with brake fluid. Remove banjo, lift old caliper off, remove old rotor and replace with new prepped rotor and spin a lug nut on to hold it in place, then sit new caliper in place, immediately put banjo and TWO copper washers in place and snug down the banjo bolt. Reinstall caliper bracket with two bolts and finish the assembly (pads if semi loaded-gsilicone or ceramic caliper brake grease ANYWHERE ANYTHING METALTOUCHES ANYTHING METAL-{NOT on friction face}-sorry...didn't mean to yell...LOL) and one both sides are complete, BEFORE pushing the pedal gently to position the pads and caliper, gravity bleed the rears. BEST way is with car level or slightly front elevated.

 

Evacuate as much fluid as possible from MC reservoir and replace with NEW (not old crap that's been in your garage since Nixon was in office. "But it was sealed up" doesn't matter-it's been no good since he was impeached-pitch it) fresh fluid of your choice. Put a price of vacuum or vinyl hose over the RR nipple and look for a steady drip into a container. You can hear it sputter and that is air being forced out by the weight of new fluid and gravity. Let it drip for 5-8 minutes and lock blender screw. Do the same on LR. Keep MC reservoir full but cap off. After both are done, refill MC, put cap on, GENTLY push pedal partway down several times until you can observe pads contact rotors.

 

Install wheels, put car on the ground, check/fill MC reservoir, replace cap, and go bed the pads and you're done.

 

Much simpler to do once it's all in front of you-not complicated or tricky. Basic skills and tools are needed BUT, if you don't feel comfortable doing them yourself, by all means have a technician do them. Brakes are life and death. Not like putting in a radio or changing your air filter, so self evaluate and if any doubt is there, pay someone and know you will have brakes.

 

Good luck.

Thanks. I guess have my mechanic check up everything again today. He said it's probably the wheel bearing but I rarely see this here. Probably it's the brake hose potentially? And I don't think the bleeding took 20 mins yesterday. So will try to get back to him and check. Will let you know later, hopefully it's just some simple things that wasn't do right.

Wheel bearings especially rear ones go out all the time. I have changed both my rears in the last 60k miles.

I know, but would bad wheel bearing makes rotor, or maybe the entire brake heat up? I don't hear obvious humming sound though.

You will hear it if it's a wheel bearing.

Ok, issue resolved.

Maybe it's the bleeding that was not done right. I only had one caliper changed and so only bleed one axle. Today, another technician decided to bleed all four axles and the heated rotor is now working fine. He also checked all calipers and all are fine. But why? Why bleed the other three wheel when we did nothing about them?

Because the fluid in the brake lines is all connected.

 

I can't believe any reputable shop would not bleed all 4 calipers when the brake line system is broken into.

Yeah, now I enjoy my GT again:)