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Brake Disks very hot

xKev

xKev

Messages
143
Ive had my ep3 a few months now and I noticed that the brake disks are very hot when I get out of the car after a drive. So much so that there is a bit of a burning smell like burnt rubber and when its raining there is a scalding sound when the water drips onto them. Is this normal? I dont brake excessively btw, just normal, like I did on all my previous cars.
 
My initial thoughts would be that friction generated by the brake pad coming into contact with the disc is transferring kinectic energy in the form of the car in motion to heat energy in an attempt to bring the car to a standstill.

My initial thought has significant gravitas thanks to the first law of thermodynamics.

Energy can be changed from one form to another, but it cannot be created or destroyed
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In short, of course they're going to get bloody hot. If they didn't, you'd be in a ditch, upside down, on fire.

What car did you drive before? Did it have less power? We're you not travelling as quickly?

My brakes are fine, but they still get mighty hot. A quick test to do is, after a spirited ride of say 20 minutes or so, put your hand on the brake disc. If it hurts, they're doing their job.
 
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:lol:

You've got a point but my brakes don't smell of burning though to be honest Jerm, and it's stopping the relatively lardy FN2 and my considerable frame.
 
Loxy said:
:lol:

You've got a point but my brakes don't smell of burning though to be honest Jerm, and it's stopping the relatively lardy FN2 and my considerable frame.
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My car smells like a dirty whore after I've thrashed it. Get a nice smouldery smell and clacking of the exhaust as its all got hot and bothered. Brakes are fine as I've said.
 
mittanio said:
if a caliper was sticking wouldnt you feel the car pull to the side when driving?
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Mine didn't but that was on the rear. It must have been doing it for a while and I only really noticed it when it had worn the pad away and got down to the wear indicators. That was the OS rear, NS was fine but it cost me a new set of pads for not noticing sooner.
 
My smart arse comment is in main aimed at how vague the OP is. It's identified that the brake discs are getting hot. They do. It's not unusual for brake discs to get above and beyond boiling point for water, so rain splashing on them could quite easily evaporate into steam (I've hosed the car down prior to washing it before and seen the same)

We really need more information if we can be of assistance. Are the brakes making any noises at all? What is the condition of the discs? Do the look abnormal or is grooves or rust spots on them?

The reason I asked about you previous car history is that if you're moving onto quicker cars, the braking force will be higher even if you think you're braking normally.
 
My brakes on the EP used to smell a little after driving, think it is just a quirk of the car. If it smells a little like the tyres or rubber, it could just be simple heat transfer from the brakes to the tyres, warming up the black stuff and thus giving you the smell. I wouldn't panic too much unless something doesn't feel right. BTW it also does it on my ST150 ;)
 
as said is one side hotter than the other? does the ride feel odd? (pulling to one side, vibrating through the car, juddering as you brake?)

it may be a sticky calliper or may be normal driving conditions, update us with your findings :)

also when testing one side test the other, if they are similar in heat then it may be normal :)
 
HO ho.

My just noticed in the last week my front right disc seems to be getting very hot aswell, i put it down to a sticky calliper as i makes a weird rubbing noise when cornering , which is probably the disc being too close to the pad.
I plan on re-building the calliper at the weekend, just a quick take apart and clean up, last time i had to do this i just used some very fine wet and dry and sanded down any rust around the end of the piston, and cleaned up where the rubber goes around the piston so it sits in correctly so to stop any moisture getting in.

A new set of rubbers would be good bet too.
 
mine was doing this last week after fitting new disks and pads on the front....i could feel them sticking on. took the pads out and filed a little bit off the side of the pads as they were tight into the carrier...been fine ever since.
 
Im dropping the car out the a mecahinc tomorrow for a different issue so I'll tell him to take a quick look at the brakes
 
well he took a look and didnt find anything, he gave them a clean. He did notice a smell when I dropped it out to him though, must be part and parcel of my ep3
 
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