[GPrime]

First post on here - but I've been lurking on these forums for quite a while

I've got a 94 3.8 with 115k miles (185k km) thats been having a few problems lately.

My newest problem is with the brakes. Here are the symptoms:

- Car coasts fine so brakes aren't binding
- When brakes are applied, car shudders hard (but doesn't pull to either side)
- Rear brakes get EXTREMELY hot (infact it heats up the entire wheel), while front brakes remain quite a bit cooler (but still warm)
- Front rotors show normal wear, rear rotors are extremely rusted/pitted

Some thoughts I've had is that the rear brakes are doing all the work, so some balancing mechanism is failing (I know brakes should be about 70/30 in force front/rear, so I'd expect heat to follow suit). This may only be partially true since the front brakes show normal wear, so they'll working at least a little bit.

Another idea is that the rear rotors' poor condition is causing the heatup. Though this may seem likely, I don't think its the case because the front and rear brakes were done (by me) at the same time and with same quality parts, about 1.5 years ago. If anything, I think the poor condition may be CAUSED BY the extreme heat - I wouldn't be suprised if those rotors are getting close to red hot (I've already burned/blistered my finger on them once, while the front rotors were stone cold). Plus, rotors, if rusted, usually smooth out from normal driving after around 500 miles, but these are gradually getting worse.

Ideas? Something I'm missing?

[shinerstang]

It sounds like a frozen caliper......

[GPrime]

I appreciate the reply!

Frozen caliper was one of my first thoughts too.

I dont think its a frozen caliper though because, as I said, the car coasts fine.. if the caliper was frozen, I'd expect it to slow rapidly, and pull to the side of the frozen caliper. This doesn't happen.

Also, I can put it on a hill with the emergency brake on. When I take the emergency brake off, the vehicle will start to roll.

And finally (this may be overall helpful for diagnostic), I can drive around not using my brakes at all, and when I finally stop, the rotors are cold. By the way - this isn't easy to do .. a lot of gearing down is needed as well as knowledge of terrain (hills, etc).

[kscoyote]

Originally Posted by GPrime

First post on here - but I've been lurking on these forums for quite a while

I've got a 94 3.8 with 115k miles (185k km) thats been having a few problems lately.

My newest problem is with the brakes. Here are the symptoms:

- Car coasts fine so brakes aren't binding
- When brakes are applied, car shudders hard (but doesn't pull to either side)
- Rear brakes get EXTREMELY hot (infact it heats up the entire wheel), while front brakes remain quite a bit cooler (but still warm)
- Front rotors show normal wear, rear rotors are extremely rusted/pitted

Some thoughts I've had is that the rear brakes are doing all the work, so some balancing mechanism is failing (I know brakes should be about 70/30 in force front/rear, so I'd expect heat to follow suit). This may only be partially true since the front brakes show normal wear, so they'll working at least a little bit.

Another idea is that the rear rotors' poor condition is causing the heatup. Though this may seem likely, I don't think its the case because the front and rear brakes were done (by me) at the same time and with same quality parts, about 1.5 years ago. If anything, I think the poor condition may be CAUSED BY the extreme heat - I wouldn't be suprised if those rotors are getting close to red hot (I've already burned/blistered my finger on them once, while the front rotors were stone cold). Plus, rotors, if rusted, usually smooth out from normal driving after around 500 miles, but these are gradually getting worse.

Ideas? Something I'm missing?

Check your tire balance/alignment/ and condition.

I had this problem once, and one of the wheel weights was thrown.

[GPrime]

Really?! Unbalanced wheels can cause that much of a heatup? Wouldn't it cause shudder at all times, not just while pressing brakes?

Tire condition is fine (wear is even too). I will have to check for their balance and alignment though.

[kscoyote]

Originally Posted by GPrime

Really?! Unbalanced wheels can cause that much of a heatup? Wouldn't it cause shudder at all times, not just while pressing brakes?

Tire condition is fine (wear is even too). I will have to check for their balance and alignment though.

rotational mass is a weird thing . . .