What could burning near wheel mean after a drive?

steinooo · 13 Mar 2014 at 08:57

Hi all,

Got out of my EP3 this morning and my rear driver side wheel was SMOKING, and smelt really badly burning.

What do you think it could be ? A stuck caliper? I am not technical with cars in the slightest but wondering if it's drivable home and to a garage tomorrow?

Thanks for any tips!

Tingtangmakadingdong · 13 Mar 2014 at 09:06

Could well be stuck brake pad, I guess your hand brake was down but this too could be stuck and not released properly. Best to get checked properly or even take the wheel off your self and have a look.

steinooo · 13 Mar 2014 at 09:07

I can't do that mate I have no kit and I'm at work, if it is stuck do you think that will make it not drivable?

Millwall.FC · 13 Mar 2014 at 09:09

You'll probably warp your disc if it isn't already.

Maccapacca · 13 Mar 2014 at 09:16

Sticky caliper or sticking handbrake.

acemastr · 13 Mar 2014 at 09:16

At lunch, go out and take your wheel off, I'd hope you'd have a jack and brace in the boot.

Will be stuck caliper/handbrake and it'll ruin your wheel bearings, brake pads and discs.

Jonnycoupe · 13 Mar 2014 at 09:16

Caliper slide seized or the piston. Honda's are reknowned for sticking calipers.

ci_newman · 13 Mar 2014 at 09:29

Yep, seized brakes by the sound of it.

How long is your drive home? Given that it was smoking from your drive in this morning then I wouldn't drive on it again - if you have sudden pad failure then you could be in a world of pain.

bledd · 13 Mar 2014 at 09:34

First things the previous owner of my car (Honda) said was, "never leave it parked up with the handbrake on"

They're renowned for sticking calipers.

Ask a garage to free it up and clean it. More often than not it will be repairable. If there's not too much damage to the disc / pad, it could be a cheap fix..

Potentially, though, you're looking at..

Replacement caliper, new discs for both sides, new pads both sides.

--

edit, just seen you're Stoke. I'd go to somewhere like Tegiwa, they'll have tons of spare calipers and know the car inside out.

Tingtangmakadingdong · 13 Mar 2014 at 09:35

ci_newman said:
Yep, seized brakes by the sound of it.

How long is your drive home? Given that it was smoking from your drive in this morning then I wouldn't drive on it again - if you have sudden pad failure then you could be in a world of pain.

Last sentence sums it up well, you with RAC or AA surely they could check if you don't have tools ready to take the wheel off. Having said that, if you took the wheel off what could you do by the road side if the brake is seized. Only sensible suggest is to call RAC or AA really and if it's unfixable then at least they can tow to garage.

TehBluebear · 13 Mar 2014 at 10:15

Sticking caliper, had this many a time with my Starlet (renowned for sticking rear slider pins)

sovietspybob · 13 Mar 2014 at 10:34

My DC5 had the same rear calipers and they were pants, i always parked up without the handbrake as the pads used to seize onto the disc and then because of that the whole caliper on the off side just stopped working...

Don't drive it if it was hot enough to smoke that'll be doing quite a few components no good at all.

lemonade · 13 Mar 2014 at 10:36

Reason why people get sticking caliper slider pins is because they never lube up their sliding pins, keep them lubed with some silicone grease or red rubber grease and it won't be a problem, it isn't an inherent fault but a maintenance issue.

sovietspybob · 13 Mar 2014 at 10:47

i'm not so sure on that, i always kept the sliders greased up but it was the piston that seized.

steinooo · 13 Mar 2014 at 11:54

Sounds a sensible thing to ask the RAC etc (I'm with AutoAid) but the first question they ask is "Is the car drivable" and if the answer to that is "yes" they tend to refuse to come out, so I'm stuck with little choice other than to drive it.

In response to acemastr, I don't carry my trolley jack in the car with me just the stock scissor one and I dont trust that thing so I'm not going to jack it up, besides, what would I do once it's jacked anyway? I know nothing about cars.

I'm a 13 mile drive from home.

bledd · 13 Mar 2014 at 12:05

Just lie on the phone, tell them one wheel isn't moving at all, "I think the one of the brakes is jammed on"

TehBluebear · 13 Mar 2014 at 12:05

lemonade said:
Reason why people get sticking caliper slider pins is because they never lube up their sliding pins, keep them lubed with some silicone grease or red rubber grease and it won't be a problem, it isn't an inherent fault but a maintenance issue.

Believe me, mine have.been greased up to within inches of their lives whenever I've changed pads, and they still stick.

sovietspybob · 13 Mar 2014 at 12:05

Smoke coming from your wheel classes as 'not drivable' to me..

steinooo · 13 Mar 2014 at 12:13

bledd. said:
Just lie on the phone, tell them one wheel isn't moving at all, "I think the one of the brakes is jammed on"

sovietspybob said:
Smoke coming from your wheel classes as 'not drivable' to me..

good plans tbh lads ,I will give them a bell

Jonnycoupe · 13 Mar 2014 at 12:16

lemonade said:
Reason why people get sticking caliper slider pins is because they never lube up their sliding pins, keep them lubed with some silicone grease or red rubber grease and it won't be a problem, it isn't an inherent fault but a maintenance issue.

Or Moly sulphide as deemed by the high pressure and temperature environment.....

If the seals were better design and the spring release better for the handbrake you'd get the pads of the disk easier.

You cant really lube the piston either if its corroded as the job of the seal is to keep water out.... again a poor design as the stroke of the piston through pad life tends to lift the seal the piston away from the caliper body.

What could burning near wheel mean after a drive?

Tea Drinker