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Red hot brakes and smoke

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Red hot brakes and smoke

Postby JumpingJacks » Wed Apr 19, 2017 6:36 pm

Hi everyone, hope you are all well and keeping better than my van is. Well I guess this one is as per the title really. Got out of the van yestearray only to notice my N/S/R brakes ( Discs and pads) to be glowing hot!! Once cooled down I took wheel off and visually inspected and everything "looked ok" and I checked all bolts was tight. I also checked for movement on the wheel and that was ok so I put the wheel back on and left in gear with handbrake on. I had no choice but to use the van today and after driving for 4 miles I parked it up and noticed a hideous smell of cooking metal, checked the wheel and this time they was even hotter and glowing brighter, now the discs are scored and will need replacing along with pads. Shame as the discs and pads were changed only 5000 miles ago.
At lunchtime today I looked on here (great forum :D ) and it seems the problem could be with a collapsing brake hose or seized calliper.

However for the rest of the day I decided to not use the hand brake at all even at lights etc and the problems has not returned since and I must have used the brake pedal a hundred times this afternoon. I should point out I have been suffering with the same poor handbrake as many other connect owners so I've learnt to live with it and use leave it in gear when parked up with handbrake on. Well now I can't use it at all as it would appear it's not realising properly on the N/S/R wheel.

So now I believe it has something to do with the handbrake operating the brakes and not the calliper itself. Has anyone had this happen to them?

Any advise is greatly appreciated,

Thanks
Transit Connect 2010 TDCI SWB T200 75
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Re: Red hot brakes and smoke

Postby HARRYSPADGE » Wed Apr 19, 2017 7:51 pm

Could be a sticky handbrake cable or handbrake mechanism on the caliper.
I reckon its probably the caliper though.
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Re: Red hot brakes and smoke

Postby JumpingJacks » Wed Apr 19, 2017 9:05 pm

thanks for the reply mate. I did spray a bit of wd40 on the spring area only and was tempted to give it a tap or a little turn with a pair of grips but didn't want to cause any damage. Is there any part on the handbrake mechanism, cable or on calliper that i could try serving myself ?

Thanks in advance
Transit Connect 2010 TDCI SWB T200 75
50,000 miles
EGR Blank and Delete
K&N Pannel filter
VanTuner Remap :D
Focus Air Box and Snorkel (awaiting fitting)
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Re: Red hot brakes and smoke

Postby Mike » Thu Apr 20, 2017 8:10 am

Pics of the glowing disc please :mrgreen:
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Re: Red hot brakes and smoke

Postby JumpingJacks » Thu Apr 20, 2017 5:52 pm

lol I was going to take a photo of the brakes glowing but was outside Greggs and had quite a crowd and wanted to pull round the corner and console myself.

Well used the van again all day today without using the handbrake once and no smoking brakes. Still need to get sorted though as MOT is due in 2 weeks time. I can see a trip to Fords to pin point the problem and quote to fix :cry:
Transit Connect 2010 TDCI SWB T200 75
50,000 miles
EGR Blank and Delete
K&N Pannel filter
VanTuner Remap :D
Focus Air Box and Snorkel (awaiting fitting)
JumpingJacks
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Posts: 48
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Re: Red hot brakes and smoke

Postby HARRYSPADGE » Thu Apr 20, 2017 7:36 pm

Are you handy with the spanners ?
If so I'd have a go at diagnosing it yourself.
Disconnect the cable from the brake caliper then activate the handbrake mechanism on the caliper - use a prybar/pliers/etc, whatever is required to move the mechanism to activate the handbrake. Then just allow the mechanism to release by itself. If the brake disc is difficult to spin then you know its the caliper that's faulty.
Whilst you've got the handbrake cable disconnected you'll then be able to see if its seizing up or not.
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Re: Red hot brakes and smoke

Postby bambi mk 1 » Thu Apr 20, 2017 10:14 pm

Mike wrote:Pics of the glowing disc please :mrgreen:

Have you not looked in the mirror lately Mike :?: Image
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Re: Red hot brakes and smoke

Postby JumpingJacks » Fri Apr 21, 2017 10:45 pm

HARRYSPADGE wrote:Are you handy with the spanners ?
If so I'd have a go at diagnosing it yourself.
Disconnect the cable from the brake caliper then activate the handbrake mechanism on the calip 8) er - use a prybar/pliers/etc, whatever is required to move the mechanism to activate the handbrake. Then just allow the mechanism to release by itself. If the brake disc is difficult to spin then you know its the caliper that's faulty.
Whilst you've got the handbrake cable disconnected you'll then be able to see if its seizing up or not.



Thanks, good advise mate :) I'm off work tomorrow so I'm going to get the tool kit out tomorrow and try your suggestion. At least if I can get it diagnosed I'll know I'll find a great guide on the forum here :)
Transit Connect 2010 TDCI SWB T200 75
50,000 miles
EGR Blank and Delete
K&N Pannel filter
VanTuner Remap :D
Focus Air Box and Snorkel (awaiting fitting)
JumpingJacks
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Re: Red hot brakes and smoke

Postby JumpingJacks » Sat Apr 22, 2017 10:22 pm

IMG_3342.JPG
Well got the wheel of today and took a couple of photos of the disc. Shame as they only had 5000 miles.

I managed to free up the handbrake mechanism on the calliper by using a flat headed screwdriver to loosen any rust/ grit etc then sprayed the mechanism with brake cleaner. Then I gave it a few taps with the hammer, a bit more brake cleaner and a bit of back and forth with a pair of grips. I then noticed the plastic sleeve on the handbrake cable where it joins next to the calliper has deteriorated so best I could do for now was to use some copper slip to help it operate. Now the wheel spins freely and the hand brake works when applied (as well as any of them do anyway lol). I drove the van today for around 40 miles this time using the hand brake at traffic lights etc and the wheel/ brake didn't bind once- result!

I'm sure I'll need to replace the cable at some point n the near future but I think it's got me out of jail for now :wink:
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Transit Connect 2010 TDCI SWB T200 75
50,000 miles
EGR Blank and Delete
K&N Pannel filter
VanTuner Remap :D
Focus Air Box and Snorkel (awaiting fitting)
JumpingJacks
Transit Addict
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Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2016 12:17 am


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