I have an 89 CRX DX. All stock with front disk/rear drum setup. The car has 200k miles. I have replaced both rear wheel cylinders, shoes, and drums. I have also replaced both front rotors, calipers, soft brake lines, and pads. The two jobs were done at different times altogether and the most recent was the front. The reason I changed all of the front brake components was the drivers side caliper was hanging up and riding the rotor causing extreme heat and burning smell from the wheel. Thinking that it would be the caliper or hose, I did the front overhaul. Well its still the same...a lot of heat from the drivers side wheel. What could be the problem? Proportioning valve? MC? I also must point out that in between both brake jobs I replace both cv axles and all front susp components. Any help would be appreciated!

 

Have you done a good flush of your brake system? I'd say go get a couple containers of brake fluid and just blast it all through the lines. Probably lots of air built up from cooking your front brakes- and once that happens, well, generally the brake fluid is toast. You'd be amazed how well the stock brakes work when everything is just clean and proper.

Just as a side note- I am currently running all stock components for my brakes on my autocross car- the only things I've done are replace the rotors (pretty much once a year in the fronts with the cheapest OEM replacements you can find - most places have them around $10 each) and bleed the brakes, well, at least once in between events, the super duper Ford fluid, and the pads in front are Hawk HP+ Blacks. Other than that- all the stock calipers, bolts, lines, proportioning valve, rear everything (even the stock pads). And well, everyone that has driven my car generally tend to comment on how well the brakes work. But- I try to grease the pins/bolts/sliders, etc. maybe 2 or 3 times a year, if not more. And I'd say if you do alot of autocross, for example, I'd guess like two or three front pad sets a year, doubtful you'll even have to touch the rears for a year or two. If you get your brakes toasty, well, the fluid goes bad quick and alot of the grease/lube/whatever gets toasted on a regular basis, especially track or autocross use.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by crAppAchic0 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Have you done a good flush of your brake system? I'd say go get a couple containers of brake fluid and just blast it all through the lines. Probably lots of air built up from cooking your front brakes- and once that happens, well, generally the brake fluid is toast. You'd be amazed how well the stock brakes work when everything is just clean and proper.</TD></TR></TABLE>
x2 thats all I can think of? I dont see how with new rotors pads calipers and brake lines it could be doing that. You gotta think logically:

If it's getting hot, somethings prducing heat.
What could produce heat in that area?
I'd say maybe if your rotors were rubbing something or if your caliper wasn't backing the pads off when you let off on the brake, maybe the pistons messed up?
IDK, Im no brake expert, maybe somethings wrong with the hub itself or the wheel bearings? IDK, Im not too experienced in the area, but thats my .02 cents

 

Well...I have thought about the hub being the problem because it started this soon after changing the cv axles. I tightened the big nut to 135lbs. I read that was the proper torque. Everything seemed ok with the hubs at the time. I just don't know where to start next. I will try to change the fluid tonight and grease the caliper good again. This sux.


Modified by ton_e_montana at 11:28 AM 4/24/2006