I have a 98 Accord, 4 cyl 2D coupe. I replaced all pads and rear rotors (the front were resurfaced.)

I was driving down the road, and not even a mile later and I hear a snap, then a grinding noise. I got out, and the part of the rotor gripped by the pads, completely separated from the part that the lug bolts go through.

What could be causing the brake pads to grip so tightly?

I know its probably not, but could it be as simple as me not screwing in the caliper piston tight enough to allow the pads to have a little room?

 

Nope that is not the problem. If gripping the rotor too tight with calipers could shear off the disk from the hub then we all would only be able to do one hard stop.

Cracking/breaking from the hub is usually caused by one of two things.
A rotor that has worn too thin and should have been replaced.
Or a cheap rotor that was porous or did not have a homogenous mix of grey cast iron.

 

I appreciate your response, and it was a brand new rotor, the "middle" option from O'Reilly's. At this point could it be the caliper? The caliper bolts came out easy, both times I took them out. One started to spin in the socket, but I just gripped the nut with a pliers and it went in fine. So I don't *think* its the caliper bolts.

The reason I didnt think the caliper needed to be replaced was because it went back in pretty easy. It is one of the ones where you have to "screw" it back in, but it wasn't difficult with a very large flat head to get it back in.

Im hoping its something easier/cheaper then the caliper (not that its too difficult, just would rather not have to replace it and bleed the lines.)

 

It's not the caliper. There is no way a caliper could shear the disc from hub on a rotor.

As I stated the problem occurs when a rotor is excessively worn, OR the rotor is a cheap replacement.

Bring your rotors back and have them warrantied and get a different brand.
I prefer Centric but they are hard to come by at most shops, RockAuto sells them.

Again, it is not a caliper issue.

It is a rotor issue.

It was a bad casting, replace it.

 

I'm replacing the rotor already, but the rotor being cheap doesn't explain why the pads were gripping so tightly when neither the brake pedal or emergency brake were engaged. It broke two rotors, the old one that was resurfaced and the brand new one. It was gripping so tightly that I couldn't turn the wheel by hand. And usually the car will move around 1-2 mph in drive by itself, so long as I wasn't pressing the brake. The pads were gripping so tightly it wouldn't do that anymore. At any speed it felt like there was still some resistance from it.

 

if it was gripping the rotor really tightly it is slightly possible the caliper is bad which caused it to overheat and crack the rotor ... i wud swap out the caliper just to be on the safe side... like mike i also like centric rotors

 

BLUEWOLF1027 for future reference/posts state EVERYTHING that has happened. Just saying your rotors broke and then two posts later stating the caliper is hanging up puts the situation into two different contexts.

If your caliper is hanging up then YES it can cause overheating and fatique the rotor as Holmes stated.

If the caliper is hanging up you need to find out why.
Is it the sliders are jamming?
Is it the parking brake cable is too tight?
Was the caliper fully screwed in when the new pads were put on?
Is the caliper self adjuster jammed?