Front Brake Question - Left Front Hot After New Caliper

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Chris66

New Member
#1
#1
I have a 2003 Corolla LE, I noticed a hot smell after 20 miles of driving. The left front rim and lug nuts and exposed part of axle threads were extremely hot. The right front was normal temp. I replaced the left front brake caliper with a brand new one also new pads and a rotor. The rotor did not look bad, not scored or warped. I also replaced the rubber brake line going to the caliper. When the wheel is rotated I can hear the faintest sound of pad on disc. Opening the bleeder valve changes nothing.
The brakes feel great, no noise or pulling while driving, but after a 5 mile drive the left is still noticeably hot, the lug nuts are too hot to touch for more than a second.
If I work the wheel back and forth with the car raised there is no play in the wheel so I think the bearings are ok. What could I be missing here?
- the new caliper is faulty
- Something in the master cylinder preventing fluid to properly return
- Wheel bearing is bad but showing no symptoms other than running hot

The car does have 201,000 miles on it. Pads and rotors were replaced 2yrs ago but still look good. Car has mostly highway miles on it. New tires were installed 2 months ago. but last week was the first I noticed this issue.
I would appreciate and ideas.
 
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wlepse

New Member
#2
#2
Had something similar on my wifes truck...ended up driving it for 20 miles and it stopped. I think the tolerance stack between rotor, caliper and pad caused the pad to contact even with the piston fully retracted...within a short drive it burned off that pad and was good to go.
 
Donabed Kopoian

Donabed Kopoian

6 Speed Master
#5
#5
Possible the new caliper is defective and sticking. Get it up in the air and have someone pump the brakes and make sure the pads move with the pedal.

The bleeder screw only removes air from the line, and if anything would prevent the pads from hitting the rotor at all.

Usually if it is sticking you get a slight pull though ... possible the bearing is starting to dry up and it going to fail, but you would have to remove the dust cover to verify that (since they are typically sealed, the only way may be to remove it and spin it by hand and see how it sounds without a load on it).

Also, how did you work the wheel?

Working left to right checks the tie rods. Working top to bottom checks the lower control arm ball joint, while working in to out checks the wheel bearing.
 
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Chris66

New Member
#6
#6
here is the follow up on this problem:
I took it to the local shop that does quality work.
They said nothing was wrong with it. After a 15 minute drive they found the left side was 50 degrees hotter. They said everything was installed correctly and working fine.
They said what was probably causing this was the fact I had a new caliper and rotor and pads on the left side and the older components on the right side causing the left side to work a little harder. This makes sense now that I think about it.
I have a new caliper rotor and pads to go on it today.
 
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