Kentucky woman working on her 99 Ranger

[kimksurvivor]

Hi all...I've been working on my Ranger and am so thankful to find your site.
My experience is ...just what people have shown me thru the years, and YOUTUBE!


I just put new calipers on and brake pads. ...literally finished a couple of hours ago. The passenger caliper was done a few weeks ago.
My brakes seemed to still go to the floor, so I took my Ranger for a good drive to test it out. I brake hard at 55 several times...just because of some scares I've had prior to changing everything out.
The brakes felt amazing...but both sides were very hot to touch when I got home. UGH! So, after reading that I shouldn't ride it hard like I did, I'm letting it cool off to go take it for a light ride in the country and do normal braking.

If I get back, and both sides are still hot to touch...will you give me some ideas of whats going on?

Thank you...and thanks for having a group that I can go to and do research and ask questions, without being judged...too much!

Kimberly in Kentucky

 

[ab_slack]

Brake rotors will get hot warm and then any time you use your brakes.

I don't know what to call normal. It seems to me rotors are usually hotter than what I want to touch after any significant driving.

If you suspect the rotors are getting abnormally hot because brakes are dragging I am aware of three possible causes.

1) The calipers are sticking. When you changed pads you would have had to use a C clamp or something to push in the caliper cylinder in. That should have gone in pretty smooth if the brake fluid reservoir was open. If it was very difficult, then there could be a problem. Normally one becomes aware of this because there is a steady pull to one side or pads wear out on that side quicker.

2) The "float" is not working properly. This is evidenced by the pad on one side of the rotor wearing faster than the other. The caliper should be free to center on the rotor.

3) A brake line has collapsed. This refers to the rubber lines The inside of the line degrades and rubber breaks. This can cause a flapper valve of sorts that lets brake fluid to the brakes when they are applied but doesn't allow fluid to return. This sort of problem can make it seem perfectly fine when starting to drive but over time pressure build making it seem like that particular brake is sticking but then after sitting some time it seems back to normal.

All the above aren't likely to affect both sides the same so if all seems even, none of these seem likely

 

[Ranger850]

Adding to ab_slack's answer...
Brakes get hot due to friction. Under normal use, after a 20 minuter drive through the neighborhood, the rotors and calipers will be too hot to touch with your bare hands. If you got new rotors, they come with a coat of oil that can take a few days to totally burn of, so you could get smoke from this. This is normal. If all four corners are braking well and nothing is locking up, maybe try bleeding the lines again or adjust the rear drums to get a better feel in the pedal.

 

[Craig0320]

Every time I do a brake job I take a temperature gun with me and measure all the temps on the rotors after a few miles drive to see what he base temperatures are. If all are around the same temp (usually i see around 160 degrees or so depending on the vehicle). Then all is well. The temp gun is great to have especially when you find a rotor that is 60 degrees hotter than the others then you know there is a caliber sticking.

 

[AgPete139]

Welcome to TRS.