Hi, '85 Golf. I replaced the front brake pads and the front brakes seem to be running hot. Hot enough the wife is noticing a smell like a warm rubber (tire) smell) once she gets home. Wheel is warm to the touch, but I don't have anything to compare.
It's always been hard to push the caliper back in to get enough clearance to wrap around the new brake pads. This time was particularly tough, I couldn't do it with my fingers nor by prying the piston in with a large screwdriver against the caliper body. I ended up using a wood working Quick Clamp to squeeze the piston back in. It was all I could do to squeeze with one hand to slowly get the piston back in. The piston was quite a ways out as the old pads were quite worn.
I don't know if it's a factor, but on the old pads, the outside pads were more worn than the inside (sticking slider bolt and sleeve?). The left caliper about 12 years old, 112,000 km. The right caliper is older. Brake fluid changed about every 2 years.
So, sticking calipers? Or will cleaning up the brake pad carrier and mounting bolt/sleeves do the trick? Guess I'm hoping for the least cost solution.
Thanks. -Tony