In article , Simon Juncal wrote: #Herb Leong wrote: #> When I took a closer look at the caliper that was smoking, I saw #> that the rubber boot for one of the pistons had partially burned off. #> This explains the smoke and the burning rubber smell. The brakes #> were in otherwise good condition. No warpage yet on the old set of # #The rubber boot is there to keep grim out of the ajustment bolts, those #aren't pistons, the pistons are in contact with the back of the inner #pad and are obviously getting stuck closed when you brake. # #Unless you are actually meaning to decribe the piston, and you mean the #rubber seal around it, where it meets the caliper. Yes. You can see the piston's resin surface under the burned away rubber of the dust boot.
#In any case you did the correct thing; replace the caliper (make sure #you greased the adjustment bolts a little). They were already greased. Should I add more? If so, what is recomended?
#> My question is WTF could have happened that would cause this? # #Stop doing this: # # > side. I had been riding the brakes in normal commute traffic.
#In all seriousness, leave a little more space between yourself and the #next car and you'll never "ride the brakes" even in an Automatic...
#This just happens to be the primary cause of "stop and go" traffic in #the first place... people who think they'll actually get home faster if #they CONSTANTLY speed up and get on the rear bumper of the car in front #of them, only to slam on the brakes. Causing a gigantic chain reaction #with all the other lemings, leaving no room for people to merge or #change lanes. Causing other people (like myself) to wonder how in hell #these commuters could spend 2 or 3 hours of their lives each day in rush #hour; NOT FIGURING OUT that a constant steady 25 MPH, is MUCH MUCH #better than 15 seconds of 35 MPH followed by 30 seconds of DEAD STOP. I do think that I leave enough space between my and the guy in front, maybe too much--the problem I get is the guy in the next lane over sees the opening as a invite to cut in front of me--which would be perfectly fine if they did not always have to slam on the brakes once they are in front of me. I now have to brake to a) not hit him and b) to give more space between me and the guy who just cut in front. Then, repeat with the next yo-yo that's one lane over...
#Sorry nothing personal... it's a pet peave. It's mine as well.
Back to the question at hand: If riding the brakes was the cause, then I should have seen issues with both sides, correct? Only one side was getting overly hot--the other was "normal" in that it was warm if I stuck my hand near the rotor, but I did not feel heat on my legs when I was standing next to the wheel well.
/herb