Help - smoke from car wheel

Hi,

Was driving down to Waterford from Dublin tonight and pulled in around Kildare and there is smoke coming from the rear drivers side wheel and a burning smell, when I touch the hubcap its pretty hot, all the others are barely warm.

I ended up turning around. Could this be worn pads or something else?

Car is a VW golf MK5 2005, just passed the 100,000 mile mark.

I thought on these cars a dash light comes up when the pads are too low.

Im hoping its not the wheel bearing but there's no noise so I doubt it is.

any ideas..
tks

Big Nasty

Handbrake properly disengaged?

mgbgt1978

Discs on the rear ???
Sounds like a sticking caliper. Or a sticking handbrake cable. Easy enough to check if both cables are releasing the caliper arms by the same amount

Not a worn pad....that would create a lot more noise than heat.

handbrake wasn't on and yeah the car has discs on the rear.

Im gona check tomorrow and get new pads cause they look pretty worn, i just got the car a few months ago. but if it is a seized caliper can i just compress the piston back in as you would when you replace the pads? will this be enough to un seize it

thanks for the help

YbFocus

Nylah Fit Range wrote: »

handbrake wasn't on and yeah the car has discs on the rear.

Im gona check tomorrow and get new pads cause they look pretty worn, i just got the car a few months ago. but if it is a seized caliper can i just compress the piston back in as you would when you replace the pads? will this be enough to un seize it

thanks for the help

The slide pins will need replacement or sanding and greasing at best, the deal on the passion may be gone when you take it out (I'd expect it to be) is be ready to get a caliper too.

would it be safe enough to do the journey again tomorrow if i try to free up the pistons or you reckon if i free up the pistons a bit they might be ok for the journey?

I thought the thing was gona catch fire when i first got out :mad:

toastedpickles

Nylah Fit Range wrote: »

handbrake wasn't on and yeah the car has discs on the rear.

Im gona check tomorrow and get new pads cause they look pretty worn, i just got the car a few months ago. but if it is a seized caliper can i just compress the piston back in as you would when you replace the pads? will this be enough to un seize it

thanks for the help

If you have the strength of a machine! what i've done with seized calipers is, peeled back the rubber cover around the piston, and drown it in wd40, then use the pad on the inner side along with a crowbar to compress the piston against the pad and bring it back into the caliper handy enough to do and no more seized caliper!

YbFocus

toastedpickles wrote: »

If you have the strength of a machine! what i've done with seized calipers is, peeled back the rubber cover around the piston, and drown it in wd40, then use the pad on the inner side along with a crowbar to compress the piston against the pad and bring it back into the caliper handy enough to do and no more seized caliper!

That will definitely get you home and all but I'd definitely be advising a rebuild kit asap. Once it's that rusty it looses it's seal to the cylinder wall and you get leaks.
The slide pins will almost definitely be corroded, these have to be sanded down or it'll stick almost straight away again.
Keep a check on it on your journey home.

Also, if it does get hot, don't be tempted to throw water on it!
Unless of course it does catch fire.

toastedpickles

toastedpickles wrote: »

If you have the strength of a machine! what i've done with seized calipers is, peeled back the rubber cover around the piston, and drown it in wd40, then use the pad on the inner side along with a crowbar to compress the piston against the pad and bring it back into the caliper handy enough to do and no more seized caliper!

tYeah i was intending on using a large vice or something but thats a great idea, might just grease it up and try tomorrow. i reckon the pads probably need to be replaced anyway,was due for service soon anyway.

toastedpickles

YbFocus wrote: »

That will definitely get you home and all but I'd definitely be advising a rebuild kit asap. Once it's that rusty it looses it's seal to the cylinder wall and you get leaks.
The slide pins will almost definitely be corroded, these have to be sanded down or it'll stick almost straight away again.
Keep a check on it on your journey home.

Also, if it does get hot, don't be tempted to throw water on it!
Unless of course it does catch fire.

True on the rebuild kit, im just basing it on what i've done in work, if the pins are ok though a light dab of copper would do the job though wouldnt it?

If you are going off take it handy!

Nylah Fit Range wrote: »

tYeah i was intending on using a large vice or something but thats a great idea, might just grease it up and try tomorrow. i reckon the pads probably need to be replaced anyway,was due for service soon anyway.

just to echo what yb said, also if you do reuse the pins, don't grease them up too much cos they can compress themselves back out of the housing a thin smear does grand

YbFocus

toastedpickles wrote: »

True on the rebuild kit, im just basing it on what i've done in work, if the pins are ok though a light dab of copper would do the job though wouldnt it?

Oh without doubt

The likes of that needs to be sanded though to give its freedom back

toastedpickles

YbFocus wrote: »

Oh without doubt

The likes of that needs to be sanded though to give its freedom back

Oh be the lord! Aye I've had to deal with similar! but yeah get her cleaned up op, if you were still in kildare id have offered to sort you out

YbFocus

toastedpickles wrote: »

Oh be the lord! Aye I've had to deal with similar! but yeah get her cleaned up op, if you were still in kildare id have offered to sort you out

Yay go team

I have one post to go until 5000 now!

wheres a good place to get the rebuild kits lads?looking at ebay they have full kits including pistons or just the seals,what you reckon?

you can nearly get new calipers for the price of some of the kits, any places in ireland?

thnks for all the advice

toastedpickles

Nylah Fit Range wrote: »

wheres a good place to get the rebuild kits lads?looking at ebay they have full kits including pistons or just the seals,what you reckon?

you can nearly get new calipers for the price of some of the kits, any places in ireland?

thnks for all the advice

No bother sure

Eh motor factors might have em id say!

YbFocus

Nylah Fit Range wrote: »

wheres a good place to get the rebuild kits lads?looking at ebay they have full kits including pistons or just the seals,what you reckon?

you can nearly get new calipers for the price of some of the kits, any places in ireland?

thnks for all the advice

No Problem Goose

Price the kit and the caliper in your local mfactors.
Try a few local to you.

If there is only a bit in it then I'd get the caliper for handiness sake!

RandomAccess

I had similar problem on a mk v golf rear calliper.
I first noticed that it was sticking partially on when driving at low speed and noticing car wasn't coasting like it used to but was coming to a gradual halt.

I got back from a short trip of ten-15mins on M50 and figured would check for heat. Some warmth from one calliper, sprayed mist of windowlene and suspect calliper gave a loud hiss.

Problem was intermittent so I was going to get it done at next service but then one time I came back to car and the calliper was strongly applying brake force. I thought it would dislodge if I drove a few feet but no way, the Car was struggling to accelerate and when off the throttle would come to a halt quickly.
Reckoned I would need recovery on a flatbed truck as was many miles from home :-(
Jacked it up and removed wheel, nothing I could do so put wheel back on and thankfully it had released. Got the car home and changed the calliper then as was a liability as it was. Could seize on at any time.

dr.fuzzenstein

Nylah Fit Range wrote: »

wheres a good place to get the rebuild kits lads?looking at ebay they have full kits including pistons or just the seals,what you reckon?

you can nearly get new calipers for the price of some of the kits, any places in ireland?

thnks for all the advice

Motor factors will do a swap for the old caliper against a recon one, with credit for the old one.
If you go for a rebuild kit, get one with a piston, they get pitted and corroded, unless you know for sure your pistons are in A1 nick.
Corroded pistons will leak brake fluid.
AS for winding back pistons on rear calipers, makes sure you get it right. My Focus needs the pistons wound back by twisting them, but the MX5 has a little cap that needs to be taken off and the piston wound back via hex key. Better read up before doing anything, the last thing you want to get wrong is your brakes.

Hi Guys,

Rebuilt the caliper and cleaned up sliders etc. Just wondering, Can i just bleed the caliper affected or do i need to do them all.The car was sitting over the weekend with the caliper off and the pipe taped up. really dont want to have to bleed them all if not absolutely necessary.

If I do need to do them all what order would be best?

tks
Dave

dr.fuzzenstein

Best bleed all of them, starting furthest from the reservoir and work your way towards it.
This also gets rid of old fluid, that's only a good thing. Check your pads while you're at it.