Brakes running hot lately

[dadjoke]

Hey, yep it's hot out. But IMO my brakes, specifically Driver Front brakes are too HOT when I get where I'm going. It's been happening maybe a week? I can drive 10+ mins and then it smells like they're burning, obviously the longer I go the hotter they seem at rest (there was smoke briefly once), but I've had it since '22 without this issue ever having happened before.

It's a '22 Big Bend 2.7 Sas, and the only thing that's ever happened regarding the brakes before was ~2-3 months ago the front passenger line blew out entirely. (Replaced at dealer)

Yesterday I took off the driver's wheel and did a quick inspection, everything looked fine and seemed to move freely? It's not pulling driver on or off the brakes, they otherwise are seemingly working ...as normal? I'm not hot dogging or doing anything crazy/fast.

I suppose my next step is to take the caliper off and inspect the pads, but I wanted to check in here and see if anybody had other thoughts or ideas? I'd really like to resolve this.

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[bendover]

it's gotta be the piston in the caliper dragging if the pads look ok.

 

[ducksface]

Is there any reason it can't be a wheel bearing?

(Old guy old times experience might not apply)

 

[MilesTeg]

If you are seeing and smelling smoke, there is something very wrong with your brakes. Assuming no driving abuse, there's no reason you would experience that without something like a sticking caliper or other mechanical fault.

 

[CalvinT]

Is there any reason it can't be a wheel bearing?

(Old guy old times experience might not apply)

If it was a wheel bearing getting hot, you'd hear it.

 

[CitrusBronco]

New boots with a wider footprint? You’re clipping the brake pedal and driving with your brakes on.
Just a thought, I’ve seen it happen.

 

[Valhalla]

Are the pad clips intact? It could be they have broken off letting the pad drag. (Mine did no smoke but premature wear.)

 

[Brian_B]

Are the pad clips intact? It could be they have broken off letting the pad drag. (Mine did no smoke but premature wear.)

That would be my guess as well as there have been a few reports of this in particular occurring on Broncos

 

[SHANUT]

Hey, yep it's hot out. But IMO my brakes, specifically Driver Front brakes are too HOT when I get where I'm going. It's been happening maybe a week? I can drive 10+ mins and then it smells like they're burning, obviously the longer I go the hotter they seem at rest (there was smoke briefly once), but I've had it since '22 without this issue ever having happened before.

It's a '22 Big Bend 2.7 Sas, and the only thing that's ever happened regarding the brakes before was ~2-3 months ago the front passenger line blew out entirely. (Replaced at dealer)

Yesterday I took off the driver's wheel and did a quick inspection, everything looked fine and seemed to move freely? It's not pulling driver on or off the brakes, they otherwise are seemingly working ...as normal? I'm not hot dogging or doing anything crazy/fast.

I suppose my next step is to take the caliper off and inspect the pads, but I wanted to check in here and see if anybody had other thoughts or ideas? I'd really like to resolve this.

My daughter is a nut when it comes to braking because she has brake dust and you should never have brake dust if you know what you’re doing but one time she did have overheating brakes, and it turned out to be a collapsed brake line.

 

[MayhemMike]

The rubber rake line suffers an interior collapse of the rubber and the pressure applied when braking doesn’t get released due to the collapsed interior of the brake line acting as a dam. Exact thing occurred on my F 150. Rubber brake line replaced, problem solved.

 

[Oilbrnr]

Could be a flexible brake line on the DS. But the OP really needs to take to an independent trusted shop and have the issue addressed before more damage occurs. If there was smoke, rotors might be toast and I’d also do a fluid flush.

 

[rbroncotx]

Nobody's said slide pins yet — pull the caliper and check both pins move free and the boots aren't torn. A seized pin will hold the pad on the rotor and cook one corner exactly like this.

 

[Nick72]

My daughter is a nut when it comes to braking because she has brake dust and you should never have brake dust if you know what you’re doing but one time she did have overheating brakes, and it turned out to be a collapsed brake line.

Well, I guess I'm doing something wrong because every car I've driven for the last 40 years has has brake dust. It didn't matter if I drove like a grandma or drove the brakes off of my patrol car during chases or hot calls.
Please share your method because I'm tired of cleaning brake dust off my wheels and can save some money by not having to buy wheel cleaner!

 

[VirginiaHeritage]

I witnessed smoke and brief, minor flames from the wheel of a lady’s car in a parking lot when she pulled in from the road. I ran over to warn her.

It was the parking brake.

 

[Daniel Hochleutner]

When I first got my 22 big bend the bakes felt weak..I put red cover on calipers they seem to be too small for that vehicle. In my opinion, the calipers on that vehicle need to be bigger. That’s what’s wrong with it.

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