[All] [Generic] Changed brake pads & now it feels like the brakes are constantly on??HELP PLEASE

[2barGee]

Changed my brake pads today, went out for a little drive to make sure everything was ok.................now it feels like the car is braking the whole time??? Drove home and one dics is red hot the other feels normal???

Whats going on??

I have not had chance to fully bleed the front brakes yet.....is this the problem??

please help my car is supposed to be in for it's mot tomoz!!

Thanks dan

[nailmonkey]

Maybe the pistons are sticking as you also had problems pushing them in?

You shouldn't drive until you've bled the brakes properly, supposing there was air left in the system?

Nik

[screech205]

Sounds like you've pushed a piston in a bit wonky mate! I once did it on my old Bluebird, did exactly what you described.

Could also be a seized caliper slider. What i'd do first is remove the pads and check that the caliper sliders move freely. If they dont then it's more than like ly that they are the problem.

If they're ok then push the brake pedal down with the pads removed whilst someone watches the piston. Then get a flat surface (old pads are great) and usin a g-clamp, push the piston back in. This will ensure it goes back in square and should hopefully sort your problem.

HTH

Steve

[2barGee]

Maybe the pistons are sticking as you also had problems pushing them in?

You shouldn't drive until you've bled the brakes properly, supposing there was air left in the system?

Nik

only went up my road and back. There were a bit hard to push back in, on one side i used a hammer??

Once the pads are in and the wheel on, whilst the car is jacked up should the wheel be able to spin??

On one side it did and on the other it was well stiff???

Thanks for the quick replys

[Century Motorsport]

Are we talking front or rear here?

Nathan

[Sharpey]

A Hammer sounds like you need to pump the pistons out and clean everything up with fine wet and dry or get a recon. calliper

[2barGee]

Are we talking front or rear here?

Nathan

front mate

[jonb-]

Let me guess, NSF?

I've reconditioned a few callipers in my time and what they say is generally true. You're better off getting a professionally reconditioned job from sbits or twosrus (same place in reality) as self reconditioned ones never seem to last very long.

Yes, the wheel should spin freely.

[lower]

only went up my road and back. There were a bit hard to push back in, on one side i used a hammer??

Once the pads are in and the wheel on, whilst the car is jacked up should the wheel be able to spin??

On one side it did and on the other it was well stiff???

Thanks for the quick replys

you used a hammer to push the piston back in

i bet that's also the side where the wheel was stiff to turn.

You've got a seized piston. If it wasn't seized before it is now you've hammered it in!

Pistons should slide smoothly and you should have been able to push the piston back in using a clamp making sure it slid back in square. Using a hammer may well have jammed the piston in the bore.

Wheels should spin freely after you've replaced the pads. If not, then you've done something wrong.

This is exactly why some people argue that if you don't know what you're doing you shouldn't be messing with brakes.

[2barGee]

only went up my road and back. There were a bit hard to push back in, on one side i used a hammer??

Once the pads are in and the wheel on, whilst the car is jacked up should the wheel be able to spin??

On one side it did and on the other it was well stiff???

Thanks for the quick replys

you used a hammer to push the piston back in

i bet that's also the side where the wheel was stiff to turn.

You've got a seized piston. If it wasn't seized before it is now you've hammered it in!

Pistons should slide smoothly and you should have been able to push the piston back in using a clamp making sure it slid back in square. Using a hammer may well have jammed the piston in the bore.

Wheels should spin freely after you've replaced the pads. If not, then you've done something wrong.

This is exactly why some people argue that if you don't know what you're doing you shouldn't be messing with brakes.

In the "how to change brake pads" it says use a hammer if its stiff???
Have a look if you dont belive me i just followed instructions it gave me??

[SimonPearse]

if you dont understand the implications of 'instructions' you should be wary of trusting them. anyone (including me) can post a set of instructions on the net without having the faintest idea what they are talking about. I understand your chagrin, but we all need to make mistakes to learn.
the quality of the seal between the caliper and the piston is extreemely important. its dangerous to bang the piston with a hammer since this runs the risk of canting the piston, causing it to bind in the caliper, and possibly damage the surgace against which the seal seats.
I have used a hammer to move brake pistons myself, not by hitting the piston, but passing the oval handle between disk and piston, then twisting the hammer head. Perhaps this is what was intended.
With the brakes off the wheel should rotate freely. If it binds then either the caliper is binding, or you have re-assembled incorrectly. See if you can get a competant local member to have a look with you.
Remember, you only ever learn by doing it with someone who knows what they are doing, or by making mistakes. Good on you for having a go, but be carefull with steering, suspension and brakes, thay are safety crritical!

[lower]

In the "how to change brake pads" it says use a hammer if its stiff???
Have a look if you dont belive me i just followed instructions it gave me??

I'd like to see a link to that how to. I've done a search on here and can't find any how to that refers to using a hammer to push back the pistons.

Did it not occur to you that hammering back a piston was not going to be good for the caliper?

[nailmonkey]

Hi,

If you mean the article on the OC, there is a hammer involved but only to PUSH the piston, you could use any suitable piece of wood.

Could be time for a new caliper, I recommend brakesint, at least you know they're not going to be on holiday....

Nik

[iblis]

Guys can we go easy on him? I think possibly having to replace the caliper is lesson enough. Us berating him for following a guide he found on the net is not really helpful

We all had to start learning at one point. I think it's fair to say he'll never blindly follow a guide again.

[nailmonkey]

Not sure anyone is being particularly harsh on him?

As for blindly following the guide, if it is the OC guide, then there wouldn't have been any hammering involved, if he followed the guide.

If you're not confident working on your car then brakes are probably best avoided tbh.

Also, if he'd posted a thread asking for someone local to give him a hand, I'm sure loads have people would have volunteered.

Nik

[lower]

Not sure anyone is being particularly harsh on him?

As for blindly following the guide, if it is the OC guide, then there wouldn't have been any hammering involved, if he followed the guide.

If you're not confident working on your car then brakes are probably best avoided tbh.

Also, if he'd posted a thread asking for someone local to give him a hand, I'm sure loads have people would have volunteered.

Nik

I agree. Nothing wrong with having a go, but with you can't really afford to use trial and error as your method of learning.

I would really like to see this guide where it says use a hammer to retract the piston.

[Mike]

I've had this problem myself very recently, its a comman fault amongst mk2 MR2s.
My advice would be to avoid driving the car for now, I continued to drive mine whilst it was getting worse which resulted in some scarred discs, a 200 mile trip in a recovery vehicle and worst of all molten brake dust up the side of my car.
Take the offending caliper off and confirm that it is the piston, if so you can try to improve the play by rubbing it with wet and dry paper and an appropriate lubricant. However this is a short term fix, in my case the car was driveable for about a month after this so you will need new calipers.
Shop around for calipers as prices range hugely, I paid £180ish inc VAT for 2 fronts consisting of just the pistons sat in the cylinders, I recently bought the rears which cost £400ish as they consisted of 2 whole units sliders and all.
Trust me on this one, get the calipers as soon as you can, it will save a load of hassle.

[SimonPearse]

I's Sorry, I appologise, it's unfair, but
http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z211 ... 007294.jpg
is this after you worked on the brakes?

[2barGee]

I's Sorry, I appologise, it's unfair, but
http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z211 ... 007294.jpg
is this after you worked on the brakes?

no that was after a drink driver crashed into my car!!!! Which is now why my car has failed its MOT on its handbrake!!

I had only had the car back at my house 5mins after getting the front smoothed!!!! SO gutted!!!

[2barGee]

Not sure anyone is being particularly harsh on him?

As for blindly following the guide, if it is the OC guide, then there wouldn't have been any hammering involved, if he followed the guide.

If you're not confident working on your car then brakes are probably best avoided tbh.

Also, if he'd posted a thread asking for someone local to give him a hand, I'm sure loads have people would have volunteered.

Nik

I agree. Nothing wrong with having a go, but with you can't really afford to use trial and error as your method of learning.

I would really like to see this guide where it says use a hammer to retract the piston.

And i never said i actually smashed the piston back in with a hammer, easy people.

I love my 2 and want the best for it, i always have ago myself with most things with my 2 if i dont feel i can do it i will then ask for help.

Need to fit some ats cv joints in the next 3 weeks WHO wants to help me do that??? This is one i really dont want to do on my own!!!!!

I ended up getting a recon calliper as mine was shagged