Rear brakes

[alegacy]

I have a '90 Legacy SW, all-wheel drive. I recently changed both rear
struts. The car has 190,000. Today, after driving about 20 miles,
when I stopped at a light, I smelled hot brake pads. When I got home,
the odor was coming from the rear. I touched the wheels on both rear
sides, and they were HOT. The fronts were cool. Would you suspect
that maybe the flex lines were moved too much during the strut change
that they may be causing partial binding? Thanks for any advice,
before I have to start component by component. I saw several related
posts. Last spring I had the tranny/transfercase rebuilt, due to the
classic right wheel binding problem noticeable on turns. I've only put
a couple of thousand on the car since, so I don't think it would be
this. I just noticed the brake odor.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

I have a '90 Legacy SW, all-wheel drive. I recently changed both rear
struts. The car has 190,000. Today, after driving about 20 miles,
when I stopped at a light, I smelled hot brake pads. When I got home,
the odor was coming from the rear. I touched the wheels on both rear
sides, and they were HOT. The fronts were cool. Would you suspect
that maybe the flex lines were moved too much during the strut change
that they may be causing partial binding? Thanks for any advice,
before I have to start component by component. I saw several related
posts. Last spring I had the tranny/transfercase rebuilt, due to the
classic right wheel binding problem noticeable on turns. I've only put
a couple of thousand on the car since, so I don't think it would be
this. I just noticed the brake odor.

You don't say how recent the strut change was. I suppose you checked to
see if the parking brake was engaged or it's cable entangled/misrouted?

Did you install stock struts? Properly bleed the brake lines if
disconnected? Install new lines? (though rare - hydraulic lines can have
'flappers' inside which act as check valves, seems impossible you
would've gotten TWO that failed that way - just a wag.)

Carl

 

[Paul Johnson]

You don't say how recent the strut change was. I suppose you checked to
see if the parking brake was engaged or it's cable entangled/misrouted?

Did you install stock struts? Properly bleed the brake lines if
disconnected? Install new lines? (though rare - hydraulic lines can have
'flappers' inside which act as check valves, seems impossible you
would've gotten TWO that failed that way - just a wag.)

Carl

i agree, check the parking break cable...... lift the rear up without
the parking brake on(make sure the front wheels are secured) and see if
you can turn one of the rear wheels...

Paul J

 

[alegacy]

Thanks for the reply!

The struts were about a month ago, about 1000 miles.
I jacked up the rear, with the emerg off, and was able to spin both
wheels.
There was a slight scraping noise. The car appears to roll rather
readily.
I didn't change the e-brake pads when I replaced the rotors, about
15,000 miles ago. I'm wondering too if the brake fluid that I used to
bleed the lines after they were disconnected to change the struts could
have been bad. Maybe moisture is causing gas pockets which keep the
brakes engaged?

Regards

 

[Ed P]

Thanks for the reply!

The struts were about a month ago, about 1000 miles.
I jacked up the rear, with the emerg off, and was able to spin both
wheels.
There was a slight scraping noise. The car appears to roll rather
readily.
I didn't change the e-brake pads when I replaced the rotors, about
15,000 miles ago. I'm wondering too if the brake fluid that I used to
bleed the lines after they were disconnected to change the struts could
have been bad. Maybe moisture is causing gas pockets which keep the
brakes engaged?

Regards

Have you verified that the calipers are sliding freely on their mounts.
If not, this can cause the pads to stay partially engaged against the
rotors.

Ed P