Hot Rear Brakes

[carinatauk]

Had a squeak from the rear, on braking this disappeared. Brakes isn't great and has slowly got worse [new rear pads 2k previous]. On getting the brother in law to test the temperature of the discs [think I'm stupid? ] the rear discs were great blister formers [lots of bad language from him ] but the front were relatively cool. Is it likely to be the handbrake? it is difficult to apply. Thanks for any responses.

[carinatauk]

Forgot to say, it is a Chim 95 M. Does anyone know what brakes, calipers, etc were used for this model? Someone mentioned Ford Escort Cosworth?????

[thornogson]

Just changed the rear discs and pads on a 94 model, they are off the Granada.

[Trefor]

With std braking the rears actually do more work than the fronts. i.e. the braking is rear biased. That's why it feels weird if you try to turn while braking hard into a bend (try much harder and you'll be in a ditch).

You could have a badly adjusted handbrake mechanism. Try jacking up each rear wheel and seeing how easy they are to turn. With the wheel on they should turn quite easily (but not as freely as the fronts). Otherwise maybe you've got a sticky caliper.

For what it's worth I've had my rear brakes smoking on 2 occassions recently

If you're not sure get a specialist to take a look (that means NOT Kwik Fit or similar!).

T/.

[CraigAlsop]

Trefor said: With std braking the rears actually do more work than the fronts. i.e. the braking is rear biased.

Surely "rear biased" just means that the rears are doing more than they would on a normal car.
I'm sure that it's the fronts that still do most of the work.

[carinatauk]

Thanks for the info. Is the handbrake adjustment in the bible? have yet to buy it.

Anyone know the make of the calipers or do I need to get them to a Ford garage?

Had a look round Halfords today, their pads etc are 25% of a TVR dealer. Would love to know who is making the "profit"

[GreenV8S]

Be very wary of standard pads. They may be the right size and shape, but you need to make sure you get a good make of fast road pads and not cheap pattern pads made from sweepings off the factory floor.

[CraigAlsop]

Some people (including myself) have had good experiences with EBC Greenstuff pads. Others don't like 'em, but they're worth a go (and are a little cheaper than the standard pads)

[shpub]

Smoking rear brakes without smoking front brakes indicates either a rear brake problem or the front brakes are not working well and the rears are doing far more of the work. Possible that the fronts have a either less effective/leaking master cylinder piston or there are sticky callipers or just knackered pads/discs. Defiunitely worth checking the front. Is the pedal spongy? Is there brake fade on the front circuit?

The handbrake adjustment is in the bible. There is a Ford Sierra adjuster just inside the transmssison tunnel at the rear. Mounted on the chassis somewhere(its location moves).

[carinatauk]

All the brakes have had a recent pad change [fast road versions].

Brake is not spongy, but will get someone to check out the master cylinder and calipers anyway.

Were the Sierra Cosworth brakes not fast road style?

[shpub]

You don't have Sierra Cosworth brakes. The brakes are real Ford Bitsas and have varied over the years but are essentially based on Ford Sierra and Granada callipers. Discs are another matter but again have come from many Ford cars, including redrilled 5 stud Granadas. The pads you get from most factors for these callipers are not performance pads at all.

If the pads are new they could well be suffering from a lack of bedding in. The pads need to be brought to temp and cooled down before they start to work correctly. If not done, then the brakes don't work effectively and this could explain why the rears are smoking. Especially true for fast road and performance pads.

>> Edited by shpub on Tuesday 27th May 11:02

[ianwayne]

When I changed the discs on my '95 Chimaera 500, the fronts were the same as on an XR4i and the rears from an Escort Cosworth 4x4. I appreciate that these may be the same as on other cars but there are multiple disc sizes, especially when engine sizes changed!

[carinatauk]

Thanks everyone.

Took out last night for a test, definite squeak from rear os brake; will get this check but a qualified individual.

Interestingly, the brake pedal was firmer than usual. It was if the system was pressured already. Hope it is not the Master cylinder, but again I'll get someone to check it out.

Years of company cars has diminished my abilities and confidence to tackle things myself, so far!