very hot rear wheel on Civic

[anonymous-user]

The driver side rear wheel on my parents 54 reg Civic 1.6 is getting very hot when driving - does anyone know the likely causes of this and whether I can easily fix it? It has rear discs but looks to me like there is a small drum for the handbrake.

When driving the car feels a bit held-back, and the cooling fan came on very easily, suggesting the engine is trying harder than normal. The rear wheel alloy is red hot to the touch and is covered in brake dust. The other side is cold and clear of dust.

Operating the handbrake when moving seems to do very little, although the spring/cable mechanism at the rear wheel is moving OK when the handbrake is pulled on or off.

thanks
James

[Trooper2]

Sounds as though it has sliding calipers and the pins need to be un-stuck and relubed with high temp grease.

[anonymous-user]

Is that something I can do myself? I don't mind mechanical stuff having just built a kit car, but I don't want to mess it up so the car is stuck.

Any pointers on how to do it?

thanks
James

[Trooper2]

Take off the wheel, then the caliper. It may take some persuading to remove the pins and get the caliper off, then clean the bores in the caliper where the pins go and the pins with some Scotchbrite or similar (to get rid of the corrosion thats causing the binding) and grease them with high temp brake grease before reassembly. Once reassembled check to make sure the caliper now slides in and out fairly easily.

....Oh and once you have the wheel off check to make sure you have all of the tools that you need to remove the calipers and don't hang the calipers by the brake line, use a wire coat hanger or a ziptie.

It's a pretty simple job as far as working on cars goes.


Edit to add: if a brake pad has been rubbing for long and has worn badly then they will probably be glazed as well so you might plan on replacing the pads for that entire axle, I.E. driver's and passenger's side, rear.

Edited by Trooper2 on Saturday 21st October 18:10

[anonymous-user]

Thanks, sounds OK - the one thing that worries me is winding in the pistons on the callipers - do I need a special tool to do this, or perhaps some special technique? From what I can find on the net it seems they have to be wound in (turned) rather than just pushed in?

Edited by jimsupersix on Saturday 21st October 19:22

[Trooper2]

Yes, you'll need to pick up one of these piston wind in tools, they're inexpensive and should be available at most any autoparts stores.

Here is a link with a photo of the tool:www.toolfetch.com/Category/Automotive/Brake_Tools/KD3163.htm?per=25&page=2

You snap the tool onto a 3/8" extention and turn the piston back in with a ratchet.

[anonymous-user]

Excellent, thank you very much for your help

ta
James