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Struggling with unknown break problem on 06 Dodge Caravan SXT with front disk, rear drums and no ABS.
We live in a valley area with some big hills here and there but not many. Approximately 6 months ago our front brakes began getting hot to the point of smelling burnt with smoke on one specific down grade highway hill with a stop sign at the end. Smell is always noticed at the stop. This is a well traveled road and I would understand brakes occasionally getting to hot with van loaded or heavy braking but not every time with only 1-2 passengers. We have had the van for 5 years and I don’t believe we have changed our driving patterns and these brakes will get hot to point of serious brake fade with semi metallic so I changed to ceramic. I understand brakes get hot and friction and have heard it all but again not a problem until 6 months ago. now it is routine on this hill.
That all being said here is what I have done as I am tired of messing with it and have become a major parts changer.
New Master Cylinder from AutoZone.
New Front Pads, rotors, brake hoses with rebuilt calipers from NAPA.
New rear shoes, drums, springs, adjusters, wheel cylinders and hoses from NAPA.
Rear shoes have been adjusted for friction.
Metal lines to front and back appear to be in X fashion and both fronts or backs are not on same set of line from splitter block.After all this I took into Dodge which just drove it around town and not to problem area of reproducibility as instructed and the 1st guy said it was normal as I explained in an elevated mood something has changed and my wife is losing her brakes on a well traveled downhill grade.
The manager got involved and suggested changing the height sensing valve saying that the brakes on the lift were not applying as well as they did with the E-Brake. This is a new version to proportion in adjustment with height. Did that with again no change. Brakes do feel very hard to turn in back with brake applied nearly putting all wait into to turn.Any other thoughts? I am to the point to avoid this hill but the question lingers why changed and we cant call it an old van with a new brake system installed.
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I’ve not used Napa brake parts, but I have used Autozone and I refuse to use them again. If the backing plate of the brake pads had to be hammered into the caliper mount, they will grab and not slide back easily after you’ve released the brake pedal. Autozone pads backing plates look to be molded and require lots of filing to make them fit at all. I’ve bought ceramic pads from rockauto, the power stop brand, and had zero issues. Those pads slipped into the caliper mount smoothly and the backplate looks to be either die cut or laser cut. The Autozone pads look round and fat with few to no crisp lines all around the ends. I’m not sure how the Napa pads worked as you installed them, but if you had to force them into the caliper mount, that alone would explain your predicament.
Also, did you lube the caliper guide pins? How does the brake fluid look? Have you considered doing a complete brake fluid flush? Brake fluid absorbs atmospheric moisture all the time. The hard brake lines are plain steel and will rust from the inside out of the fluid becomes too contaminated with moisture. If brake fluid looks opaque, like strong coffee, that means its got rust particals rolling through that system that can cause blockages, the kind of which can keep a caliper or wheel cylinder pistons from moving in and out smoothly like they should.This hill does require more braking as obvious with some lightly riding brakes and letting off and pushing again especially toward bottom stop sign but again this problem was not there 6 months ago. This is a well traveled location and I don’t think every vehicle that drives it, smokes their brakes. I don’t think I drive it differently now than I did then plus my wife would have had to get brake heavy also.
Parts were of good quality with good fit. All things were lined, lubed with appropriate sauces as this is not my first time, Brake fluid has been flushed with Dot 4 and is clear. Both front calipers get hot on different lines. We live in low rust area. Not sure if I commented on all comments appropriately. Again even the dealership could not find reasonable explanation. Looking for the bazar on this one.
Another thought that lingered in my mind is could something else have changed with the van that causes the brakes to work harder. On jack stands wheels turn with some resistance due to front wheel drive but not hard. Struts do not appear to be weak or leaking. There is no grabbing when driving. When letting of gas and brake van coast fine??????
I have to ask how do the rotors look any pitting or anything odd shown on them… they would be the first thing to look at and will be the first thing to show what kids of problem you are running into
check for pitting
uneven sides both right/left and inner/outer
and how the diffrent between the fronts and backs
now is it the fronts only or both the fronts and back….. drums have a screw that controls shoes coming out… if that screw is moving then that could cause the same type of problem your having after 6 months latter
2 other questions is this a hybrid and how is your e-brakes connected on some cars TH hearing they are electrocic not the old manual steel line[quote=”Rob781″ post=174232]I have to ask how do the rotors look any pitting or anything odd shown on them… they would be the first thing to look at and will be the first thing to show what kids of problem you are running into
check for pitting
uneven sides both right/left and inner/outer
and how the diffrent between the fronts and backs
now is it the fronts only or both the fronts and back….. drums have a screw that controls shoes coming out… if that screw is moving then that could cause the same type of problem your having after 6 months latter
2 other questions is this a hybrid and how is your e-brakes connected on some cars TH hearing they are electrocic not the old manual steel line[/quote]Thank you for new info. Rotors look good. Front parts have been changed twice do to graciousness of parts store. I have not heard of the screw adjustment with the drum shoes and will look in a few days. I will get pictures of rotors at that time also. This is not a hybrid, it has old standard ebrake lines with ebrake working good. Basic hydraulic system with no ABS. When applying brake they are holding with tough effort to move on jack stands but on down heel if feels like they are not working as hard and both fronts get to 400 degrees
I would also check the spacing aliment of the rotors on the caliper basiclly the spacing of the pads.. but on top where the rotors go throw the caliper bracket if that makes sence…. to see if its missalined at all… aslong as you have the tires off
Will try with feeler gauges this weekend with other test and pictures. My problem with focus on fronts is this started with Autozone parts about 3 months old and have had O’Reilly pads and calipers and then returned for all Napa stuff up front due to no parts at dealer level. After 3 manufacturing involvements symptoms are unchanged. I will get info and send back as I appreciative of the change of thought and not one more person saying brakes are hot. I am just trying to follow the thought logic.
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