Scotty,
Just changed front and rear brake pads on my 2018 Honda Accord. After about a 20-minute drive back home, I placed my hand all four calipers to check the temperature. Both front calipers/rotors were normal but both rear calipers/rotors were hot. Is this normal after having installed new brake pads? I went slowly and made sure it was put together correctly. The front and rear pads are different and can only go in one way. Most importantly, there were no parts left over! Over time will they break in and return to a normal temperature or should I be concerned?
Thanks!
Jeff
Well let him settle down for a couple of weeks and then testament don't use your hands use a non-contact temperature gun and get it for twenty bucks on Amazon. Then you can see what the actual temperatures are and see if there's a problem or not
There's still about a 30-40°F difference between my front and rear rotors. Went to see a mechanic today to get his opinion. He says the front rotors should be warmer because they do 70% of the stopping of the car. He also said caliper is "pre-loading" and may need to be replaced but suggested putting it on jacks to see if the rear wheels spin freely. Any thoughts?
Okay, after removing the rear tires and calipers again, I think my solution involves a misunderstanding of directional arrows. When I originally installed the pads, I noticed these arrows on the back side and assumed that meant to install them pointed toward the front of the car. After doing some reading, seems that the arrow means to install the pad with the arrow pointing the same direction as the rotation of the rotor. Apparently it has to do with the fact that the pads are made with a slight angle and chamfered leading edge so that they contact the rotor evenly. In my case, due to improper installation, there is enough of the pads making contact with the rotors to cause them to heat up. Does this sound plausible?
Temperature readings for the front rotors are 135° F and rear rotors are at 162°F. Both left and right side rotors are consistent with each other. While 162°F is not exorbitantly high, it is about a 30°F difference. My solution is to continue driving and take measurements every so often. Rear rotor temps should come down to match the front ones. If not, then I'll start tearing the rear calipers apart again to verify correct installation.
Would you recommend anything different?