Hello All..

I have 2003 Mini Cooper which has only 1 exhaust on right side with a bit of rusted cover.

Recently I noticed that my rear right wheel is getting hotter than others and I can smell something like a burnt brake pads smell. To be honest, I don't know if this happened before or not.

I thought this is because of the seized caliper. I jacked up the car and tried to spin the wheel. It spun freely exactly same as the left one. When I drive or brake, I don't feel any difference or weird things at all.

1. Is this still a seized caliper problem?
2. If it's not, what can cause this heat?
3. Cooper (non S) has only 1 exhaust on the right side. Mine got a bit rusted and can this cause the heat?


Thanks in Advance!!

Ed.

 

If you smell burnt brake pads (friction material), then it's a stuck caliper. It might not be stuck 100% of the time... but enough to generate excessive heat and that burnt smell.

I would pay more attention to it and get it fixed once you're sure.

 

it also could be the cable getting stuck

 

see if your e-brake lever and spring and that are not f'd /. could be cable sticking etc. or could be piston stuck in rusty bore .

 

Not sure what the issue is but the below pics should encourage you to find it fast. This is a local MINI that had that smell, but waited months to bring it in.


What you see is an inside pad that came off the piston and over time welded it's self to the rotor. At some point when the rotor became super thin and the outside pad welded it's self to the other side the rotor broke free of the top hat/hub.


So the wheel still spun, made odd sounds, but spun and the brakes still worked as "normal". Now this is an extreme abuse but could happen to others if you too just "turn up the volume" and keep driving.

 

hey full floating rotor now!!!

 

So.. how can I check if my problem is the seized caliper problem?


I recall that this smell is the same one I could smell when I drove up to a very steep hill. To be honest, I don't know if this smell is the burnt brake pad smell.
But yes, the rear right wheel is hotter than others. Also consider that the exhaust pipe is on the right side (non-S).

 

The smell of burnt brake pads and clutch disc is the same. It's just friction material that's overheated.

I would take the wheel off and depress the brake pedal and engage/disengage the hand brake. Do it a few times to see if the caliper is stuck. The rotor should turn freely with the pads barely touching it. You may want to bleed the fluid at that wheel.

 

The exhaust is not likely contributing to the heat in the wheel.
The exhaust can't conduct heat the wheel in a significant way.
If it is you have a bigger problem than a dragging caliper.

 

I tried to rotate the wheel and compared it to the left one and they were same - they were rotating freely. This is actually making me confused. If there's any difference, I would say yes it's definitely the caliper.

I tried to push it back but as you know, without turning the piston, it would go back in. I tried to rotate with my fingers but it didn't turn. I need a long nose plier or something...

Does the rear caliper piston rotate easily? should it turn by fingers?

 

I believe you need a tool to turn & push the caliper piston. One can be rented at Autozone.

 

The piston does not usually turn in easily. I could not turn mine by hand. I have used a c-clamp and pliers to compress and turn but now I use a caliper piston compression tool that I purchased a Harbor Freight Tools for $20.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40732

 

Thanks for the answers!!

So.. how do I know if the caliper is in trouble?

I'm going to pull it out, try to turn and push a bit. and then... try and find it out?

 

I don't think it should go in without turning. Not sure what that means but having done several MINI rear brakes I have not seen any that you could push the piston in without turning.

 

Finally got a new caliper and replaced. However, the wheel is still getting hotter than the other side, No burning smell though. :(

 

hey that's great you got a caliper . make sure the surfaces that see metal to metal (caliper to caliper bracket)(pad to caliper) contact are wire brushed then lightly coated with break lube . dont forget the sliders too . they new but make sure they nice and free .

 

Maybe the wheel bearing is going bad and causing excessive drag and heat in addition to the dragging brake caliper you just fixed.

 

Did you ever find the issue?

 

No. still no idea why. I wish I knew...... :(

 

Did you ever solve?

having same problem. I’ve had a new brake caliper and then a new wheel bearing. Still hot !