Hot Brakes

[b2jgc Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close b2jgc]

Hi all.
My 120 grande v6 gets very hot and smelly brakes when towing my ski boat. I have replaced all pads with Bendix 4wd but not much difference. Rotors are standard. Any advice for better rotors think ill replace them. Cheers Jon

[Guest Close Guest]

Is your boat trailer braked? Are you riding the brakes? Is a brake caliper sticking? Is your trip involving downhill sections? DBA T3 are one of the best rotors. But depends on how your driving, brakes shouldn't get too hot to a point of smelling unless they are really being used hard.
I tow heavy trailers reguarly and have only once had brake smell after a huge downhill section where the gears wouldn't hold it back.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

How old? You might have a sticky piston in one of the calipers.

[b2jgc Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close b2jgc]

Trailer is braked and it only happens after steep down hill to marina.

[Guest Close Guest]

Are you riding the brakes the whole way down? Try using your gears. Enter the hill at a lower speed and use the gears to offer some engine braking.
(And are you sure its car brakes smelling and not the trailer?)
Are trailer brakes working?

[Ozpat Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ozpat]

After a downhill run when they're smelling check the temp of car brakes (carefully) and then the same with the trailer brakes. If the latter is cold then they might need adjusting. Do you have a electric or hydraulic brakes?

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

Just because they get hot is nothing necessarily to be concerned about. They will heat up when towing, especially when you are heading downhill under brakes. Having just completed a lot of downhill driving in Tasmania pulling the CT without electric brakes mine certainly cooked. They got really hot but, apart from some excessive wearing of the front pads (changed them after 160,000km) there was no damage to the discs. Always use the gears to asist the brakes - autos included. If the brakes are functioning fine when you're on the flat with the boat behind then I wouldn't worry. Maybe, an adjustable bias system to give more braking to the trailer is what you need.

[b2jgc Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close b2jgc]

Its only the rear that's getting hot. Front and trailer seem ok trailer brakes have been replaced and work ok.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

If it is only when towing then the rears are being biased too much. Assuming no mechanical problem. Do you have a lift? How much does the back sit down with the trailer attached?

[b2jgc Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close b2jgc]

No lift, the air suspension kicks in when the trailer is on so seems all good. The front discs look ridged so wondered if they are making the rears work extra hard?

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Check if the rear hubs are hotter than the front without the trailer. Otherwise I am guessing the trailer isn't doing enough.