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Thread: Odd front brake behavior question

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Odd front brake behavior question

    97 740il
    did some searches but couldnt really find what im experiencing.

    had some bad "clunking" from the front drivers side wheel. replaced control arm because ball joints and bushings were bad.
    the "clunking" did go away but now i can feel ( car braking when lift off gas ), see ( smoke and even the heat radiating off the wheel) and SMELL the front brake dragging ( NOT locking up )

    pads look ok. but the rotor does look like the picture below.

    i pulled the wheel and to my surprise the rotor spun pretty freely.

    this just started happening about a week ago.

    i can get about 2.5 miles before the smell shows up.

    i do have the ABS/Traction light issue.
    wondering if i am looking at a caliper or master cylinder problem? or perhaps these rotors are really warped ( explaining the way this rotor looks?)

    cheers
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Gilly32; 03-20-2019 at 07:35 AM.

  2. #2
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    Check that the wheel bearing is OK by fitting the road wheel and tugging and pushing the wheel at the 6 and 12 o'clock positions with both hands - if it moves it is likely that the bearing has failed.
    Timm..2007 E64 650i Individual Sport..1999 E31 840ci Individual Sport..ex owner of 2000 E38 740..1999 E38 740i V8 M62..1998 E38 735i V8..1993 E32 730i V8..1988 E28 518i


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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Timm View Post
    Check that the wheel bearing is OK by fitting the road wheel and tugging and pushing the wheel at the 6 and 12 o'clock positions with both hands - if it moves it is likely that the bearing has failed.
    wheel bearing seems ok.

    am i going to have a nightmare with this brake system? ( fluid / bleeding)
    i've had some vehicles that are just awful when it comes to the fluid system.

    any chance ill get off just putting a new caliper , rotor and caliper hose on and gravity bleed?

  4. #4
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    If the bearing is OK you have a seized caliper - they don't necessarily bind when they have cooled down.
    Timm..2007 E64 650i Individual Sport..1999 E31 840ci Individual Sport..ex owner of 2000 E38 740..1999 E38 740i V8 M62..1998 E38 735i V8..1993 E32 730i V8..1988 E28 518i


    My BMW Repair YouTube Channel
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Timm View Post
    If the bearing is OK you have a seized caliper - they don't necessarily bind when they have cooled down.
    yea and you can see in the photo that the pins in the rotor have burn marks though the face so i'll be replacing that too.
    any out of the ordinary things i should be aware of with these brakes?
    should be pretty straight forward im hoping.

    cheers timm

  6. #6
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    2001 740iL Prod 4/2000
    You may have a flexible hose to caliper that is delaminating the inner liner, holding pressure when the brake is released.
    Common problem with older flexible lines.
    Fine when starting out, then the residual pressure keeps the pads dragging slightly, or in bad cases dragging a lot.

    That rotor looks rough also. All that rust in the cooling fin area will inhibit the brakes cooling down, increasing the
    possibility of brake issues. Be sure to use a quality brake lube on the caliper to bracket mounts.
    Last edited by oldroller; 03-23-2019 at 06:58 AM.

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