Brakes on Fire!!!

98 HOO

Well-known member
Jun 8, 2004
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Richmond, VA
When I replaced the pads, I pulled the slides and cleaned and regreased them (brake grease) before reinstalling.

The cheapo pads replaced green stuffs. So far, I like the cheapos just as much. No squeeling, stop just as well, and less brake dust I think....

I will update once I get home and get some wheels pulled and current back on the wires.
 

AMCM Disco

Well-known member
Jun 20, 2006
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Cali
With no drag and the inability to stop, I'd say it's not stuck calipers or pad rub. You would've noticed burnt pad smell or a drag of some kind well before you got to the brake fire side, and then you would've boiled the fluid which would've been noticeable with brake fad, etc, prior to brake fire.

The location of the fire (e.g. not at the calipers) also would state that it's a line issue.

Did you recently replace the sensor wires? (if so what brand?)

Maybe unplug both rear sensor wires, reconnect battery, read the feed to see if outside of limits. Enough juice through any wire would cause a fire enough... also, what's the condition of the sensors themselves?
 

gmookher

Well-known member
Oct 30, 2004
5,201
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Grand Canyon State
p m said:
Goes along with Gem's general affinity for all things expensive...

thats un-needed really now,(My rover happens to like the same oil the 911 takes), I simply dont advocate use of anything less than OE pad and DBA rotors. Loosing the brakes and missing a turn- This is a safety hazard for those you are around and yourself, dont take it lightly, man..

OE and DBA,Thats what I use.No fires. And I drive aggressive and like a jackass intentfully sometimes. Alot when I am alone...so.. just wanting to know, if it was user error or rover parts failure and if so which one how and why. not personal. not fiscally motivated. nothing to do with my spending problem in the garage. I know I need help in that area..

so, well, since this instance is not common, it must be some thing the OP is using or something in the setup or just an anomaly-no one on this board have ever heard of this before right?

recap:

-said slide grease may not have been rated for brake use?brand?

-if the caliper dragged, youd smell it, feel it, and see it scored on the rotor, any evidence? what do pads and rotors look like after you clean off soot?

-there is no way for the wiring or the voltage from cable to ignite fluid, if fluid was ignited, it had to have leaked, do we know where from? thats more important-was there fluid that leaked an cuaght fire?


- a malfunction of the abs or 4etc would more likely point to overheating of pads, fluid, or failure of caliper seal, failure of or looseness of line or bleed nipple do we see any dash lights or any thing to tell us the truck thinks there is an abs unit issue?

-is the ABS system is fused, and likely the ABS unit is not fried, just the wiring back there? fuse blown?

Pics please!
 
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98 HOO

Well-known member
Jun 8, 2004
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47
Richmond, VA
I am hoping to get out a bit early this evening and will take pictures and document what I find. Scary situation that I want to make sure nobody else has to be a part of if we can figure out what caused it.

I am assuming I had no pressure/drag because the fire had already caused the brake lines to fail, so when I pushed on the brakes, I simply dumped fluid from the failed lines.

Brake Grease was either permatex or CRC - was definitely brake grease sold for that purpose.

Will take pictures this evening of everything, but didn't notice drag, nor was there a smell till I stopped and could smell the fire.

I do not believe the fluid was on fire - I believe it was the plastic coating that covers the stainless flex lines.

As of last week, fluid had not dropped since "flush" about 20k miles ago.

I will give a better report later this evening once I have taken some things apart to have a look.

I appreciate everyone's input and idea.
 

p m

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 19, 2004
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wheelen disco said:
Perhaps you lost the ground from frame to body
That was my thought, too; but how is the rear axle different from the front? Is the front axle entirely isolated electrically from the frame?
 

98 HOO

Well-known member
Jun 8, 2004
270
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47
Richmond, VA
UPDATE -
Definitely Electrical
Hooked up the battery and walked to the back of the truck. By the time I got there, one of the brake lines was on fire and the other was smoking. So, It is not the sensor wires, but the brake lines themselves. I have no idea where the power is coming from, and didn't have time to look further. The front brake lines are different than the rear (both stainless, but different mfg), but I don't know what else could be different. Front brake lines looked fine and were still cool.

Any Ideas??
 

98 HOO

Well-known member
Jun 8, 2004
270
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47
Richmond, VA
Front axle could be "isolated"

I have the rubber spring isolators at the top of the springs - rubber bushings on a lot of the joints. Don't know if the ball joints would conduct.....

Where do I check the ground from the frame to the body?

Thanks again.
 

wheelen disco

Well-known member
Jun 20, 2010
1,089
0
rice lake Wisconsin
No but its the only logical thought in this thread thus far. I really don't know why it would happen, but my buddy's d2 ruined the parking brake cable when it lost ground

Edit ; I didn't mean to sound like a ass but my phone is slow
 
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98 HOO

Well-known member
Jun 8, 2004
270
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47
Richmond, VA
Sadly enough, I figured it out and it was completely my fault. I have my ARB compressor in the back of the truck and ran a new power wire back there not long ago and put the fuse at the compressor instead of at the battery. I had tied it to the rigid brake line along the way from the battery to the back of the truck. It somehow shorted to the brake line, upstream of the fuse, ran the current through the stainless rear brake lines - making them hot enough to catch their plastic coatings on fire.....

Not too sharp on my part, I know better.... just glad I didn't end up hurting anyone in the process...

Lesson learned - when running power from the battery, ALWAYS put an appropiately sized fuse as close to the battery as possible.

Thanks again for everyone's input. Hope to get new brake lines in the mail tomorrow and will have her back on the road tomorrow evening - With a new power wire to the ARB with fuse!