New Pads and Rotors: DIY Gone Bad?

[dealme]

I have a 2001 Tundra SR5 4x4 with just over 165K miles on it (and the original calipers as well). After having my dealer tell me that I needed new front brake pads and that the rotors needed machined, I decided to take the task on myself. I had replaced the pads once before, so I figured it wouldn't be a huge undertaking.

I purchased new rotors as well as ceramic pads and replaced them this afternoon. After changing the pads and rotors, as well as bleeding the two front calipers and freeing a stuck float in the master cylinder reservoir, I took the vehicle for a short test drive (3 miles tops). The vehicle behaved normally, but when I pulled back into my driveway, I noticed a burning odor coming from the front wheels. I quickly hopped out to investigate, and found that there was a small amount of smoke coming from the wheels and they were obviously very warm. I hit them with a shot of water from the hose to cool them off.

Could this likely due to a stuck caliper (or perhaps poor work on my part)? When I put the new rotors and pads on, the wheels would still spin freely. I did manage to get some brake fluid on both wheels as I began the process of bleeding the calipers.....I'm not sure if this would attribute to the smoke or not. I also checked to see if the level of fluid in the reservoir had dropped over the course of my test drive, but it had not.

Bottom line, I'm hoping I haven't severely fouled something up. If anyone has any suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated. I'm hoping I can deal with whatever needs to be changed prior to the end of the long weekend and avoid a trip to the repair shop.

Regards,
Mark

[waiting tundra]

Probably a stuck caliber or somethan ain't just right, I usualy get a can of brake cleaner per wheel wheen doing brakes & overclean everythang. Don't forget to clean & greese your caliber pens and make sure everythangs freed up. Course your getting advice from someone who just smoked some brake pads in 10k miles. The caliber on the drivers side was seezed up. Wuz a little more carefull on next brake job.

[wolfeman28]

I used to do 5 brake jobs a day. You are experiencing a phenomenon called 'new pads and rotors'.

There is nothing wrong with them, there are manufacturing oils on the rotors that just need to burn off, and the rotors/pads just need to set in.

Don't spray hot metal parts like that with water either, you will cool down those rotors too quick and warp them.

[Manoah]

truestory ^ i was gonna say the same thing.

[duffyatkinson]

Originally Posted by wolfeman28

I used to do 5 brake jobs a day. You are experiencing a phenomenon called 'new pads and rotors'.

There is nothing wrong with them, there are manufacturing oils on the rotors that just need to burn off, and the rotors/pads just need to set in.

That's why it is recommended to wash new rotors and drums with a mild soap/water solution and dry completely to remove this layer of oil/grease BEFORE mounting. You do not want any of this material to seat into the pads themselves.

[SE2000]

If you are doing lots of brakes, you know to clean the new rotors with a solvent such as lacquer thinner (old school) or disc brake cleaner. Also need to do to turned rotors. You will see lots of stuff on the cleaning pad.
The oil and contaminants will end up in the pads permanently until the material is worn away