Hot brakes and sideways on a motorway!

Just been for a long motorway drive (300 miles).

Doind around 85, had to brake for someone changing suddenly into my lane. I did not brake excessively, but felt the car twitch - gave me a fright. Tyres all good (10K on them) and even wear Pirelli P6000's.

Arrived back half an hour ago - back brakes are nice and cool. Front discs are still very hot. Is this normal? Maybe I am being a little paranoid........

Ouch, know what you mean, my '56 is quite squirmy under heavy braking....

i would have thought the back brakes should be warm at least, i would gaet it checked out on a brake roller

Originally Posted by AlfaGTA 156 Mad

i would have thought the back brakes should be warm at least, i would gaet it checked out on a brake roller

Backs are still semi warm after half an hour, but not as warm as the fronts. The fronts have new discs, and now I have taken another look the back discs appear to be originals - there is a good cm of lip and one side looks a little warped. Fronts are not warped and look in good order. Feel a little daft now as it appears that the backs are the cause of the problem!

How new are the front discs and pads, and for that matter the rear pads.

You can easily get that issue if you have poorly matched pads front-rear, ie if the rears bite before the fronts.

Originally Posted by David C

How new are the front discs and pads, and for that matter the rear pads.

You can easily get that issue if you have poorly matched pads front-rear, ie if the rears bite before the fronts.

Fronts fairly new. Rears fairly old.

Are the fronts new enough to be not bedded in properly yet?

Originally Posted by Wilmslow

I did not brake excessively, but felt the car twitch -

Arrived back half an hour ago - back brakes are nice and cool. Front discs are still very hot. Is this normal?.

Unnerving I agree. Go out again and try to replicate the situation a few times - if it happens every time then maybe have it looked at. My guess is that it is a one off - you braked in a "groove" in the tarmac for example.

Hot front, cool rear? - entirely normal 70-80% of the braking is handled by the fronts. I'd worry if they were both the same.

Paul.

How about front calipers slightly seized meaning the pads are rubbing?

Possibly quite common on 156s due to the strange design leaving the sliders open to the elements...just a thought.

wrinx

Wrinx – you may be onto something there.

The clunking sound I get in the mornings disappears once the brakes have been used for a while. I am wondering if I need new callipers, or if there is a reliable calliper repair kit somewhere. These brakes were literally too hot to touch half an hour after a motorway journey where the brakes were hardly used.

If anyone also has an idea of what the labour time would be at my specialist I would be grateful.

Safety has to be first – I could be wrong, but clunking brakes that I suspect are caused by ill fitting calliper pins and hot brakes from motorway travel does not sound like a good combination to me!

So…

1. Where can I get a calliper overhaul kit, or am I better getting new callipers?
2. What would the labour time be like?

Thanks again guys. Loads of really useful help and advice here.

I would get the brakes checked first and then overhauled if required.

The rear brakes should not be as hot as the fronts but they should still be hot/warm after a run.

Also get the brakes bled with good quality brake fluid at the same time - air or old brake fluid can give very poor and uneven braking

Maybe the 147 is just not meant to be driven safely at 90 mph. Will try slowing down a little and see if that makes safer braking