Yesterday my brakes caught fire and my rotors were red hot. Looks like I'm going to have to replace caliper, rotor, pads and maybe new lines haven't checked to see if they melted. Hope it's an easy fix. Someone said that getting dried mud in the brakes could have caused it. Sorry if this is such a newbie question but has this happened to anyone else?

 

Typically when a brake locks up, its either the caliper hanging up, or the hose itself not releasing pressure due to internal wear. If you've had a brake lock condition, I highly suggest pads, rotors (due to heat soak) calipers and hoses.

Brakes aren't something to cheap out on. Start with those and a good bleed job and see where you stand.

 

Any warning signs/noises/strange feel? Did this like happen out of the blue. Sounds like a caliper piston stuck out. One side or both. Do you have line lock solenoid?

 

I've had two calipers lock up on mine, but at different times. I don't think calipers typically lock up simultaneously. If it was both front then maybe the master cylinder got problems. When one calipers locks up, like mine, the vehicle will pull to one side. If you feel it pulling stop somewhere and feel if one of your wheels is hot if so that is the one locking up. I don't know if the mud would cause that.

 

Even brake dust can cause it and that means mud deffinately can. Never saw any catch fire except on semi trucks and race cars though.

Another thing to check is that a line didn't break or that oil/grease didn't get on the hot rotor and cause the fire. I have seen one where a tranny line blew and sprayed onto a rotor causing a fire.

 

I was gonna start a thread like this...

Saturday when coming back from the junk yard (24 mile trip), my right front brake seemed to start being sluggish. Then when I braked my xj pulled right, then it started pulling right in general. Parked it for 24 hours, drove it again and it was fine.

Today I hit the carwash and on the way back it started again. Then I let it sit for 2 hours and its been fine all day.

I get paid Wednesday at 3pm... I know I need a new adjuster on the rear on the right side, I also know my drums cant be turned because they are worn back there so I plan on buying those anyways. But I talked to my dad and was told to get a rotor on wednesday and potentially pads if the bad is destroyed.