Burning rubber smell on front hub

[MaximilianMM]

Hi all,

I just tested my new front hub 1000w 48v conversion.

It seems to be riding fine, however there was a clear smell of burning. It only occurred when braking using the cantilever brakes on the front wheel. I smelled the brake pads themselves and the smell was coming from there rather than anywhere else, it seemed.

Is this a case of replacing the brake pads? It's a new second hand bike and the pads are old. Or should I be looking at something else?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated, cheers.

 

[beemac]

Hi all,

I just tested my new front hub 1000w 48v conversion.

It seems to be riding fine, however there was a clear smell of burning. It only occurred when braking using the cantilever brakes on the front wheel. I smelled the brake pads themselves and the smell was coming from there rather than anywhere else, it seemed.

Is this a case of replacing the brake pads? It's a new second hand bike and the pads are old. Or should I be looking at something else?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated, cheers.

pads rubbing on the tyres?

 

[MaximilianMM]

I guess so. Is it anything to be concerned about?

 

[E-HP]

I guess so. Is it anything to be concerned about?

Eventually it could wear through the casing and lead to a flat, or blowout.

 

[amberwolf]

If they're rubbing on the tires themselves, it means you are wearing away the tire (usually the sidewall) and it will eventually tear thru the tire and let your innertube out, where it will then tear open on the brakes.

So realigning the brakes to the new rim on the new wheel would be a good idea, if this is what is happening.

If the new wheel doesn't have a flat braking surface for the pads, they may not be giving you as much braking as they should, but it wouldn't normally make a smell (unless it's a painted rim and the paint and pads are heating up).

If the brakes worked fine without a smell before changing out the wheel, there is probably a size difference on the wheel, either rim diameter or width, or tire size (bulging out a lot more over the rim edge and hitting the pads, etc).

If the pads are not rubbing on the tire or anything other than the brake surface of the rim, are you stopping from higher speeds than before? It might be that they aren't handling the faster speeds as well; making more heat than before (more energy they have to cancel out).

 

[MaximilianMM]

If they're rubbing on the tires themselves, it means you are wearing away the tire (usually the sidewall) and it will eventually tear thru the tire and let your innertube out, where it will then tear open on the brakes.

So realigning the brakes to the new rim on the new wheel would be a good idea, if this is what is happening.

If the new wheel doesn't have a flat braking surface for the pads, they may not be giving you as much braking as they should, but it wouldn't normally make a smell (unless it's a painted rim and the paint and pads are heating up).

If the brakes worked fine without a smell before changing out the wheel, there is probably a size difference on the wheel, either rim diameter or width, or tire size (bulging out a lot more over the rim edge and hitting the pads, etc).

If the pads are not rubbing on the tire or anything other than the brake surface of the rim, are you stopping from higher speeds than before? It might be that they aren't handling the faster speeds as well; making more heat than before (more energy they have to cancel out).

Thanks, yes I think they're just misaligned to the rims. I'll try and have them recalibrated.

 

[sleepy_tired]

Good you caught it. I had a pad that got twisted somehow and caused a blow out while going fast down a hill carrying a bunch of groceries.

It worked out ok, but there was no fixing that flat. Sucked having to wait for a ride with a bunch of groceries on the side of the road. Ruined a nice tire.