Vt brake issue

[43RVT]

Hi, I own a 50th anniversary VT,

Last cople of days iv started having a few problems with my drivers side rear brake.

It gets extremely hot after only 10mins of highway driving, my handbrake seems to be fine and not sticking, smoke comes from the caliper and it stinks!! however it only happens probably every second time i drive it, but getting worse.
Tonight it happened but this time i could actually hear a 'metal on metal' noise only when I braked.
Brake pedal feels exactly the same as it always has.
Im thinking maybe the caliper is getting stuck on, jammed piston maybe? or maybe theres an issue with my front brakes not working enough and more load is going to the rear, however its only the rear drivers side thats got the problem.

Pls help me i dont know where to start!

Cheers, Chelsea.

[accentstencil]

More than likely seized slide pins on the calliper.

[43RVT]

but it only happens sometimes, if something was seized wouldnt it happen all the time? :/

[BlackVXGTS]

A couple of suggestions:

1. The brake calipers on the VT are the sliding, reaction type, with twin pistons in the front calipers and single solid discs at the rear with a single piston. The guide pins in the caliper need to have free movement to the anchor plate otherwise the brakes will either not be applied properly or they will continue to be applied once the brake pedal has stopped being pressed. Either grease the guide pins with a synthetic brake caliper grease or replace the pins.
2. The parking brake on your drivers side may not be adjusted properly or may be jamming. You need to remove the wheel and check that the parking brake is not jamming. Parking brake shoes and associated brake drums are incorporated into the rear rotors and each has its own adjustment.

[accentstencil]

but it only happens sometimes, if something was seized wouldnt it happen all the time? :/

I don't know, it wouldn't hurt to check and at the same time you could check the piston in the calliper.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

I'd put money on the piston seal in the caliper. Over time it goes hard and doesn't pull the piston back off the rotor.

An easy check is to jack that side up and make sure the wheel can spin. Put your foot hard on the brake pedal and then go and spin the wheel again, I'll bet it either doesn't move or it is vey tight.