Just put some C&l brakes on my 2010 gt, and as you can see, one side has some significant wear. I changed them three days ago. I pulled into Walmart and saw smoke, that's when I realized something was wrong. What could cause this?
New mustang owner here. It has 40k Miles

 

It looks like one of the calipers is binding - so the pads are constantly on the rotor and that will heat up and smoke.

Did you lube the pins/slides before assembly?

 

Yes absolutely. I even cleaned the harness that holds the brake pads and lubed where the back of the rotors meet the rim. I just talked with American muscle, they are sending me replacement rotors stating it looks like factory defect. I don't want to slap new rotors on to have the same problem. Do you think it's defect, or bad caliper?

 

There rotor on the driver's side rear is perfect they came out of the same box

 

Clearly something is binding. I'm assuming you pressed the caliper pistons all the way in so the caliper would start out centered on the rotor. It sounds like the caliper is not moving smoothly on the pins. With new rotors and pads there should be very little to almost no friction on the rotors when you install the loaded caliper back on. How do you bleed the brakes?

 

I didn't bleed the brakes, I didn't know I had to too when doing pads and rotors. Thank you for that. I did compress the piston all the way . I examined the old pads. There was uneven wear. I just ordered some some rear power stop calipers. I'm going to replace the calipers as a precaution, but I do believe you were right initially, the caliper is seized 🤕

 

Brake fluid should be changed every two years or so, a common overlooked area of maintenance.

 

I had a shop do the brake flush which was part of the factory maintenance about 1 year ago. So the plan I have now is do replaces both rear calipers , replace the front pad and rotors as well. I will bleed the calipers as I go making sure to keep enough fluid in the master cylinder to prevent air from getting in the lines. I will bed the brakes, I didn't do this before. If it happens again I will throw in the towel and bring it into the dealer 🤕