Brakes heating up, hot!

[Nick1994]

This is on my 1996 Jeep Cherokee, 4.0L 4x4. Bought it from my grandfather who had it for 9-1/2 years/40k miles.

Rear brakes needed to be done, adjusters were broken. I bought the "pro" kit from O'Reillys for it for the rebuild kit and some new shoes. My mechanic put it all together, all was working well but when I drove it I was getting a burning smell. Then I felt the wheels. Right rear was fine, left rear was very hot. He took it all apart and everything looked fine. Used a laser thermometer and the wheel would range from 360-440 degrees! He adjusted the adjuster all the way in as far as it would go, took it for a spin and it's still getting just as hot. The outer bearings on the rear axle had play (I swapped a different axle in last year, same model). So today he replaced the bearings. No play now, axle shafts looked good. Still getting hot. He had also previously swapped the rear drums, still left rear wheel. Brake fluid was flushed when he did the rear brakes. No dragging when stopped.

Then today he was swapping all of the brake hardware and shoes from left to right to try to eliminate that. He's still working on it.

What do you guys think?

 

[AZjeff]

It didn't get hot before the brake job? That should have eliminated bearings. The infared thermometer should be able to pinpoint the hotspot. Maybe drive it from cold using the brakes as little as possible then do the temps.

 

[JamesBond]

Rusted parking brake cable, won't let the shoes retract?

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: AZjeff
It didn't get hot before the brake job? That should have eliminated bearings. The infared thermometer should be able to pinpoint the hotspot. Maybe drive it from cold using the brakes as little as possible then do the temps.
I had the brakes done immediately once I bought it. It has mostly been a 2nd car for my grandparents, and I hadn't driven it in a while to notice the burning smell.

Originally Posted By: JamesBond
Rusted parking brake cable, won't let the shoes retract?
Wheel spins freely on jack stands, could it drag only while driving?

 

[Wolf359]

Did you change the wheel cylinders?

 

[AZjeff]

Ain't rocket surgery. Your mech will figger it out.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Did you change the wheel cylinders?
The right rear has been replaced. The left rear seems to be working, not stuck or leaking.

 

[berniedd]

Could be a bad brake hose that's swelled up inside. Lets the brake fluid into the slave cylinder when you apply the brakes, but doesn't let it go back out immediately when you release the pedal. Happened to me some years ago.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Did you change the wheel cylinders?
The right rear has been replaced. The left rear seems to be working, not stuck or leaking.


I tend to do everything brake related in pairs. Check the lines for any kinks that may be keeping the left rear applied.

 

[Nick1994]

It has 1 brake line leading to the rear with 1 rubber soft line. It goes into a "T" with hard lines from there.

We'll check to make sure nothing is kinked, I'll be over there tomorrow.

 

[09_GXP]

Originally Posted By: berniedd
Could be a bad brake hose that's swelled up inside. Lets the brake fluid into the slave cylinder when you apply the brakes, but doesn't let it go back out immediately when you release the pedal. Happened to me some years ago.


+1 just fought this battle during the summer.

 

[circuitsmith]

I once replaced pads on a friends car and afterward one brake dragged.
Turns out the caliper bore was corroded and the seal bad; pushing the pistons in broke the camel's back.
A month later the other caliper did the same thing. Replaced the MC as a preventive.
Brake fluid hadn't been flushed in many years.

 

[Nick1994]

He thinks the backing plate is bent. My brother thinks he dropped the axle once before we put it in...

Went to the junk yard and got a backing plate.

 

[AZjeff]

Well that's a different one. Money wasn't wasted on the brake parts.

So gramps has been driving around with a hot axle? Hope that's it.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Well that's a different one. Money wasn't wasted on the brake parts.

So gramps has been driving around with a hot axle? Hope that's it.

Yeah we usually take the Jeep out to the desert, but it's been since last Spring since we've taken it out. It's been a grocery getter.

He'll put it together again tomorrow and we'll see what happens.

 

[widman]

My 93 Grand Cherokee suffered from collapsing brake hoses that would cause the brakes not to release completely after applying. I replaced rotors, pads, etc. Finally one day went under it with someone pushing on the brakes and releasing.

A set of hoses fixed it.

 

[Nick1994]

It turned out to be a bent backing plate. Brakes were on slightly crooked while the drum which mated to the axle shaft was on straight.