Need some Excursion wisdom...
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 402
Likes: 1
From: Burlington, Maine
Need some Excursion wisdom...
Got home from work last night, passengers side rear wheel was smoking, and damn hot to the touch. Drivers side rear was hot, but not as bad as passenger's side.
My first thought was worst case sceneries - wheel bearings. After getting it in the air, in neutral, I can turn the wheels, but, it takes a lot of effort. There's no grinding noises, but, it sounds like a brake is in constant contact. I'm in the process of taking both wheels off, but, I'm leaning towards either the brakes/calipers or the ebrake dragging. It definitely smells like hot brakes, and not diff fluid.
Any other ideas?
Thanks,
Brian
My first thought was worst case sceneries - wheel bearings. After getting it in the air, in neutral, I can turn the wheels, but, it takes a lot of effort. There's no grinding noises, but, it sounds like a brake is in constant contact. I'm in the process of taking both wheels off, but, I'm leaning towards either the brakes/calipers or the ebrake dragging. It definitely smells like hot brakes, and not diff fluid.
Any other ideas?
Thanks,
Brian
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 1,072
Likes: 0
From: Dustbowl, NV
These things are famous for sticky brake pins- the ones the pads slide on. They get crudded up and you have seen the result.
Remove, clean well, lube up with high temp lube (can't think of the name)
and you'll be good for a while. Do all corners, and depending on the stuff you drive over, determines how soon it needs to be done again.
Remove, clean well, lube up with high temp lube (can't think of the name)
and you'll be good for a while. Do all corners, and depending on the stuff you drive over, determines how soon it needs to be done again.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,336
Likes: 11
From: Danbury, CT
These things are famous for sticky brake pins- the ones the pads slide on. They get crudded up and you have seen the result.
Remove, clean well, lube up with high temp lube (can't think of the name)
and you'll be good for a while. Do all corners, and depending on the stuff you drive over, determines how soon it needs to be done again.
Remove, clean well, lube up with high temp lube (can't think of the name)
and you'll be good for a while. Do all corners, and depending on the stuff you drive over, determines how soon it needs to be done again.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 402
Likes: 1
From: Burlington, Maine
Well, after removing the axles so the hubs would spin freely, the passengers side definitely has a grinding crunching sound that I couldn't hear before. Wheel bearing. 
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Joined: Dec 2012
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From: SW Ohio
Remove caliper, then caliper bracket, make sure parking brake isn't set, then adjust the emergency/parking brake shoes down(usually rust and a lip exist in there), beat with your favorite hammer and wiggle the rotor off!
BTW I would bet you also had calipers sticking!
BTW I would bet you also had calipers sticking!
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,066
Likes: 4
From: North Texas
I had to use a slide hammer with an angle end on it. It destroyed the rotor but I was replacing it anyway. It was a royal pain to get off and my truck is a rust free Texas born truck. I wouldn't totally blame the wheel bearings until you get the brake rotor off and spin it. The ebrakes can make terrible grinding sounds.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 402
Likes: 1
From: Burlington, Maine
Remove caliper, then caliper bracket, make sure parking brake isn't set, then adjust the emergency/parking brake shoes down(usually rust and a lip exist in there), beat with your favorite hammer and wiggle the rotor off!
BTW I would bet you also had calipers sticking!
BTW I would bet you also had calipers sticking!
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 402
Likes: 1
From: Burlington, Maine
Obviously I finally got the rotors off. A little PB Blaster works wonders. The seal on the PS hub looked dry and rusty, while the one on the DS looked ok.
The PS ebrake hardware was rusty and in pretty rough shape. The DS was wet, and smelled like diff fluid, worth all kinds of crap stuck to the inside of the rotor.
Since I had to replace the seals, I went ahead and replaced the bearings and races - which I don't think were bad now, but, with 144k on its odometer, I didn't want to put those bearings back in.
Replaced the PS brake caliper since I damaged it while taking it off. Replaced the DS caliper since it had a stuck piston. New pads as well. Should be finished this morning, as long as the rain is really gone. Lost 5 hours to rain yesterday.
The PS ebrake hardware was rusty and in pretty rough shape. The DS was wet, and smelled like diff fluid, worth all kinds of crap stuck to the inside of the rotor.
Since I had to replace the seals, I went ahead and replaced the bearings and races - which I don't think were bad now, but, with 144k on its odometer, I didn't want to put those bearings back in.
Replaced the PS brake caliper since I damaged it while taking it off. Replaced the DS caliper since it had a stuck piston. New pads as well. Should be finished this morning, as long as the rain is really gone. Lost 5 hours to rain yesterday.
