Reader Question
Right rear brake drum gets hot when driving. the brake is not dragging, when jacked up while hot wheel spins freely. Any idea whats going on?
thanks!!
Mark
Hey Mark,
I am assuming you have checked the temperature of the other wheels as well, and the right rear is MUCH hotter than the other 3, correct? I would expect all of them to be pretty warm, but evenly warm.
Your front brakes might not be doing as much of the brake work as the rears
or:
1. The left rear brake is out of adjustment and not doing its even share of stopping, or the brake shoes are on backwards…seen this happen before. Check both rear brakes for proper adjustment.
Raise the rear end, have someone step LIGHTLY on brake pedal with engine off and see if both rear wheels are adjusted evenly. Repeat the step with engine ON, both rear wheels should be snug on light pedal, and both unable to turn on medium brake pedal application.
2. Check the thickness of the brake drums, they should be the same. Also look for any abnormal wear on both drums that would indicate misaligned shoes or interference with the brake shoe on the drum.
You might want to swap left and right drums and see if the left side develops the same issue. The drum could be warped and need turning or replacing.
Blessings
Austin Davis