Ouch! Yikes! Are these hubs supposed to be hot?

[pmeister]

After driving about 20 mins in my 94 xlt, I heard a squeel when I accelerated...but not consistently.

I parked, touched the hubs (for no real reason, I just did) and they were hot! They were about as hot as sunbacked asphalt. I was driving at night, in cold weather. Rims are also quite warm.

What gives? is this normal?

 

[Weatherman]

Have you checked to see if your front disc brake locked up? While this has never happened to me, it has happened twice on my father's 1991 Eddie Bauer. One time the driver's side front was actually smoking. I would pull the wheel off and look for signs of heat damage. I'm not sure if this is your problem, but it's a possibility.

- Ben

 

[HIX]

As far as the brakes sticking goes...
My first exp had the same problems. I took it to the shop many, many, many times. Finally They found that the brake calipers were fractured. It is hard to see. When they heat up it flexes. My rt front would lock up randomly. Red hot rotors.

Also, I would check you're bearings. I just did mine and it was fried. The outer one looked ok, but the inner was completely blown apart. My hubs were hot, and I had a scritch squeak.

Just precaution.

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HIX
91 Sport w/ 33s
"Put the hammer down, she likes it rough!"

 

[BarryM]

My hubs get quite hot when doing city driving in the summer. A lot of stop and go traffic will cause 'em to heat up. Also have your back brakes checked for adjustment - could be your fronts are doing all the work.

 

[SteveVB]

Caliper could be hanging up. Check the caliper slide rails- make sure the bracket and caliper are smooth and relube and replace the slide rails(especially now that the lube has cooked off). This should be done at each brake job- never reuse the rails its not worth it. Check this site for more on the rails.

Last summer I had the same thing happen. Pulled off the hway with a smoking drivers side. Ate lunch, smacked the caliper with a hammer and continued home 3+ hours. No probs on ride home, I loaded the caliper with new pads, pins, repack bearings. Everything OK. I would check the calipers and related items.




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Steve VB
91 Navajo
2 1/2" Rancho,
31" Goodyear AT/S

 

[Brian1]

I have had this same problem also. I found the cause of the heat to be from the brake. I changed the front brake pads and the heating of the hub went away. Now the hubs ocasionally get hot but it is from city driving for extended periods of time. One thing you might need to do if none of the above replies work is to clean and re grease the hub having the problem.

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Brian
91 XLT 4x4