Hot Hubs

[TrailChaser]

I drove my wife to work this morning and then back home to change the brake line on the drivers front side (about 15 miles)... When I jack the truck up and took the lug nuts off I noticed they were HOT... To hot to just stand there holding in my hand. I then went around checking all the hubs and the other side was real hot also.

 

I called O'Reilly and they said it's gonna be about $55 for the "cheap" bearings and seals... Does anyone have any tips about replacing the bearing to make the job a little easier? It'll be my first time messing with the bearing on anything other than bicycles and farm equiptment...

[Precise1]

Well, I'm not going to go into bearings yet, because that may not be the issue, it could be the brakes. If you calipers are rubbing they will heat up the rotor like that also (I will assume you were not in stop and go traffic or live at the bottom of a long hill). Could be that you need to bleed the brakes, could be that the slide pins that allow the calipers to release are crudded up, or it could be the bearings. I'd guess the brakes first though. How do the wheels spin when off the ground ?? Can you feel the calipers dragging ? Does the wheel have play like the bearings are loose ? If you step on the brake and release does it take a few moments for the tire to become spinable again ?? Take a few minutes and play around with these things just so you don't "fix" the wrong thing... Let us know.

 

Bernard

[TrailChaser]

Thanks for the reply Precise1.

First off I live in the traffic light jungle aka SW Houston and the 15 miles is ALL serious stop and go traffic. I didn't know the brakes could get the rim and lugs hot... -thnkboutit-

That does make since tho... I had it in my head that it was the bearings because I showed my dad the water crossing video a while back and the first thing outa his mouth was. "I hope you plan on replacing your bearing pretty soon, cause you probly washed all the grease out of'em..."

 

When I had the tire off replacing the brake line I could spin the hub/rotor easy by hand, but not so easy I could let go and it keep spinning. It didn't feel loose or anything and not noise from trying to shake it.

 

I like the thought that it may just be the brakes heating things up from getting up to 40 mph just in time to hit the brakes again and stop at the next light over and over...