ishyid

New here...

I just recently came into possession of a 2002 Chevy Suburban. I drove it about 25 miles today. When I exited the vehicle, I smelt something hot. After some investigating, I narrowed it down to the rear wheels. The rims themselves where hot to the touch. Not so hot you couldn't touch them, but pretty warm. I checked the front wheels, both where cool to the touch. But both the drivers and passenger side are hot. I first checked to make sure the parking brake was fully disengaged, which it was. My thoughts on what may be causing this is either A- the rear brakes are rubbing for some reason or B-the hubs/bearings are shot. I know that the vehicle has never received new hub bearings and it is somewhere in the ballpark of 75k miles. Possibly less than that (the dash odometer display is out due to the stupid solder behind the display being broken....)

My question to you all with much more experience than me with working on vehicles, am I on the right track to thinking what may be causing this? Or can it be something else? What are ways I can test or troubleshoot to get to the cause?

Thanks all.

tech2

assuming rear disc brakes??
bad bearings would be noisy and would not heat a rim. the brakes are seized. raise the rear wheels on jack stands and put the trans in neutral...remove the tires...spin the hub...if its dragging...remove the caliper...if its still tight...remove the caliper bracket and pads...
check to see if the pads are stuck in the bracket or the calipers can be easily pushed back...use a piston depressor not a c clamp.

PNW NBS Z71

You keep saying checked this and that but not how it was checked. The rear needs checked like @tech2 said. There are no hubs at the rear either. They are at the front. The rear has bearings and seals at the ends of the axle housing. You are dragging something at the rear. make sure you also inspect for a pinched metal brake line or hose problem that you cannot see but the hose is breaking down on the inside. Rust belt areas are notorious for causing caliper slide problems. You want to see even wear at the rear pads as well.

ishyid

Driving it home this morning after work, I am certain its the rear brake pads dragging. After driving highway speed and then applying brakes, i fell the vibration in the brakes like a warped rotor. But only when they are driven at that speed for a period of time. I will be checking everything you all said. I live in Washington state, so it could be rust, but doubtful due to the streets not getting salt like other states do that would speed up the rusting/corrosion. The rig isn't driven often at all. It has sat probably 9 out of the last 12 months. Best guesses on what would cause not just one, but both of the rear brakes to get stuck closed?

Let me add that after the feeling of the warped rotor and sever smelling of brunt brake pads, I took side streets and took it slow the rest of my way home. Im already aware that new rotors and pads are more than likely going to be needed after suspecting the rotor to now be warped from overheating.

repairman54

If caliper pins are free and pads are not frozen in their slides, E brake is releasing then I would make sure caliper pistons retract easily to rule out them sticking. If calipers check OK then I would suspect the brake hose that goes from center of rear end to the body. They can fail internally and cause pressure to remain in the calipers so they do not fully release. That center hose would affect both wheels. It's very unusual for both calipers to hang up, but it happens. Brake hose issues are not common either but it happens. In 50 yrs of vehicles I've only had one brake hose issue and it actually was both front hoses on a Sable that I bought used. Hard pedal and weak brake application was it's issue and it made my brain hurt figuring that out and I'm a very experienced wrench.