Right Rear brake getting hot without heavy use?

[Bloke]

G'day lads. Today on the way home when I parked up, smelled a strong scent of brakes. Smell was particularly strong at the drivers side and so just happened to check the right rear wheel. I could hear the sound of cooling metal "tink tink tink" and could not leave my hand on the rim, it was that hot!! I checked the other 3 wheels which were ok.

Any ideas as to how one wheel could have gotten so hot. Also to note I was on highway cruising without any warranted heavy use - as such other 3 wheels being okay.

[wilsonjeep]

Most common cause is a hand brake lining let go inside the rear disk , the original linings are prone to doing this.

[Clarky]

Either the park brake shoes have un-bonded & are rubbing (they do that) or the plastic piston in the caliper has deformed & won’t allow the pad to retract far enough (they do that too)

Replacement metal piston
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Jeep-Gran...ht_7573wt_1186

Replacement p/brake pads
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/JEEP-GRAN...ht_1061wt_1153

I will bet its the park brake

Beat me by that much wilsonjeep

[wes]

Are you sure it's the brake?
I had a shot axle bearing on my TJ - after a short drive the rim was too hot to touch, even had smoke coming off it.

[Bloke]

Damn.!! Well I can't rule out a bearing I suppose. But was definite smell of brake material burning. Also no sounds of bearing noise etc. Also I went for another short drive and didn't seem to get too hot. Might well be the lining or piston. I will take the disc off to investigate. Cheers.

[Heifer Boy]

I had a similar thing on the front left brake about a year or so ago and ended up on the back of tow truck to get home. I was dropped off just as all my neighbours decided to to have a chat out the front of the house. Lots of Jeep comments that day...

It just turned out to be sticky pistons. The plastic pistons themselves were ok after a cleanup but the rubber accordion boots were shot so let in some gunk. I bought 4 new ones from Morris 4x4 for less than the cost of one from Chrysler Aus and did both calipers. Simple.

HB

[Hoobz]

I had the exact same thing as you Bloke. Right rear. Same noise and heat.

Mine was an easy diagnosis. I had just changed the pads. The pistons were dirty, when I pushed them in to fit the new thicker pads dirt got trapped in there enough to bind them.

A quick clean and brake lube and never happened again.