brakes or wheel bearing torque?

[jjmorrse]

I discovered this forum after I traded into a 91 suburban to tow my wife's horse trailer, and everyone has been very helpful. This vehicle has sit for a while before my purchase, and I am still going through it.

I noticed bearing grease being slung out of the hubs, so my first response was that someone had overfilled the bearings with grease and it was retaining heat, then melting out. I pulled the caps, and there was no excessive grease. I pulled the outer bearings, and they were not blue. THe left had a fair amout of grease, the right was pretty dry. I pulled wheels, and repacked the outer bearings and reinstalled. I did not remove the calipers, so I just torqued the bearing nut a little past hand tight with the rotors spinning and inserted new cotter pins. After driving, 4 miles or so in town, the hubs were pretty hot. I could touch them for a few seconds or so before the pain set in. I then loosened the bearings one hole and drove about 15 highway miles, and the hubs were still pretty hot, I could touch them for about 6 seconds or so.

I am now thinking that maybe my brakes are dragging. Since the last chevy I had was a 1971 camaro, and it has been several years, I cannot remember how much drag is expected from the calipers. With the wheel off, spinning the rotor results in about 1/4 to 1/2 turn before it stops. With the wheel off, I can spin the wheel about 2 to 2 1/2 turns before it stops.

Should I retighten the bearings tighter? How will know if they are too loose? I have not lost any pedal from wheel oscillation and it seems relatively stable at 70?

If my brakes are sticking, what is a common cause? Both sides seem similar, so I doubt both calipers are out at once. Master cylinder?

Any help would be appreciated.

[82swampthing]

I think you over tightened your wheel bearings.when I do wheel bearings after they've been packed,installed and are ready to tighten up.I put the washer and nut on and by hand with a socket tighten it untill I feel a good drag in the rotor while spinning it. Then I back the nut up a 1/4 turn and put a new cotter pin in.I back it up to allow for heat expansion.You will know if thet are too loose if you put your wheel back on and feel play from the wheel itself not the tie rods or ball joints . as far as your calipers go they sound fine from what you describe too tight of wheel bearing will cause them to feel like they are draging ,unless its pulling to the left or right while driving or seems to slow down while going down hill. I would check the wheel bearings first.

[jjmorrse]

update fyi

pulled calipers, retorqued wheelbearings, they were loose.

replaced both brake hoses, deteriorated.

used c clamp to compress both calipers fully and bled out the old nasty fluid.

So far, the hubs are a lot cooler, can keep my hand on them now.

The brake pads were new, so PO probably replaced and either did not compress calipers fully, or the hoses were deteriorated inside, or the nasty fluid was full of water. The bleeders were so full of corrosion that they were completely clogged.