Right drum brake binding?

[hostage]

After I towed my boat back from the late on Friday some friends noticed that there was smoke coming off one of my tires. I got my water hose and steam came off. The next day I drove it around my cud-da-sac and then down to the end of the street and back without noticing any binding. I parked it and felt that the drum on the problem side was noticeable warmer than the one non-problem side. the next day I jacked the trailer up and tried adjusting the drum, though I am unsure if it even worked. I had the wife spin the wheel, then I would actuate the surge brake with a screw driver and that would stop the wheel. I opened up the master cyl reservoir and the Dot 3 fluid color was orange like rust. I am thinking about bleeding my brake lines then adding new fluid. Anyway I suggestion on how to address the binding of one brake?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Pull it all apart and inspect everything.

It's possible that the other side isn't working.

Look for a leaking wheel cylinder also since contaminated shoes can get grabby.

 

[gm280]

If this were my trailer and brake problem, I would remove the drums and remove everything and clean, inspect and repair them with new shoes and certainly drain all the fluid and replenish with new brake fluid. I would even disassemble the wheel adjusters and re-grease them so they moved freely without any issue. Any and all rust would be removed and even paint the parts if need be. It isn't hard work but surely sounds like it hasn't been serviced in a very long time. And if there is any sign of leaking in any of the wheel cylinder, or the master cylinder, they would get replaced as well. If you can't depend on the brakes, why even have them... Remember, it is a ton easier and safer to do that type work at you home and on your time then sitting along side the highway making repairs with vehicles whizzing by. JMHO

 

[Silvertip]

If the inside of the wheel is streaked with grease you found the problem. Grease on brake shoes is a no-no and can cause binding to the point where you need to back up to release the shoe.

 

[AMetzger]

It could be the wheel bearings overheating. Did you just repack them? I repacked mine last year and the hub (and drum brake) on one side was very hot from just a short journey (2 miles). The other side was fine. Turns out I had tightened the spindle nut too much when I reassembled. You're supposed to back it off 1/8 of a turn or so once it's tight. After readjusting, the hub (and brake drum) were cool to the touch in that same 2 mile journey... and just warm after 50 miles...

 

[hostage]

Hrmm...I never have repakted the bearings, but I did add bearing buddies and I add new grease as needed.

 

[bruceb58]

Hrmm...I never have repakted the bearings, but I did add bearing buddies and I add new grease as needed.

Pull your drum and see if there is grease all over the place. Biggest problem people do with Bearing Buddys are to add grease all the time. Once the hub us full, it is full. Adding more grease blows out the rear seal

 

[NYBo]

I wouldn't trust the hydraulics with rust in the master cylinder. I would replace the master cylinder, lines, and wheel cylinders. If the shoes are also shot, complete backing plate assemblies would be easier and possibly cheaper that buying the individual parts separately. This could also be an opportune time to switch to disk brakes.