Burning Smell

[FordF-SuperDuty]

I've been driving my Bronco more frequently and after driving for about 10 minutes we get this burning smell that isn't plastic nothing looks like it is leaking and my brother says that it gets stronger the closer he is to the trunk. When I got home I smelled around the rear wheel well and it smelt exactly like the smell but a bit stronger so I'm thinking it's from the brakes sitting for a while, does that sound plausible?

 

[73F100Shortbed]

It's possible if it was sitting for awhile. Are your axle seals possibly leaking gear lube into the brake drums?

 

[FordF-SuperDuty]

It's possible if it was sitting for awhile. Are your axle seals possibly leaking gear lube into the brake drums?

Would I check the master cylinder for to see that? It probably has been sitting for at least a month month and a half.

 

[73F100Shortbed]

If it was sitting for a month it could just be rust in the drums. To see the axle seals you would have to take the drums off.

 

[slmann]

has it been sitting with the emergency brake on the whole time?




maybe it's just burning the dust off, get that thing out and drive it. j/k

 

[FordF-SuperDuty]

has it been sitting with the emergency brake on the whole time?




maybe it's just burning the dust off, get that thing out and drive it. j/k

Yes it has, hopefully it just that.

 

[FordF-SuperDuty]

Chris in NJ told me that he thinks that my shoes are a bit tight or the e-brake isn't full letting off. Thoughts?

 

[countryboytn]

even if they aren't fully releasing, I'd just keep driving it. Aslong as they aren't smoking they will wear down in a little while and will be fine.

Lock up so tight they are smoking is a different story though. Been there done that... not fun.

 

[FordF-SuperDuty]

even if they aren't fully releasing, I'd just keep driving it. Aslong as they aren't smoking they will wear down in a little while and will be fine.

Lock up so tight they are smoking is a different story though. Been there done that... not fun.

Yeah, if not I I think I might of found a D60/10.25 combo for 100.

 

[LEB Ben]

^^^That's a smoking deal, but seized brakes aren't enough of a reason to the swap on one of the cleanest and most original Broncos in the country IMO.


FWIW...I'd dive in to this a little further and check and see what's actually going on. If the brakes are hanging up, excess heat could cause warpage and then you're staring at having a drum turned or buying new...no big deal, but if you can save the coin, why not. Especially if all you have to do is back off the shoe a hair. And if it's an axle seal, again dive in and check for residue and witness marks. Should just be a matter of taking the tire off, rotating the little star wheel on the back side of the drum and pulling the hub off. 5 minutes of doing, 5 minutes of checking and 5 minutes of re-assembly.

 

[FordF-SuperDuty]

^^^That's a smoking deal, but seized brakes aren't enough of a reason to the swap on one of the cleanest and most original Broncos in the country IMO.


FWIW...I'd dive in to this a little further and check and see what's actually going on. If the brakes are hanging up, excess heat could cause warpage and then you're staring at having a drum turned or buying new...no big deal, but if you can save the coin, why not. Especially if all you have to do is back off the shoe a hair. And if it's an axle seal, again dive in and check for residue and witness marks. Should just be a matter of taking the tire off, rotating the little star wheel on the back side of the drum and pulling the hub off. 5 minutes of doing, 5 minutes of checking and 5 minutes of re-assembly.

Hopefully I'll get to that this weekend, how would I go about adjusting the shoe and pulling the hub? And for the axles even if I don't swap them in I might still get them and try to re sell them for big profit since that pair is easily worth a 1000.

 

[countryboytn]

it's not to bad, they make a special wrench for it (I have one) but just use pliers and turn the little sprocket thing on the bottom, after you take the drum off. If it's anything like my Chevy truck atleast... I haven't looked at my Bronco's rear brakes.

 

[73F100Shortbed]

Chris in NJ told me that he thinks that my shoes are a bit tight or the e-brake isn't full letting off. Thoughts?

That is entirely possible. Jack up the rear wheels and make sure they spin freely. If your shoes are adjusted properly you should be able to spin by hand, but feel a slight drag. You should be able to spin with one hand.

 

[Austin]

has it been sitting with the emergency brake on the whole time?

Dang, done that. True story. In the Chevelle, too!

 

[1985 Ford F-150]

Id say its the emergency brake hangin up make sure its fully released in the cab then go underneath and pull on the cable.

 

[FordF-SuperDuty]

I drove it again today and got the same smell but later on. I'm driving with the rear window open too, since it's starting later I'm hoping it's rusty drums.

 

[LEB Ben]

Have you popped the tire and hub off yet??????? With how little time it takes, you could save yourself some worrying and potentially a good bit of coin. It could be rusty drums, or maybe the seal is blown and it's gear lube burning off and you're gonn burn up your rear end. Who knows, but brakes and gear lube have two distinctly different smells. IMO if the smell hasn't gone away yet, the rust theory is out the window...it shouldn't take very long at all to clean up those surfaces, especially with as little rust that will accumulate over the course of a month.

 

[FordF-SuperDuty]

Have you popped the tire and hub off yet??????? With how little time it takes, you could save yourself some worrying and potentially a good bit of coin. It could be rusty drums, or maybe the seal is blown and it's gear lube burning off and you're gonn burn up your rear end. Who knows, but brakes and gear lube have two distinctly different smells. IMO if the smell hasn't gone away yet, the rust theory is out the window...it shouldn't take very long at all to clean up those surfaces, especially with as little rust that will accumulate over the course of a month.

I've only driven I'd say 6 miles since the smell started and that's at low speed too, I haven't pulled the hub but I think I'm going to do it this weekend. Can you give me a quick runthrough on how to do that since I'm all thumbs when it comes to this kind of stuff. Dang, I really need to find a shop manual on ebay.

 

[LEB Ben]

Can you give me a quick runthrough on how to do that since I'm all thumbs when it comes to this kind of stuff. Dang, I really need to find a shop manual on ebay.

^^^Should just be a matter of taking the tire off, rotating the little star wheel on the back side of the drum and pulling the hub off. 5 minutes of doing, 5 minutes of checking and 5 minutes of re-assembly.

The local parts store also has Haynes and Chilton books.


Anyway, like I posted earlier, jack up the rear of your Bronco, since it's centered, I usually go with a floor jack under the pumpkin and a jack stand about half way out the axle, so have room to work with the brakes. So pull the tire off. Then look on the back side of the drum...there should be about a 1" long slot centered on the bottom half of the rear of the drum. This slot will be just big enough for a flat blade screw driver or the special tool (looks kinda like a mini crow bar). On the other side of that slot will be a star wheel...you want to rotate that (can't remember up or down) so the shoes will release a little bit. You need the shoes to relase because, like it or not, grooves form on the drum or pad and they inter-lock. So once you back the shoe off enough, you should be able to just slide the hub off.

 

[1985 Ford F-150]

Id just jack it up and try to spin the tires by hand to see if thats the problem. If it turns freely by hand then it aint the brakes if it dont turn easily then its either the parkin brake is stuck, drums are rusted or the shoes are out of adjustment. After ya get the tire off try to pull the drum off before messin with the adjusters I adjust mine to where I can get the drum off and on easily. When ya spin the tire listen for any noise that has to do with it turnin. To adjust the brakes youll need a regular screwdriver and a smaller one to push the lock away from the star wheel so you can turn it and collapse the brakes. First get your bigger flat tip and find the star wheel turn it one way or the other till ya find out which way it makes a ratcheting sound. For example pullin down on the handle of the screw driver makes it ratchet. Ya then need your little flat tip to push the little lock towards the outside of the truck and then get your bigger flat tip and turn the star wheel the opposite way it ratchets.