thebottomfish
Member
Sorry if this is in the wrong section, couldn't really find a better place to put it...if it needs to be moved I apologize.
I was towing my V20 down to my Marina with a single axle trailer, no trailer brakes, with my 99 Durango.
The Durango is well equipt and has a tow rating of 7,650 so no worries there.
It has 4 wheel anti lock brakes, disks up front drums in the rear. Now to be brutally honest, the brakes are probably nearing the end of their life at all 4 corners, maybe another 5-7k miles in them.
I towed from exit 168 to 132 to stop at the rest stop and when I got out I smelled the brakes roasting.
Check tire pressure, all within range, all the same, trailer tires good as well.
Took an IR gun and read temps of 90 degrees at the disks, 95 degrees on the trailer hubs and 180 and 160(passenger and driver side respectively) on the drums. Ambient temperature about 70 degrees.
After letting them cool down, and checking to make sure they weren't sticking I ran down to the rest stop at 100 and when I got out drums now showed 90 degrees each side, so success? When I got to my marina in brick the drums were hot again, at 160ish. But no burning smell this time.
Ran home without boat and pulled into the driveway with the drums at 80 degrees each side.
My question is, is there so much pressure(weight) on the rear brakes while towing that they could heat up that much? Or do you think it was the brakes dragging sporadically. I definitely used the brakes more on the first leg and third leg of the trip and that's when they showed the highest readings. It's my first vehicle with drums and I'm not sure if I can expect this is normal from the rears.
I know my Grand Cherokee front and rear disks get about 15 degrees warmer when towing but it's pretty even between axles.
Regardless I'll be changing the brakes, but more curiosity than anything else.
Any insight?
I was towing my V20 down to my Marina with a single axle trailer, no trailer brakes, with my 99 Durango.
The Durango is well equipt and has a tow rating of 7,650 so no worries there.
It has 4 wheel anti lock brakes, disks up front drums in the rear. Now to be brutally honest, the brakes are probably nearing the end of their life at all 4 corners, maybe another 5-7k miles in them.
I towed from exit 168 to 132 to stop at the rest stop and when I got out I smelled the brakes roasting.
Check tire pressure, all within range, all the same, trailer tires good as well.
Took an IR gun and read temps of 90 degrees at the disks, 95 degrees on the trailer hubs and 180 and 160(passenger and driver side respectively) on the drums. Ambient temperature about 70 degrees.
After letting them cool down, and checking to make sure they weren't sticking I ran down to the rest stop at 100 and when I got out drums now showed 90 degrees each side, so success? When I got to my marina in brick the drums were hot again, at 160ish. But no burning smell this time.
Ran home without boat and pulled into the driveway with the drums at 80 degrees each side.
My question is, is there so much pressure(weight) on the rear brakes while towing that they could heat up that much? Or do you think it was the brakes dragging sporadically. I definitely used the brakes more on the first leg and third leg of the trip and that's when they showed the highest readings. It's my first vehicle with drums and I'm not sure if I can expect this is normal from the rears.
I know my Grand Cherokee front and rear disks get about 15 degrees warmer when towing but it's pretty even between axles.
Regardless I'll be changing the brakes, but more curiosity than anything else.
Any insight?
