Seized brakes or hubs??????

[tysonn]

Had a run out in the traveller today.After about 5 miles the steering was shaking and power was down.Managed to struggle into a car park in second gear as its felt as if the brakes were locked solid.Front wheels were hot and molten grease was running from the hub bearing caps.Jacked the front end up and couldnt turn the wheels.Hadnt brought many tools but managed to get the caps off and spilt pins out and slackened off the castellated nuts.Thought from the grease that the problem was the hubs but still not convinced.Didnt have any tools to check the brakes.After half an hour the wheels had freed off a little so I managed (just) to get it home.The brake pedal seemed solid,i.e no movement.After a couple of hours I went back to the car and the wheels were freely turning!Have removed the wheels and drums(brake cylinders are working expanding and returning fine,they are quite recent as are the pipes,hoses etc).Removed the hubs and cant see anything untoward there either!Obviously theyre low in grease as most of it has melted out but I dont know if this was caused by the bearings siezing or the brakes sticking on.There wasnt an untoward amount of brake dust in the drums to indicate sticking on.Am a bit of a loss as to what to do next really.

[Jefftav]

The brake adjustment might be too tight or there is still air in the system causing the brake shoes to stay on or the pedal adjustment needs looking at (under the floor panel with the master cylinder) as it may not be releasing enough.

[tysonn]

Thanks I'll certainly check this although when I say recently changed it was over a year ago.Could this explain the hub grease getting so hot to flow though?
Mick

[bmcecosse]

Why on earth did you loosen the hub nuts!! You should have simply released a bleed nipple - which would have shown you there was pressure in the system - and would have released the brakes. As Jeff suggests above - lack of free play in the brake pedal - or if it's not that and you have a servo - throw it away!!

[tysonn]

Very sorry Roy for being so stupid!How I wish I hadn't wasted my schooldays smoking behind the bike shed.

[bmcecosse]

Hahahaha. Happy skool days....

[mike.perry]

Have you adjusted the handbrake recently?

[tysonn]

No I havent touched the brakes since adjustment for the MOT in June.Its the front end with the problem.