I have a 96 GXE Automatic. Coming back from a long holiday drive, I started hearing a grinding from my back passenger wheel. When I pulled over and looked at the wheel, I could see a red glow from beneath the wheel. I wasnt able to pull off the wheel yet, does anyone have any idea of what I might expect to see. I have NEVER saw anything like this before, it was almost as if the wheel (not the tire) was on fire.

 

I'm not sure on this one, just throwing out an idea but it might be some brake component stuck. Caliper might be stuck or something? I don't know. I do know that after running a road coarse with a lot of hard braking the front brakes will glow red hot like what you described. Being a FWD car though there's no reason the rears should be like that unless it's stuck or something.

Just an idea.

Chris

 

Possible causes include
- failed wheel bearing
- sticking brake caliper
- handbrake cable frozen

 

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What is the easiest way to tell if the wheel bearing is faile???
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I've had two wheel bearings break on me. I would describe the noise as a constant grinding noise and a slight grinding feel, almost as if something is dragging on the ground...Go and get it checked out...

 

You will have to investigate all possibilities.
1) Raise the car.
2) Support it on sturdy jackstands.
3) Attempt to spin the wheel. If it spins freely but makes ugly sounds the bearing may be damaged. If it won't spin at all the brake is applied. This could be a sticking caliper or a frozen hand brake cable.
4) Grab the top of the tire (12 o'clock) and push away from yourself and pull toward yourself. Yank it to and fro in this fashion several times. If there is noticeable free play or an audible "clunking" sound, the wheel bearing is probably damaged.
5) Remove the wheel. Inspect the brake. Have an assistant alternately apply and release the handbrake. Observe the handbrake mechanism for normal movement. If it doesn't move at all, the handbrake is frozen. Repair as required. This might involve repairs to the cable or the caliper.
6) Release the caliper and swing it away from the rotor, just as you would for a normal brake pad replacement. Remove the pads and inspect them. If one pad is worn much more than the other, that is a sign of a sticking caliper. If the pads are badly worn, replace the pads on both rear wheels.
7) Push the piston back into the caliper. This requires a special tool, but you may be able to do it with an ordinary pair of long-nosed pliers. If the piston refuses to move, it is frozen with rust inside the caliper. Rebuild or replace the caliper.
8) If the rotor is plainly discolored you may choose to replace it. If it is cracked or deeply grooved you must replace it.
9) You may determine that the brake caused this severe overheated condition. Even so, you should disassemble the wheel bearing, clean it, and repack it with fresh grease. The reason is that a red-hot brake may have burned away the wheel bearing grease.

You will find useful advice and pictures in the Haynes manual (pages 9-7 through 9-9).

 

When I use the e-brake these days my right caliper has ben locking up so that I need to get under the car and hit the caliper lever (dont know what it is called) to free up the car. I replaced BOTH e-brake cable with new cables yesterday and last night the car's passenger side locked up again. Same problem. I am assuming now that the e-brake cables are not the problem...I am now thinking that I need a new rear caliper or both. I would like to avoid this. KNowing the price of calipers, I would like to try to fix the ones I got because they are working fine otherwise from the frozen e-brake component in the right side. What should I do? Would rebuilding the one side work? Does this sometimes happen with the e-brake/caliper assembly? What should be my course of action? Oh and my car rolls even with the new e-brakes bulled halfway up...my old sentra never rolled with the e-brake engaged. I like my e-brake a lot in the winter and I want it to work perfectly...that is why I got all new cables. ANy help would be much appreciated.

Thanks