Rear Brake Drum overheating - just 1

[peteinnit]

Hi all,
Wondering if anyone has experienced the following, it might be a little long winded......

So, preparing for a road trip after 2 years of sitting idle, everything seemed good, but put the van into my local VW specialist in Hastings for the once over, which included strip clean and adjust the rear brakes. All was good until 40 miles down the road I had no brakes! Pulled over and the near side drum was steaming and had boiled the fluid. Offside was hot but touchable. Limped it back to garage where they stripped it again, could find nothing wrong, nothing binding etc, so tried again. 40 miles later it was steaming hot again, but the wheel still moved, so brake shoes don't seem to be binding. Back to garage again for another strip, checking hoses, pressure, new fluid, although still can'd find anything obviously amiss. Tried again this morning and another 40 miles, this time the nearside hub is still very hot, but touchable and the offside is just warm. 

It's got the garage scratching their heads and they're very experienced. The problem is only affecting the offside rear, which would normally rule out master cylinder and servo issues as that would normally affect multiple brakes.

The wheel moves when it's hot so it doesn't seem to be shoes binding, but don't know what else would make it hot on one side. It's back at the garage now and next step is to put it on a rolling road see if that turns up anything, brake hoses are also going to be replaced (even though they look and tested fine).

Anyone ever come across something similar, or got any ideas? 

Thanks,
Peter

[tobydog]

Hose's perished inside causing a one way valve effect, not allowing fluid to return to the master cylinder....

[peteinnit]

Thanks for the reply.

The hoses were replaced today and took it for an hours test run. Hubs were both similar temperature, hot to touch, but could leave my fingers on them. Trouble now is I'm a little paranoid and wondering how hot normal operating temperature should be. I know there's a lot of variables, but is there a temperature that would be considered too hot in normal use? Took a temp reading once back at the garage and they were around 40 degrees after cooling for 5 minutes, so probably between 40 and 50 when I felt them. Until the offside rear boiled the fluid I'd never felt them whilst using, so don't know what they were like before all this, so could be hunting for gremlins that aren't there.

Will take it for a longer test tomorrow and see if there's any difference

[TONYT25T25]

Just a thought, have you checked the handbrake cable, and is balanced across both axles and releases after use. Would a worn wheel bearing be the cause also.

[peteinnit]

Hiya, the handbrake cable was checked and adjusted and all seems good. Took it for a longer run today, couple of hours and seems much better, I can keep my fingers on drums, so thinking this is normal operating temp, although near side still feels a little hotter. Wheels move freely once stopped as well, so I think it's just how it is, but something to keep an eye on for longer trips. Did think about bearings too, but pre MoT check didn't spot anything there.

Thanks.