After 30 miles of Driving Vibration and Smoke from Front Wheel Well

[Ludville1]

About 3 weeks ago I brought my truck (2009 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 5.7 Hemi) into the shop because after about 30 miles of driving at around 55 mph the truck had a bad vibration from the front end, and when stopped a bad smell and smoke from the driver's side front wheel well, and both front wheels were hot to the touch. The shop suspected brakes hanging up, and said that they resurfaced the front brake pads and cleaned and lubed the calipers. After the repairs I drove the truck the 6 miles home and parked it, seemed fine. Well today I took the same 30 mile drive and it does exactly the same thing, at exactly the same time and distance of the drive. Obviously the truck is going back to the shop, but wow, ok until about 30 miles into a drive? Crazy, any thoughts or experience with something like this? Also ABS, Brake, Traction Control, ESP and BAS lights are on but have been on for a long time.

 

[Fatbob Frank]

Wheel bearings maybe?

 

[Ludville1]

Was wondering about wheel bearings/hub also? Seems like a common issue with these older Rams.

 

[Fatbob Frank]

Was wondering about wheel bearings/hub also? Seems like a common issue with these older Rams.

I had to replace the left one on my 2008 Big Horn at 70k...

 

[Ludville1]

I had to replace the left one on my 2008 Big Horn at 70k...

Wow! Were your symptoms similar to mine?

 

[rzr6-4]

If you have an ABS light, and you are having heat build up on both sides, I'm still thinking a brake issue. I had a sticking guide pin on mine so I pulled it apart and cleaned it, just to have a seized piston as well. You may still have problem calipers or it could be further up like a master cylinder issue.

Wheel bearing is possible, but 1) if they are that bad you should be able to hear them and 2) both of them failing at the same time would be very odd.

 

[Mojo88]

First, you gotta determine what's actually heating up. Get a handheld IR gun (Amazon or Home Depot has them for ~$25) and measure rotor temps at different driving intervals. If only one rotor is heating up, then you can pretty much assume the problem is isolated to that side. But if both rotors are getting hot, then the problem might be systemic. You mention all sorts of CEL's.... well, IMHO the priority would be to get those correctly diagnosed and repaired. And we're talking about the brake system here, which is actually a life & death issue.

Stay safe

 

[Daw14]

Sticking piston in brake caliper. All the symptoms, smell , heat , vibration.

 

[62Blazer]

I wouldn't expect a bad wheel bearing to cause those types of issues. I've seen many bad front wheel bearings and have only seen one get so hot it started smoking....actually caught on fire. There was no mistake what happened and it didn't cool down and get better until you drove another 30 miles. However I would check to make sure they aren't loose and maybe wobbling enough to cause issues.
I would really expect the brakes are dragging and it just takes that long to get hot enough to start smoking. You can have a bad rubber brake line (from the wheel to chassis) that breaks down internally and doesn't let the pressure release from the brake caliper. It's not that uncommon. Another issue could be the brake calipers normally get fairly hot, and as they get hot the metal expands and can cause them to start seizing.

 

[Docwagon1776]

Wheel bearings will usually make a grindy noise you can hear at low speeds well before they get that problematic.

 

[mboymopar]

About 3 weeks ago I brought my truck (2009 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 5.7 Hemi) into the shop because after about 30 miles of driving at around 55 mph the truck had a bad vibration from the front end, and when stopped a bad smell and smoke from the driver's side front wheel well, and both front wheels were hot to the touch. The shop suspected brakes hanging up, and said that they resurfaced the front brake pads and cleaned and lubed the calipers. After the repairs I drove the truck the 6 miles home and parked it, seemed fine. Well today I took the same 30 mile drive and it does exactly the same thing, at exactly the same time and distance of the drive. Obviously the truck is going back to the shop, but wow, ok until about 30 miles into a drive? Crazy, any thoughts or experience with something like this? Also ABS, Brake, Traction Control, ESP and BAS lights are on but have been on for a long time.

If you have a jack lift that side off the ground.
Grab the tire shake from left to right if it’s loose it’s the wheel bearings.

 

[Ludville1]

If you have an ABS light, and you are having heat build up on both sides, I'm still thinking a brake issue. I had a sticking guide pin on mine so I pulled it apart and cleaned it, just to have a seized piston as well. You may still have problem calipers or it could be further up like a master cylinder issue.

Wheel bearing is possible, but 1) if they are that bad you should be able to hear them and 2) both of them failing at the same time would be very odd.

Thanks for the input!

 

[Fatbob Frank]

Wow! Were your symptoms similar to mine?

I don't know I was on the way back from Texas when the steering went shimmy so I hit the next exit ramp which was only about 1/4 mile thankfully...
Hub and rotor were glowing red .
Front wheel was so hot you couldn't touch it.
Fortunately I was only a couple hours from home...

 

[Ludville1]

Update: Just got a call from the shop. They took it for a 20+ mile drive, and said that both rear and the front driver's side calipers are hanging up. So they said 3 new calipers and pads for $900+, and said that they would not charge labor because the last time they had it (3 weeks ago) they did a front and rear brake inspection, cleaned and lubed the calipers, and resurfaced the brake pads (cost me $250). I asked them to give me a break on parts, and they said yes, I'm not sure how much. I told them that I thought that brakes were the biggest rip off in automotive, with the ridiculous parts mark up.

 

[rzr6-4]

Update: Just got a call from the shop. They took it for a 20+ mile drive, and said that both rear and the front driver's side calipers are hanging up. So they said 3 new calipers and pads for $900+, and said that they would not charge labor because the last time they had it (3 weeks ago) they did a front and rear brake inspection, cleaned and lubed the calipers, and resurfaced the brake pads (cost me $250). I asked them to give me a break on parts, and they said yes, I'm not sure how much. I told them that I thought that brakes were the biggest rip off in automotive, with the ridiculous parts mark up.

You could probly do it yourself for 1/3-1/2 the price, but at least you got it figured out. Thanks for the update.

 

[Ludville1]

You could probly do it yourself for 1/3-1/2 the price, but at least you got it figured out. Thanks for the update.

Agreed, thank you!

 

[Docwagon1776]

Update: Just got a call from the shop. They took it for a 20+ mile drive, and said that both rear and the front driver's side calipers are hanging up. So they said 3 new calipers and pads for $900+, and said that they would not charge labor because the last time they had it (3 weeks ago) they did a front and rear brake inspection, cleaned and lubed the calipers, and resurfaced the brake pads (cost me $250). I asked them to give me a break on parts, and they said yes, I'm not sure how much. I told them that I thought that brakes were the biggest rip off in automotive, with the ridiculous parts mark up.

3 weeks ago they lubed the calipers and now they are sticking?

That's a clue.

 

[Ludville1]

The shop ended up replacing both front calipers, rotors, pads, and rear calipers and pads. Took it for the 30+ mile test drive loop, and it drives perfect! Much better than it has in a very long time. The truck hardly gets driven so I believe that this caliper dragging issue has been going on for quite some time. The truck is a beast, and the engine runs very strong and is mechanically very quiet. Unfortunately, it's time to sell it, as I just don't need it anymore, the truck just sits.

 

[Rado]

Interesting read !
Thanks for updating !
It is nice the shop ate the labor!
I agree part mark ups can be crazy :O

 

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

Unfortunately, it's time to sell it, as I just don't need it anymore, the truck just sits.

Cheaper to keep her, the brakes are all new!!!