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familyman_2's avatar
familyman_2
Explorer
Aug 14, 2016

Rear driver tire smoking after stop and go traffic

Hello everyone,
So I'm sitting behind a church in the shade waiting for my wheel to cool down so I thought I'd take a few minutes and ask for your help.
I95 is stop and go ( pulling trailer with the f150) lots of stop. I smell rubber burning so we pull over and see the rear driver tire smoking, actually can't see the source but assume it's the very hot rim heating the tire causing the smoking.
No braking issues. No pulling left or right. The car rolls forward when I release the brake pedal so I don't think its a stuck caliper.
Any ideas any one?.... While I sit and wait.
Oh and it's 95 plus outside today.

25 Replies

  • Hot rim, could be sticking brake, or axle bearing.

    Chock the wheels, jack up the left rear and turn the wheel, listen for noise such as dragging brake or grinding sound. Chock the front wheels and do this with engine off, parking brake off and transmission in neutral.

    If it is something making the wheel hot causing tire melt then it is bearing or brakes.

    Also check the tire all the way around, could be something got caught underneath and was rubbing the tire, it may have fallen away but could have damaged the tire and in the heat that can cause the tire to fail as well.

    Where are you stranded?