Nissan Navara Problem

Funkfield

Having a slight problem. Wondering if anyone can shed a bit of light on it before i bring it in.

I have a 01 Navara. Noticed in the last couple of weeks that the front left tyre has been heating up slightly on long drives, or after a bout of stop/start traffic.

Just went for a spin there and noticed that the truck is draggin a bit to the left. When I got home there was a smell of burning from under the wheel arch and the wheel hub was too hot to touch. I flicked some water off my finger onto it just to check, and it sizzled.

Could I have a locked on brake pad? Or is there anything else it might be? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

mlmcelligott

Jack up the wheel and try to spin it. If it’s stiff then it could be a stick brake calliper

Funkfield

mlmcelligott wrote: »

Jack up the wheel and try to spin it. If it’s stiff then it could be a stick brake calliper

And could a stuck calliper create that much heat? And the drag?

mlmcelligott

Funkfield wrote: »

And could a stuck calliper create that much heat? And the drag?

yip, the caliper holds the brake pads in place and exerts a force on the pads which in turn compress the disk when the brakes are applied. I'd jack up both sides and compare how much effort it takes to spin each wheel.

it might not be the brakes at all either, it could be a worn wheel bearing which would heat up the hub too.

Funkfield

mlmcelligott wrote: »

yip, the caliper holds the brake pads in place and exerts a force on the pads which in turn compress the disk when the brakes are applied. I'd jack up both sides and compare how much effort it takes to spin each wheel.

it might not be the brakes at all either, it could be a worn wheel bearing which would heat up the hub too.

Aye, I had a bearing problem before. There is not noticeable grinding or rubbing sound when driving though. My last bearing problem created a lot of frictiona and noise.

I'll jack it up in the morning. I think it may need a professional set of hands. If i leave this too late its gonna cost a lot.

pajero12

Yep thats the bearing thats on the way out,Be careful with it.The rear bearing on our last jeep seized completely!

Cmar-Ireland

Check that the tire is not under inflated. That would also cause a drag or pull to the side, and being under inflated would cause the tire to heat up considerably.

CJhaughey

Cmar-Ireland wrote: »

Check that the tire is not under inflated. That would also cause a drag or pull to the side, and being under inflated would cause the tire to heat up considerably.

OP was talking about heat so hot that water would sizzle off the hub.
That is more than low pressure in a tyre.

Slidey

OP, I would imagine it is the brake caliper sticking.

Does the disc have a blueish tint to it?

If it was the wheel bearing chances are you would have broke down on the side of the road by the time the heat got enough to cause a sizzle

Funkfield

Slidey wrote: »

OP, I would imagine it is the brake caliper sticking.

Does the disc have a blueish tint to it?

If it was the wheel bearing chances are you would have broke down on the side of the road by the time the heat got enough to cause a sizzle

Cheers for all the posts. I haven't had time to jack up the truck yet but I have had to do short spins in it and I've been very mindful of any friction/noise coming from the wheel.
There hasn't been the same level of problem since. The two front wheels would heat up a bit and the front left might be slightly hotter than the front right.
I have noticed that after applying the breaks coming up to lights etc, I have noticed a small sound coming from that general area. Like a dull click. It'd happen just the once while the truck was idling.
Could this possibly be a caliper unsticking itself?
Long story short though, I need to get it sorted.
Cheers.