2001 G Caravan hot brakes

[Albertst]

I have a 2001 Grand Caravan with 4 wheel disc brakes. Last week I noticed my rear drivers side brake disc was exceptionally hot after driving about 12 miles. Thought my emergency brake might have been hanging up on that wheel as it wouldn't ratchet normally when applied ever since I bought it last year, although it seemed to release okay. I jacked up the rear end and both wheels would turn freely by hand but I backed off the adjustment on that wheel for the emergency brake and worked the e-brake with the disc off of each wheel and it really seemed to free up and work like new. I did notice that the whole emergency brake shoe area was contaminated with rust as if it had got wet and not dried properly. I found that this did not correct the problem so I decided to remove, clean & lubricate the emergency brake shoes and hardware. I found that the lining on the shoe on the wheel in question was cracking so I decided to get the shoes relined. When I drove without no emergency brake shoes, the wheel in question still heated up proving to me that the problem is not the emergency brake sticking on.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[KManiac]

The fact that the brakes on one wheel heat up during normal driving indicates that there is a lack of fluid pressure release at that wheel when you take your foot off the brake. This could be caused by a caliber with a sticking piston or binding guide pins. Or it could be caused by a rubber brake hose that has internal degradation.

First thing I would do is check the hydraulic lines from the rear brakes back to the master cylinder. If you find that both rear brakes share pressure from a single rubber hose, the hose is NOT the problem. If, however, you find that your problem brake uses a separate rubber hose from the others, this could be your problem hose.

What I have discovered is, that with age, the internal surfaces of these rubber brake hoses can degrade, possibly causing a flap of rubber to bend down and act like a check valve, slowing or even preventing the brake fluid from returning to the master cylinder upon release of the brake pedal. Of course, the seal on this is not perfect and the pressure will release slowly over time. So after sitting and cooling down, the wheel will turn freely again until the next time the brake pedal is applied. If both of your rear brakes share the same hose, then both brakes will bind together if this hose is the problem. So knowing how the hydraulic system is arranged will help you with the diagnosis.

A few things you failed to mention were the mileage of your car and how much brake pad you have left on the rear wheels. If your rear brake pads are more than 75% worn down, the sticky piston is more likely. Also, are the pads for both rear wheels worn evenly, or is one side worn down more than the other. This is another indicator of the cause of the problem. If your pads are worn unevenly or more than 50%, I would suggest replacing them. Be sure to use a C-clamp to push the pistons back into the calipers. Also be sure to properly lubricate the caliper guide pins to allow free movement. If the pads on your problem wheel are worn more than the other and replacing the pads does not cure your problem, then I would suggest replacing the caliper on the problem wheel.

[Albertst]

I have a question regarding re-installing emergency brake shoes on a 2001 Grand Caravan containing 4 wheel disc brakes. I was able to remove the springs without removing the wheel spindles (4 bolts). The question is, is it possible and how difficult is it to re-install the emergency brake shoes and springs without removing and re-installing the spindles?