Not sure if I caused the stir or not I reread my post and didn't want anyone to take it the wrong way, first I was asking if its better to toss water or snow on a rim or hub to see if it sizzles or makes noise before checking for a hot wheel bearing or pounding on a tire checking for flats instead of just walking up to the hub and putting your hand on it to see if its normal, warmer than normal or hot to the touch and there's a problem, second at what temp does a hub get to start the reaction in the first place, a wheel bearing going out or a dragging brake will set it off but at what temp, if the hub or brake drum is at normal operating temp that shouldn't do it, but how much hotter does it need to be, water sizzle on the hub?, slightly before? need smoking brakes? or the sound of sizzling grease?
Most everyone has worked around hot brakes at one time or another, you pull some steep hills and you finally get to where your going and need to unload, the first thing I usually do is to see if any brake got hot or you've got flat tires or low tires, most of my trailers are lowboys and the tires are fully exposed so you do the walk around and check as you take chains and binders off and get unloaded. The initial question I had was is it better to toss some snow on or water on from a distance first before ever getting near the tire and hub when you don't hear any sizzling grease or smell anything hot or just do the normal walk around and touch the hubs and pound on the tires to check for flats? Do you need to hear or smell something for the reaction to start or at that point is it already too late? I thought the temp gun was a great suggestion now at what temp is it safe to walk up to them and do the normal walk around and work around them?
Most everyone has worked around hot brakes at one time or another, you pull some steep hills and you finally get to where your going and need to unload, the first thing I usually do is to see if any brake got hot or you've got flat tires or low tires, most of my trailers are lowboys and the tires are fully exposed so you do the walk around and check as you take chains and binders off and get unloaded. The initial question I had was is it better to toss some snow on or water on from a distance first before ever getting near the tire and hub when you don't hear any sizzling grease or smell anything hot or just do the normal walk around and touch the hubs and pound on the tires to check for flats? Do you need to hear or smell something for the reaction to start or at that point is it already too late? I thought the temp gun was a great suggestion now at what temp is it safe to walk up to them and do the normal walk around and work around them?
