I got home last night and when I got out of my jeep I noticed a hot burning smell. It was comming from the rear drivers side brake drum. It was extremely hot. I began trouble shooting and pulled on my emergency brake. It felt way too tight so I got under the truck and loosened it. I checked the brake again and it felt a lot better. I drove the jeep to work this morning and when I got out I again smelled the burning smell. Again it was from the rear driver side brake drum, which was very hot. I pulled on the emergency brake and it was tight again. What would cause the emergency brake to tighten up on it's own?

 

Well, I don't really know what I'm talking about, but it sounds like the auto-adjuster is adjusting the shoes out too far and they're dragging. You could open the little ports in the back and check it out.

 

The auto-adjuster adjusts when you brake in reverse.
I would say you have a seized brake cylinder. Any leaks?

 

Well, he could have driven the Jeep in reverse in the intervening period... But yeah, I guess a problem with the cylinder sounds more plausible.

 

Could be a clogged line too, how's the color of the fluid?

 

There are no leaks, and I checked the cylinders when I changed the shoes a couple of months ago. It's just strange that after I loosened the emergency brake adjustment last night, that it was tight again this morning when I got to work.

 

Is it very cold in the morning where you live?

 

Hey Fantic, it has been pretty cold in the morning's, around 20 degrees with windchill of 17 degrees the past few morning. Tonite me and my father pulled the drum off and couldn't see anything out of place. We disconnected the adjuster, put the drum and tire on and took it for a drive. Got back home and the drum was piping hot again! What the crap?? My father said it could be the flex line. Whatcha think???? I'm gonna take it somewhere tomorrow, but I wanna be sure not to get screwed.

 

Just pull the drum. You will know for sure then.

 

With very low temperatures the brake fluid becomes thicker, especially if contaminated with water, that might have definitely clogged a line.