brakes or wheel bearing torque?

[jjmorrse]

I discovered this forum after I traded into a 91 suburban to tow my wife's horse trailer, and everyone has been very helpful. This vehicle has sit for a while before my purchase, and I am still going through it.

I noticed bearing grease being slung out of the hubs, so my first response was that someone had overfilled the bearings with grease and it was retaining heat, then melting out. I pulled the caps, and there was no excessive grease. I pulled the outer bearings, and they were not blue. THe left had a fair amout of grease, the right was pretty dry. I pulled wheels, and repacked the outer bearings and reinstalled. I did not remove the calipers, so I just torqued the bearing nut a little past hand tight with the rotors spinning and inserted new cotter pins. After driving, 4 miles or so in town, the hubs were pretty hot. I could touch them for a few seconds or so before the pain set in. I then loosened the bearings one hole and drove about 15 highway miles, and the hubs were still pretty hot, I could touch them for about 6 seconds or so.

I am now thinking that maybe my brakes are dragging. Since the last chevy I had was a 1971 camaro, and it has been several years, I cannot remember how much drag is expected from the calipers. With the wheel off, spinning the rotor results in about 1/4 to 1/2 turn before it stops. With the wheel off, I can spin the wheel about 2 to 2 1/2 turns before it stops.

Should I retighten the bearings tighter? How will know if they are too loose? I have not lost any pedal from wheel oscillation and it seems relatively stable at 70?

If my brakes are sticking, what is a common cause? Both sides seem similar, so I doubt both calipers are out at once. Master cylinder?

Any help would be appreciated.