I’ve been noticing that after my morning commute the drive rear brake drum is considerably warmer than the rest. It’s warm enough to smell it when I get out of the car.

I re-checked the adjustment and inspected the components. There is no brake drag that I can detect and the shoes consistently return to the anchor. Neither the drums nor shoes indicate abnormal wear or overheating.

One thing that seemed unusual was that I could move the axle in and out a small amount. I couldn’t feel any radial play and the bearing didn’t feel rough, but I was expecting there to be no discernible play. Possibly related, the axle seal is weeping some gear oil on that side (but drums and shoes are clean).

Any thoughts on what I’m dealing with here? Perhaps the bearing is generating the heat, not the brake?

1954 Crestline Victoria 312 4-bbl, 3-speed overdrive