Hot Hubs!

Advanced apologies for the following long winded post but I would be grateful if anybody could offer any ideas regarding this problem, as I've run out of ideas!

I have a 1997 300tdi 3 door Disco Commercial with around 190,000 on the clock, which, until recently, was running very well.

But, The hub on the off side rear has started to get almost too hot to touch after a relatively short run (20ish miles) at motorway speeds, the near side is also getting warm, but not as much. I assumed it was the hub bearing on the off side and had it replaced but it has made no difference. Brakes don't appear to be binding as the wheels themselves do not heat up.

I have had it up in the air at my local garage, after a run (to 'heat' the hub), and we could find no tightness/play in the bearings, when we spun the wheels from each end of the axle. The brake discs were warm to the touch but only consistent with normal driving, as the wheels spun freely there is no evidence that the brakes are binding. Both wheels rotate freely when the propshaft is hand turned and there is no heat build up in the axle/diff housing.

In addition to the above performance is down and fuel consumption is up, could this all be related?

Were both hub bearings replaced (there's 2 on each hub) or just the outer one on that side?

Yes, both the outer and inner were replaced.

Most likely culprate is the brakes binding. I know you say you've checked, but that's where I would be looking.

Think I'd get that wheel off and strip the hub down and see if there's anything amiss, maybe a lack of grease when they (you say you had it replaced) replaced it!

if it was done by a car garage they may have overtightened them cos most cars have some seriously high torque settings for their wheel bearings cos they are a different type Jai