Frozen Calipers? How Long can I go?

[Flyingbread1]

I smelled burning rubber when I walked behind my truck last night. Seemed to be coming from the passenger rear. The wheel was not hot. After some searching on here it seems like I might have a frozen caliper. We've had some snow and ice and I didn't notice any problems braking. The temperature has also been quite cold, hovering around 0F for a couple of days. Since I don't do the work myself I am wondering how long I can go before something gets damaged?

2006 SE 4X4 V6, HCF Delete, XREAS Replaced with mix of 2014 Taco TRD Off road front struts and rear shocks with rear springs from 2014 FJ.

 

[MarkinWMich]

Burning rubber smell could be other things besides frozen calipers...like exhaust hangers or if the exhaust is touching something rubber, or rubberized undercoating overspray. IF it is the brake caliper then it would be pretty common to have other signs and symptoms like squeaking, especially after it has sit for a while. The brake rotor would be hot after a drive, much more so than the other rotors. The brake pads would show an abnormal amount of wear...and so on.

It isn't that difficult to pull those rear calipers off and check the piston movement. I know you said you usually don't actually do this type of work, but it is fairly easy. Sometimes, all you may need is to regrease the pins and clips on the pads.

Winter ice, especially black ice near intersections, etc. may cause the rear to kick out of one of the rear wheels is being locked up because of that one caliper. It didn't seem from your post, that this was an issue.

IF it is a locked up caliper, then, this is something not to let go, especially on icy roads where you could have drivability and safety issues.

 

[dereky]

Also check for oil burning from leakage at the rear wheels. Could be leaking diff fluid out the axle seals on to the brakes