I was driving down Signal Mountain in my 1970 bus on Friday and my tires starting smoking (it was definitely not due to speed).  As soon as I got to the base of the mountain I pulled over and noticed my front right wheel was smoking. I popped the hubcap off waited about 10 mins and it was still smoking. I started to get worried about the tire melting-blowing up.  I had a cooler in the back of my bus because I was on my way to a horse race in Nashville. I took out a beer shook it up and poked a pin hole in it and sprayed it lightly on the drum. I did this until it quit smoking(about 2 beers). I waited another 20 mins left the hubcap off and went on my way. I was able to avoid the brakes through crafty down shifting until about Murfreesboro. The brakes still work but feel a little harder then the did before. I'm fully aware driving the bus after the brake was smoking was probably not a good idea but I did make it there and back. Any ideas as to what might have caused this? I understand the stress of the mountain would cause them to get hot but I couldn't figure out what was causing the smoke? Is this something I should address like purchasing new brakes or is this common when you put a lot of stress on older buses?

What great uses for beer,  they also work great to put the fire out on the grill,  next time used the melted ice and don't waste the beer!  Rick is corrct, this happen to my bug.