AN MD80 CAPT RPTS DECLARING AN EMER AND RETURNING TO LAND AFTER A YAW AND BURNING RUBBER SMELL OCCURRED ON TKOF. MAINT FOUND NO DEFECTS.

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THIS RPT IS REGARDING AN INCIDENT ON FLT ON AUG/TUE/06. FO'S TKOF ON RWY 18R WITH CAVU CONDITIONS. SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINITY OF 120 KTS DURING THE TKOF ROLL WE EXPERIENCED A RATHER SHARP YAWING MOTION. THE MOTION WAS VERY REMINISCENT OF THE FEEL THAT OUR SIMULATORS GIVE DURING ENG FAILURE PRACTICE. THE ENGS WERE PRODUCING NORMAL THRUST. I TOLD THE FO TO CONTINUE THE TKOF. SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF; WE HAD A BURNING RUBBER SMELL THAT LASTED FOR JUST A FEW SECONDS. I SUSPECTED A TIRE FAILURE. I HAD THE FO CONTINUE FLYING AND TALKING TO ATC. I CALLED THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO SEE WHAT THEY HEARD OR FELT. I WAS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED TO KNOW IF THEY HEARD A BANG -- PERHAPS VERIFYING A TIRE FAILURE. THEY HEARD NO UNUSUAL NOISES BUT DEFINITELY NOTICED THE UNUSUAL YAWING MOTION. I REFERRED TO THE QRH AND FOUND THAT THE 'SUSPECTED TIRE FAILURE' PROC CALLS FOR A RETURN TO LNDG. I INFORMED ATC THAT WE WERE RETURNING TO LAND; DECLARED AN EMER (I WANTED CFR STANDING BY; I WASN'T SURE OF THE CONDITION OF OUR WHEELS); GAVE COMPANY A CALL; INFORMED THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND MADE A PA. I EXPLAINED TO THE PAX THE NATURE OF THE PROB; THAT WE WOULD RETURN FOR A LNDG; AND THAT I EXPECTED A NORMAL LNDG EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT WE WOULD STOP ON THE RWY AND HAVE THE AIRFIELD SAFETY OFFICIALS MAKE A QUICK INSPECTION OF THE ACFT BEFORE WE TAXIED TO THE GATE. I HAD PLENTY OF TIME BTWN TKOF AND LNDG TO ACCOMPLISH THE ABOVE BECAUSE WE HAD TO CONSUME 20 MINS OF FUEL TO BE DOWN TO OUR MAX LNDG WT. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. WE CAME TO A STOP ON RWY 18R AND THE CFR CREWS INSPECTED THE ACFT AND RPTED NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE WHEELS AND TIRES. WE TAXIED TO THE GATE AND HAD MAINT DO A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THE ACFT. THEY JACKED UP BOTH MAIN GEAR; PULLED THE HUBS; CHKED THE TIRE ROTATION; BRAKES; SHIMMY DAMPENERS AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ACFT. THE ONLY THING OF POSSIBLE NOTEWORTHINESS WAS THAT BOTH WHEELS AND BRAKES WERE NEW ON THE R MAIN GEAR ASSEMBLY. NEEDLESS TO SAY; IT WAS A LITTLE EMBARRASSING TO THINK THAT I BROUGHT A PERFECTLY GOOD ACFT BACK THINKING THAT WE HAD A PROB. BOTH THE FO AND MYSELF ARE EXPERIENCED MD80 DRIVERS. WE HAVE APPROX 18 YRS EXPERIENCE BTWN US FLYING THE MD80 ALONE. I CANNOT EXPLAIN THE YAWING ON TKOF THAT WE EXPERIENCED.