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Discussion Forum

Truck brake repair Q

MisterT | Posted in General Discussion on July 12, 2004 10:59am

OK

I did a rear brake shoe and drum replacement on my truck today.

Whern I got all the parts back on and went to put the new drum on, it was tight.

I was able to tap it into place with a mallet.

other side: same thing.

so I decide to take a little test drive and sure enuff the wheels are Really hot after a short drive.

So I stop into my mechanics and he says tyo cecke and see if the e-brake cable is adjusted to tight.

trouble is there is no adjustment on the cable!

Yes I backed of the adjuster and made sure the parking brake cable was not tight.

I put the truck back up and took of the left wheek and everything looks ok nothing stuck or binding anywhere.

the right side seems to have loosened some cause I can turn it with the left hub by hand

But The right drum still doesnt want to go on.

could the shoes be just a hair to “big” ???

Anyone with some insight ??

rrrrrrrr!

Mr T

Happiness is a cold wet nose

Life is is never to busy to stop and pet the Doggies!!

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Replies

  1. gravy | Jul 12, 2004 11:26pm | #1

    Mr.T,

    It's not at all unusual for brake shoes to be a bit oversized. IIRC, it was usually the remans back when I was a working mechanic. I think I remember hearing that some of the remanufacturers assumed you'd be using them with drums that had been machined, so they didn't hold thickness tolerances very closely.

    I've had success taking the shoes loose and filing down the metal ends where they touch the wheel cylinders and/or adjusters. Just a bit off each shoe might do the trick for you.

    Also, make sure the parking brake & self-adjuster mechanism is working freely.

    Good luck,

    Dave

  2. MrBill | Jul 13, 2004 02:19am | #2

    T,

     You should not have to file anything to make the shoes fit. You did not say what brand, year or model the truck is, but I have never seen one that did not have enough adjustment to back the shoes totally away from the drum. I am betting the adjuster is stuck, or you got the wrong shoes which would not surprise me at all, especially if you got them from one of the "big box" partts places. I always take the adjusters apart and clean and relubricate them on every brake job.  I know you checked, but make double sure that the emergency brake cable is not stuck, or adjusted too tight.

    Let us know what you find,

    Bill Koustenis

    Advanced Automotive Machine

    Waldorf Md

    1. Snort | Jul 13, 2004 02:28am | #3

      And, when you get them right. Come down here and do my son's '83 Bronco...I shoulda known when to put on the brakes LOL Don't worry, we can fix that later!

  3. Sasquatch | Jul 13, 2004 03:01am | #4

    Take the drums back off and have them turned.  This is inexpensive and the easiest part of the replacement.  It should solve your problem.  It will also make the brakes last much longer.

    Les Barrett Quality Construction
  4. DavidxDoud | Jul 13, 2004 07:22am | #5

    back when there was a good automotive machine shop locally,  I would have the brake shoes 'arced',  which involved putting them in a jig and grinding them so they would be truly a section of a circle - - this would also serve to loosen the initial fit - - I have run into your exact problem - the last time,  I ground on the shoes with a 4" angle grinder - not elegant,  but it was the weekend...it'll wear to fit - -

    "there's enough for everyone"
  5. User avater
    Luka | Jul 13, 2004 08:36am | #6

    Les is right. Have the drums turned.

    "Criticism without instruction is little more than abuse." D.Sweet

    1. MisterT | Jul 13, 2004 12:22pm | #7

      Turn brand new drums!!??

      I'd rather file the adjuster contact area on the pads.

      I took off the drums and cleaned and inspected every thing.

      they wnet back on easier but still a touch too tight.

      I think there is just a little too much material on the pads.

      If they still get hot today, I'm gonna do the file thing.

      Gotta get some spring tools tho....Mr T

      Happiness is a cold wet nose

      Life is is never to busy to stop and pet the Doggies!!

      1. User avater
        Luka | Jul 13, 2004 02:04pm | #8

        I got some.

        You can borrow them if you want.

        If you think they look just like vise-grip pliers and flat screwdrivers, you just pay no nevermind to that.

        They are specialty brake spring tools. I don't care what the rest of the guys here calls 'em.

        "Criticism without instruction is little more than abuse." D.Sweet

      2. Sasquatch | Jul 13, 2004 06:59pm | #11

        I should have said turn the drums even if they are new.  Years ago, I used to do a lot of this type of work and found that new drums are not always manufactured perfectly.  The turning used to cost less than a set of brake shoes.  I had to have the drums turned on a new car once (85 Olds Ciera) because the front wheels vibrated when I hit the brakes moderately hard at highway speed.  The problem was solved by the turning.Les Barrett Quality Construction

  6. ed2 | Jul 13, 2004 06:52pm | #9

    the boys are right, turn the new drums      they get knocked out of round during shipping     when they're on the machine, listen to the cutter engage the high areas and disengage/free up from the lower areas, just like on used drums      brakes will seat, last longer     emery off the linings to reuse

    check adjuster like some one said      check against most common mistake, make sure primary brake shoes are toward the front of the vehicle, both sides(the longer lining)   the shorter linings face toward rear of truck     empty master cylinder reservoir, refill w clean fluid and bleed both rear wheels, longer line first, until clean juice comes out    keeps wheel cylinder seals treated   hope you replaced wheel cylinders anyway, cheap insurance

  7. PeteBradley | Jul 13, 2004 06:58pm | #10

    I'm with DTOLLEFSON. You should not file anything, and you shouldn't turn the drums either. Assuming the cylinder is ok, if you put everything back together right and the drums won't go over the shoes with the adjusters backed off all the way, then either the drums or the shoes are wrong. For shoes, the cost difference of buying them from the dealer should be small enoough that your best bet is just to go there.

    Do make sure you put everything back together right. Make sure the adjusters move freely. To get the drum on, you may have to squeeze the cylinder pistons together a little and you may need to shift both shoes left or right a bit. Make sure that the pistons move freely in the cylinder bore. If this is an old truck, you may have a frozen cylinder, which would definitely cause this problem.

    Pete

  8. dbanes | Jul 13, 2004 07:40pm | #12

    Don't file nothing down or do any voodoo yet, just adjust the little star wheel on the bottom till the wheel just starts to turn( while jacked up)AND... It does matter which shoe goes front or back on each wheel... as I recall the white one goes to the rear, If the darn thing won't line up into a neat circle,when you fiddle with them before you put the drum on,and all the parts are'nt in firm and neat there's a problem...

    E- me at [email protected]  send me a phone number, I've got plenty of minutes on my cell...

  9. User avater
    JeffBuck | Jul 14, 2004 03:37am | #13

    I have a Cheve one ton van ...

    usually have my buddy do all the work on it ...

    he's a Chevy guy ... and always has one or two one ton duallys around ...

    found out about grinder/chamfering after he was too busy one time and I went to a brake place ...

    the pads gotta be cut back at the ends .. or else they catch/grind.

    after he told me the fix .. went back to the brake experts ... asked them to hit each edge with the grinder ... we filled their shop with dust ... I drove away ...

    worked great since.

    my buddy also told me Chevy one tons don't like the high dollar metallic pads ...

    got a set of those once ... sqealed forever ....

    Jeff

    Buck Construction, llc   Pittsburgh,PA

         Artistry in Carpentry                

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