Front and rear drum brake overhaul

[elvisamy]

Sargentrs was dead on with doing one side at a time, saved my bacon more than once. The bench bleed suggestion is a good one as well. Saves a lot of work. I did the switch over to synthetic fluid, as Mach428 suggested, and have no regrets.

The harbor freight bleed tool was pretty useless to me, your mileage may vary. The wife did a great job of pumping the pedal, though!

All in all, a good days work if everything goes as planned (how often does it?). Good luck!

[sargentrs]

Sargentrs wrote:
Btw, where did you get your brake lines?

[/quote]

Got my new lines from http://www.inlinetube.com

Kit for this truck (Part number SFRB6702) had 8 sections & the ones I've installed so far have fit perfectly. Only one part I've needed to come up with: a 3/16" union fitting to join the 2 pieces that run from dist. block to rear axle.

Am not done yet, so............we'll see.............[/quote]
Thanks for that kit #! Great work!

[Steel Clydesdale]

Another update....things keep "coming up" so I haven't devoted much time to Clyde lately....

First off--I'm lucky. Very lucky. So lucky a brake failure didn't kill me a long time ago.

Check out the front hoses:


And the master cylinder, after draining--I had no idea how much rust was in there until this weekend. I had removed about a quarter-inch layer of sloppy rusty goo before taking the picture:


The piston in the distribution block had shifted. I can't budge that thing. Yet.(It is now soaking in PBblaster) You can see daylight thru one end:


Good times, good times! Think I'll buy a lotto ticket!

[Steel Clydesdale]

Hello again--sheesh, I should've started a 'project' thread for this....

Still haven't gotten the distribution block piston to budge. Tried hooking it up to the old MC to force it, but no go...pretty sure the MC is toast internally anyway, so will try again with the new one later on.

Today's project was getting shoes/hardware/wheel cyl./hose onto the front-right. I have wheel bearings and seals, new drums ready.

Here's the "before" pic:


and the "after" pic:


Bummer-- I didn't know until tonight the hub and drum assembly need to be pressed apart in order to put on new drums.


Suppose I could accomplish this with a BFH, or is that not recommended? Was thinking to also install new lugs so I wouldn't need to enlarge holes on the new drum (something I saw on another forum awhile ago.) Maybe take it to LSchwab?


At least all the new stuff at rear axle looks spiffy, even if Clyde still looks *old*-----------






Got the rear parking brake cables up:


The front one is next to go:


Probably put more steel lines in tomorrow.

[sargentrs]

That drum is supposed to just slide off. It's not a press fit. Probably rusted on. Since you have a new one, and studs are cheap, I wouldn't be afraid of the BFH idea. Just be sure and support the axle flange so you don't warp it. My studs came out fairly easily with just a couple of firm smacks. Once you knock a couple of 'em out, the drum may come off easier. Good work so far. Those new brake lines look great.

[Steel Clydesdale]

That drum is supposed to just slide off. It's not a press fit.

Now I'm confused---I found a couple of other forums while researching, and there were threads like this one:
http://forums.vintage-mustang.com/vinta ... studs.html

so I got it into my head that maybe Clyde has the same issue--original drums and the wheel studs are still 'staked' to it.

Okay, time to grab the BFH and get to work!
I'll put old lugnuts on the studs so they won't mushroom.....

[sargentrs]

Time out! I thought I was looking at the rear drum! I was looking at the pics of the rear brakes and got it in my head you were working on your back drums. The front hub/drum assembly is a single piece and is "staked" together. Probably need a press to get 'em apart. Sorry if I steered you wrong.

[sargentrs]

They are usually "turned" as an assembly at a shop that turns drums and rotors.

[Steel Clydesdale]

It's all good sargentrs. Clyde's getting so much all at once it's easy to get mixed up

Anyway, am getting good response so far with the BFH--had to take a break for some honey-do's--my brother has a press if it becomes too much, especially the reassembly.

[sargentrs]

Glad to hear it's OK. Keep us posted on how it comes out.

[Steel Clydesdale]

Well the studs pounded out OK, which allowed hub to separate from drum. Darned if I can get the races out, though.

Ran the old lugnuts down to about 1/2" from the drum & started whacking:


Nice and loose:


One stud pushed out by hand, the rest needed only a light tap:


Will have a shop press the old races out, probably just have them press in the new races and wheelstuds while we're at it. Getting tired in my old age,

[sargentrs]

Congrats! Glad they came apart so easily.

[Steel Clydesdale]

Saturday night in the shop!

Got one front drum finished-- Didn't take my parts to a machine shop after all. Didn't want to wait until --???-- to get stuff back.

Spent the afternoon trying to get the drum & hub back together & man, what a fight.....I slathered new studs with anti-sieze and pulled them part-way into hub with lugnuts, then put on drum & tightened some more.....it just. was. not. going to go together.

So packed it all up to my brother's place and---rats! His press is out-of-order. So, scrambled brains and went to autoparts store, ended up borrowing a ball joint press to get studs into the hub. Couldn't get the drum into C-frame, but was able to press it on with lugnuts.....half-turns at a time....criss-cross....more-half turns....

Did I mention the $120 up front to 'borrow' that tool? Yeah, they'll get it back alright! It was nice and heavy-duty, though. Much sturdier than my (little) u-joint press.

Much fun was had with the bearings and grease, nothing like getting that messy for a *good reason* I say!

Tomorrow is round 2, and THEN just maybe I'll get after the steel lines and/or MC and/or front park brake cable...............

[Steel Clydesdale]

Finally--all the drum assemblies are done & Clyde's got tires on again.

For anyone staying with front drums, I'm posting more pictures---

A sturdy C-frame press makes short work of pressing in the studs:


A very liberal application of anti-sieze, some old washers and lugnuts.....and LOTS of patience.....I did half-turns in a star pattern over & over to pull the drum on, and it really helped to have the other half holding the drum while I cranked:


Finished!:



And now I need to either unstick the distribution valve's piston -or- figure out some work-around....AND get the rest of the steel lines in. Gonna be interesting getting them behind the steering mount. May end up fabricating after all.

[Steel Clydesdale]

Almost forgot:

Had a major freakout moment on the last hub, I thought it was cracked!:



Turns out it's just a casting irregularity. Whew!