Rear brake cylinder question

Fahrenheit 451 · 08-23-2008, 11:12 AM

If only you knew how much long-winded BS I just deleted before posting this cut down version you would really thank me.

Short version:
On a first gen rear axle, when you press the brakes aren't both brake shoes supposed to move? While trying to figure out what is going on with my brakes I noticed that only the front shoes move. The back shoes don't move at all.

NicCantDecide · 08-23-2008, 11:18 AM

Well since you didn't say what's going on with your brakes, I'm going to assume the pedal's soft.

And if the pedal's soft AND the rear shoes don't move, then I'd say your problem is they're out of adjustment. You'll get a soft pedal from that.

Fahrenheit 451 · 08-23-2008, 11:32 AM

Whoops, guess I deleted too much of all the long-winded crappola.
I have plently of pedal, but the rears don't seem to be doing much of anything.
Offhand it seems like only the driver front is working at all.
I tried lowering the lspv while I was messing with stuff since the lift has sagged and I thought that direct more pressure rearward, but I was more interested in the functioning of the brakes/wheel cylinder.
It certainly seems that the rear brake shoes should move, but oddly on both sides of the rearend only the front shoes move. The wheel cylinders have been replaced before (or at least I was charged by the shop for them!) and I'm left assuming they should be functioning correctly.
Even when hitting the park brake while driving to see what happens I get nothing out of the rear even though there is plenty of pad material and the drums have been turned and are in round and have plenty of meat left.
Guess I should have stuck with the long winded version...might wind up there anyway LOL!

abecedarian · 08-23-2008, 12:17 PM

how are you able to tell that only the leading shoes move?

Fahrenheit 451 · 08-23-2008, 02:23 PM

I pulled the drums to check the condition of the brakes and cylinders. While the drums were off I had my son push the brake pedal so I could watch the passenger side then I did it on the driver side since I could just look back at and see what was going on.
I'm wondering if only the front moves when the drum is off or what is going on. It just seems weird that only the front shoe is moving on both sides.
Looking at the wheel cylinder it sure looks like both sides are meant to push out. Considering the lousy brake job I got from the shop way back when it wouldn't surprise me if something is messed up. I'm just trying to figure out where to start.

abecedarian · 08-23-2008, 03:23 PM

if the drums were on, the leading shoe would contact the drum first then the pressure in the cylinder would act on the other piston and would move the trailing shoe.

try bleeding your brakes real good.

Fahrenheit 451 · 08-24-2008, 04:44 PM

Well, part the first.
I got a little more time to play with the truck so I crawled under it and started looking for anything that struck me as not quite right. I figured I would start with the parking brake.
Grabbed and pulled on the passenger side and it moved freely.
Grabbed and pulled on the drivers side and it was frozen solid. After a considerable amount of prying, beating and a little time with a hacksaw (cleaning up my own damage basically plus getting out some rot) it freed up. Once I got the park brake working I got the brakes adjusted again and the drums aren't round as I thought. I just had them turned, but the truck sat all winter. Could that get them out of round again? Either way, time for new drums.
Got the truck back on the road, hit the brakes and about wound up in a ditch again. Still just the front brake grabbing hard and I didn't gain as much pedal as I would have hoped with getting the rear brakes adjust correctly.
So, next weekend if I have some time again I figure on bleeding the brakes, new drums, pads in the front and checking the left rotor to see if it is frozen. If that isn't it, I'll be fine with giving up and taking it to a mechanic. I don't have much spare time and although I like playing with the toy, I'd rather be driving it and not

08-23-2008, 11:12 AM	#1 (permalink)
Fahrenheit 451 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: western Colorado Posts: 590	Rear brake cylinder question If only you knew how much long-winded BS I just deleted before posting this cut down version you would really thank me. Short version: On a first gen rear axle, when you press the brakes aren't both brake shoes supposed to move? While trying to figure out what is going on with my brakes I noticed that only the front shoes move. The back shoes don't move at all.

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08-23-2008, 11:18 AM	#2 (permalink)
NicCantDecide Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 165	Well since you didn't say what's going on with your brakes, I'm going to assume the pedal's soft. And if the pedal's soft AND the rear shoes don't move, then I'd say your problem is they're out of adjustment. You'll get a soft pedal from that.

08-23-2008, 11:32 AM	#3 (permalink)
Fahrenheit 451 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: western Colorado Posts: 590	Whoops, guess I deleted too much of all the long-winded crappola. I have plently of pedal, but the rears don't seem to be doing much of anything. Offhand it seems like only the driver front is working at all. I tried lowering the lspv while I was messing with stuff since the lift has sagged and I thought that direct more pressure rearward, but I was more interested in the functioning of the brakes/wheel cylinder. It certainly seems that the rear brake shoes should move, but oddly on both sides of the rearend only the front shoes move. The wheel cylinders have been replaced before (or at least I was charged by the shop for them!) and I'm left assuming they should be functioning correctly. Even when hitting the park brake while driving to see what happens I get nothing out of the rear even though there is plenty of pad material and the drums have been turned and are in round and have plenty of meat left. Guess I should have stuck with the long winded version...might wind up there anyway LOL!

08-23-2008, 02:23 PM	#5 (permalink)
Fahrenheit 451 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: western Colorado Posts: 590	I pulled the drums to check the condition of the brakes and cylinders. While the drums were off I had my son push the brake pedal so I could watch the passenger side then I did it on the driver side since I could just look back at and see what was going on. I'm wondering if only the front moves when the drum is off or what is going on. It just seems weird that only the front shoe is moving on both sides. Looking at the wheel cylinder it sure looks like both sides are meant to push out. Considering the lousy brake job I got from the shop way back when it wouldn't surprise me if something is messed up. I'm just trying to figure out where to start.

08-24-2008, 04:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
Fahrenheit 451 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: western Colorado Posts: 590	Well, part the first. I got a little more time to play with the truck so I crawled under it and started looking for anything that struck me as not quite right. I figured I would start with the parking brake. Grabbed and pulled on the passenger side and it moved freely. Grabbed and pulled on the drivers side and it was frozen solid. After a considerable amount of prying, beating and a little time with a hacksaw (cleaning up my own damage basically plus getting out some rot) it freed up. Once I got the park brake working I got the brakes adjusted again and the drums aren't round as I thought. I just had them turned, but the truck sat all winter. Could that get them out of round again? Either way, time for new drums. Got the truck back on the road, hit the brakes and about wound up in a ditch again. Still just the front brake grabbing hard and I didn't gain as much pedal as I would have hoped with getting the rear brakes adjust correctly. So, next weekend if I have some time again I figure on bleeding the brakes, new drums, pads in the front and checking the left rotor to see if it is frozen. If that isn't it, I'll be fine with giving up and taking it to a mechanic. I don't have much spare time and although I like playing with the toy, I'd rather be driving it and not