KING

On Wednesday, I took my truck in to a shop to have the right rear axle leak, that was leaking all over the rim, replaced. Brake shoes were also to be replaced had they been saturated enough from the oil dripping onto them. Not too much to my surprised, they were replaced.

When I drove the truck after they had done the job, I immediately felt I had brakes again. However, after I drove some more, I noticed other things as well.

First, whenever I would slow down while driving slow (20 or less), I could feel as if I were braking on a road full of washboards. My braking was more like bumpy so to speak. I'm wondering if my shoes are on too tight.

Another thing I noticed is that when fully stopped at a light or wherever may have you, when I let go of the brake pedal (I have an automatic by the way), the truck doesn't move as it would normally. The idle speed should move the truck very slightly when in DRIVE and when my foot is off the brake pedal. Now, in order for it to move slightly, I have to tap the gas pedal a bit (did not have to do this before). Can this be a result of brake shoes too tight?

Lastly, I can still hear a sweak coming from the rear. This time, however, instead of hearing: sweak, sweak, sweak, sweak, sweak and so on, I know hear: sweak....sweak....sweak....sweak..., with a delay after every "sweak."

I'm keeping a close eye on the side that was supposably repaired and on the side that wasn't repaired for any signs or oil.

Any thoughts?

goldtaco9

A rubbing shoe is readily apparent by just feeling the drum or wheel for heat after a short drive. You might be surprised at how much heat those things will generate.
The washboard is likely drums that should have been cut when the shoes were put on.
Good luck,
Mike

KING

I know nothing about cutting drums.

I hate to take the truck back to him. I was really not comfortable with the service.

loosehead

Did they only replace the brakes onthe leaking side? If so, it may be that side is new/tight and the other is warn.

Cutting the drums is also refered to as turning them. They put them on a machine similar to a metal lathe and cut a fine layer off of the braking surface so it is true or round and removes any imperfections.

KING

Yes, they only replaced the brake shoes on the leaking side.

So you are right, one side has new shoes while the other side has worn shoes.

I think he mentioned turning the drum.

Might new verses worn shoes cause the braking pattern I am experiencing?

The more I drive it the more it's beginning to drive me nuts. Especially the part where I have to slightly give it gas for it to slighty move. I like how it was before; I would just let the brake go and it would move by itself.

midiwall

I'm surprised that the shop only did the brakes on one side - they should always been done in pairs so that the wear patterns at least start in the same place.

I'm with Jayson - I think that replacing the shoes on just one side has thrown your system out of balance.

KING

This is just incredible.

First the guy tells me, "oh, we also had to replace the bearing."

Well of course you have to replace the bearing, you were planning to use the same one?!

He then tells me that often times you are able to use the same one.

OK fine but then he wanted to charge me $104 for the bearing replacement. I told the guy I was not paying for it, it should have been included with the price he initially charged me. Finally, after grunts I made it not charge me for the bearing. And besides, although not knowing the exact price for the bearing, it just seems overpriced to me.

So now I get this brake problem.

Shouldn't a mechanic know better than to change both or none??

I honestly didn't know the significance between one new shoes verses a new one. I should have known better which was my mistake.

The worst part is, he is a neighbor of my uncle who was highly recommended.

To save myself from confrontation, I honestly would not like to go back.

I don't know what to do.

midiwall

Not to just give you an answer that you already know, but "yes".

I gotta figure that there's someone from the forum in Phoenix that can help you out.

At this point, I think what you need to do is to replace the other set of shoes and see what you end up with. It's not a hard job, but _I_ certainly understand the fear of not having done it before - that's why I say that there's gotta be someone around that can walk you through it.

Turning the drums (both of 'em to keep things even!) is also somewhat high on the list, but that's hard to call right now. I think that the highest probability to the "sweak..." is the unbalanced system.

Something else to add to your frustration... Once you get to the point of replacing the other brake shoes, you'll really want to replace them with the same type/brand/model that was used on the side that did get worked on. If you don't, you may end up with uneven braking and the truck will try to push to one side or the other.

Do you have the box for the shoes, or the part number?


Sorry King... If I was only 2-3 hours away I'd offer to show up and help.

KING

Yeah, this is just great.

I will let my uncle know just how "great" of a mechanic he is.

I know that local stores like AUTO ZONE or CHECKERS/KRAGEN/ can turn rotors; I'm guessing they are able to turn drums as well.

Unfortunately no, I don't have the box of the shoes least know the part number since the mechanic changed them and the only thing he gave me was my bill.

I will see if someone from PHOENIX will some way or another come by this thread and maybe offer their help. I'm willing to pay if they can do it right. If not, I'll see if I can tackle this on my own or something.

Thanks for the offer anyway MARK even though you're days away.

goldtaco9

The shoes themselves are pretty cheap. You might save yourself a headache by just buying a complete set (which is four shoes). I have never bought just two brake shoes (one side) in my life. It never even occurred to me that you could.
Good luck,
Mike

midiwall

Yeah... good call on just ditching whatever he put in there to begin with. I wonder if he bought four and kept two? (sorry King, I know you don't need any more need for Tums right now!)

KING

What I ought to do, this just came to me by the way, is call him and ask him what brand of shoes he put and the part number so I can buy the same for other side because just replacing one side and not the other is throwing my truck's braking system off balance! Maybe he'll get the point.

Adding to the frustration, you must leave your ride with him for the entire day. He needs the entire day for repairs. I use my truck every day and I can't afford to have the truck, for a second time, in his hands. Which is yet another reason why I don't want to bother with him anymore.

But then again, if he offers to replace the other side with new shoes, say for a discounted price, that means I have to leave it with him for the entire day.

midiwall

Hmmmm... well, what did he charge you for the shoes you got? A set of rear shoes from Toyota is from $54-70 depending on if you're paying regular dealer prices or looking at someone online like Conicelli: http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...40&catalogid=0

Figuring that he used 3rd party parts, then I'd bet that he paid $20 or so. Napa's catalog lists shoes from $15-$30. http://www.napaonline.com/cgi-bin/nc...T=1&sort_flag=

My point here is gonna be that there's a price to pay for not kicking your blood pressure into overdrive to having to deal with him again. But, if he charged you a large amount for shoes, then I would try to get the other side done for free parts and discounted labor.

KING

MARK, according to my bill, it indicates that the shoes were $40.64

And yes, the bill notes the drum was turned ($20).

Nor_Cal2ndgen

Being a TECH myself....I can tell you that I am appalled at what I am hearing here. You can NOT get pads or shoes seperately, they only come in pairs (4 pads/shoes total). Any shop that only replaces one side, be it rear pads, rear shoes or front pads, should be put out of business! Especially when a vehicle has ANTIlock brakes!

I would talk to your mechanic, even if you don't "want" to and give him the opportunity to rectify the situation. Chances are, he will tell you to get screwed and won't help you. AT that point, is when you need to go to the Consumer Affairs Dept. or what ever you guys in AZ use for shop complaints, and file a complaint. Here in CA, a shop would NOT get away with this, and would most likely be forced by the BAR (beaureu of automotive repair) to give a refund. You are NOT in CA, so I do not know what your options are. I would not let these crooks off though, cause then they will just keep doing it.....and people like you that get screwed, will continue to distrust the automotive repair industry!

KING

Correction, I do not have anti-lock on my '94 pick-up.

Nor_Cal2ndgen

I was stating that in general....not as if you had Antilock.

KING

It's only getting worse as the days progress.

Today, a new sound has developed.

Sounds as if he left a spring or some type of wire loose and it's scratching the drum as it spins.

It went from very moderate to almost untolarable.

I cannot believe how these people have the nerve to call themselves mechanics.

Tomorrow, I will see what I can do to fix the problem.

midiwall

Good luck man. Btw... paying $40 for TWO shoes is just awful. I'd bet he's got a stockpile of shoes from the single-sets that he's been selling.