Fuel tank & rear brakes

[jslash]

Hi folks,

I just posted this over on the "other site" but thought I might get more help over here... Here's a re-post...

Jim


Well, seems to be the season for fuel tank issues! I'm just trying to get my midship tank back together. Got new lines between the crossover switch and the tank. Front tank is plastic... nice and clean inside. Rear tank is metal and started leaking like a sieve at the same time as the leak in the line on the front tank. So after I get the midship tank's line fixed then I need to drop the rear and have it repaired. BUT... at the same time as all this, I blew the rear brake line at the RABS unit! When it rains, it pours! The RABS was a big rust ball so had to be replaced... Now I have a nice new RABS unit, new lines from the MC to the RABS and from the RABS to the rear frame. Go to bleed the rear wheel cylinders... Round off one bleeder and snap the other... No problem... I've replaced plenty of wheel cylinders in my day... What's this?... pulling axles? Drums don't just come off after the wheel is removed?

I bought this truck on a lark as I needed to plow the driveway at a rental house I have... Never had had a truck this big before and I think I'm in over my head for my budget But before I give up and take it in I thought I'd ask the wisdom of the list if this is something that a DIY'r can handle... I gave up on the front brakes and took it to a local independant... I'd do it this time too but I can't drive it there!

Any thoughts from guys who have done rear brake work before??

Next time I think I'll just hire someone to plow the drive for me!


TIA!

Jim

--------------------
--
Sandy, 1994 F350 XLT RC 4X4, 7.3 IDI Turbo, E40D. Oconomowoc, WI

 

[Roland_Jenkins]

As I have recently learned, some of these trucks have one nut and a nylon thingy and others ( the ones I'm familiar with) have two. Here's the general procedure.

Block front wheels, rear axle up on jack stands.
Remove rear wheels.
If drums are grooved you may need to back off the brakes.
remove axle retaining nuts.
Remove axle. Place can underneath to catch what little oil drips out.
Inside is a star washer with one or two tabs bent over. Carefully unbend the tabs enough to clear the spindle nut.
If you have a spindle socket . . well take the damn spindle nut off!
If not, you can use a long skinny screwdriver (fs) or punch.
Behind the spindle nut is the star washer, behind that is another spindle nut (or not) depending.
Once those are removed, the drum is ready to come off.

 

[jslash]

Rear Brakes

As I have recently learned, some of these trucks have one nut and a nylon thingy and others ( the ones I'm familiar with) have two. Here's the general procedure.

Block front wheels, rear axle up on jack stands.
Remove rear wheels.
If drums are grooved you may need to back off the brakes.
remove axle retaining nuts.
Remove axle. Place can underneath to catch what little oil drips out.
Inside is a star washer with one or two tabs bent over. Carefully unbend the tabs enough to clear the spindle nut.
If you have a spindle socket . . well take the damn spindle nut off!
If not, you can use a long skinny screwdriver (fs) or punch.
Behind the spindle nut is the star washer, behind that is another spindle nut (or not) depending.
Once those are removed, the drum is ready to come off.

Roland,

I got through removing the axle retaining nuts. I'm assuming these are the eight bolts that you can see even with the wheel on...

http://my.execpc.com/~jslash/F350/rearbrakedrum.jpg

But it doesn't want to slide out... Should I apply a "little" force?

Jim

 

[Roland_Jenkins]

Tap it around with a hammer. Don't whack the **** out of it tho

 

[geonc]

jslash, first WELCOME to OB

second.......I believe that your year drums will come off WITHOUT removing the axles....at least my old '93 did.

That is sum serious corrosion there, but a generous saturation of "PB Blaster" should soften up that rust and the drum should come right off....provided of course that the parking brake is not set ....{don't ask how I know that little tid bit }

Some persuasion with a hammer on the sides of the drum and gentle tapping at the back will have the drum off as it is highly doubtful that the factory washer type locks are holding the drum on.....they look like a thin pop top that is pushed down the threads to the drum.....1 per wheel.

They are not nesseary to have on........


The drum will just slide over the axle hub.

If you do find it nesc to remove the axles, the 10.25 axle you have will most likely have a single spring loaded lock nut that requires a special tool to disengage the reachet mechanisim in order to unthread....tool is about $35 and will have 4 prongs-90 degrees apart and is designed for hand rachet use only---NO impact wrench!

Keep us posted


BTW....front brakes are easier than the rears

 

[jslash]

Hmmmmm... That doesn't seem possible from looking at them... but I've never done this job on this truck before... But the drum would have to slip over the eight lug nuts... I would be suprised if that were the case. But I soaked them in some kroil so I'll let them soak while others chime in with their experiences. Did your truck have the 8 lugs or 5? That might make a difference...

Thanks for the welcome, suggestions and I'll let you know what I find...

Jim

 

[sle2115]

If it is a 10.25" Ford rearend, it will slip over the axle. The drum separates from the hub. If it is a Dana, the hub does not separate and you will have to remove the axles and nuts that hold the drum/hubs on the axle spindles. With that said, mine were about welded together (drum and hub) and althought they finally came apart, I think it was easier to just remove the whole assembly.

 

[geonc]

Hmmmmm... Did your truck have the 8 lugs or 5? That might make a difference...

Thanks for the welcome, suggestions and I'll let you know what I find...

Jim

It was that way on my '93 F-250 IDI, '90 F-250 IDI, '97 F-250 PSD and my current '96 F-250 PSD
If memory serves {what is left of it } most Sterling 10.25 rears are that way.

 

[geonc]

If it is a 10.25" Ford rearend, it will slip over the axle. The drum separates from the hub. If it is a Dana, the hub does not separate and you will have to remove the axles and nuts that hold the drum/hubs on the axle spindles. With that said, mine were about welded together (drum and hub) and althought they finally came apart, I think it was easier to just remove the whole assembly.

That's no Dana {judging from the pic}.......Dana hubs stick out about half the distance a Sterling does.

 

[Agnem]

That drum comes off without removing the axle! No if's or buts about it. Your going to need heat to get that sucker off! Too corroded. PB blaster over many days MIGHT work.

 

[jslash]

That drum comes off without removing the axle! No if's or buts about it. Your going to need heat to get that sucker off! Too corroded. PB blaster over many days MIGHT work.

Okay... that being said... I noticed that the 8 bolts I already took off had locktite or similar on the threads... Any idea what it was for sure? And a torque value so I can torque them back on??

Good new for me guys! I did NOT want to take that whole darned axle out!



Thanks!

Jim

 

[wwwabbit]

The drum comes off my butt Mine was in about the same shape yours was... after beating the crap out of it, and spending more on PB/etc then I should have... I got the socket and took the hub off. With it laying flat on the ground, I had to do some serious beating on it with a large hammer to seperate them. After that it came on and off no problems....

 

[towcat]

I've dealt with Ohio rusted drums before and my solution was pb blaster or kroil(you can get stoned sniffing kroil fumes). a good soaking around the hub hole and through the stud holes is a help. the kicker is a BRASS or BRONZE hammer. the vibration drum on the hub should get the oil in to loosen the stuff up. using a steel hammer on cast iron is not a good idea. I haven't looked at your pic yet but if its really rusted on, you may have to tear out the whole thing in the final solution.

 

[sle2115]

That's no Dana {judging from the pic}.......Dana hubs stick out about half the distance a Sterling does.

Sorry, didn't see the pics!

 

[sle2115]

I've dealt with Ohio rusted drums before and my solution was pb blaster or kroil(you can get stoned sniffing kroil fumes). a good soaking around the hub hole and through the stud holes is a help. the kicker is a BRASS or BRONZE hammer. the vibration drum on the hub should get the oil in to loosen the stuff up. using a steel hammer on cast iron is not a good idea. I haven't looked at your pic yet but if its really rusted on, you may have to tear out the whole thing in the final solution.

Yeah, mine were not coming off. The truck I had set a lot, hence the 88,000 miles on an 85 F350. Good for most of the parts, but the drums were pretty nicely "rust welded" to the hubs. I wanted to put new bearings and such in it anyway, so it was no big deal. Even off the truck they were a pain!