Can I change a rear cylinder in a parking lot?

[smolkin]

I just had a similar experience with my rear brakes, it ended up actually being the bearings and seals. Did your mechanic check them? The shoes were like new (I had a new set I had bought, were identical) and the cylinders were leaking but not fouling the shoes, but they were very grabby, almost like bad trailer brakes. Then one locked up. Turned out the bearings/seals were totally gone, and the leaking axle lube was hard to tell from the leaking brake fluid. I bit the bullet and replaced the whole nine yards, hoses too...to the tune of about $400 in parts. But now I don't have to worry about it for a while (I hope).

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

I guess I am late checking into this thread. I will be around the house until after lunch tomorrow. The wife's benz should be out of the shop by 10 AM or so. You are welcome to stop by.

 

[gunz]

If your not working on it right now, Spray the connections for the brake lines to the wheel cylinders down with penetrating oil adn let it set. Will make the job much easier.

 

[basilbowman]

@ Shadetree - I'll probably do that, but I'll give you a couple hours to make sure the benz is clear. I don't need to do the work tomorrow, but it would be helpful to have a place to drop a wheel and confirm what the garage guy said. If not, I'll call ahead. Thanks

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

Just come by. I don't carry my cell phone on weekends much. I need to leave about 1:30, but will be here until then.

 

[basilbowman]

Sorry - I didn't get back from collecting until just now. If you're headed off @ 1:30 there's no way I'll make it out there in time. I'm going to try calling your house, but if I don't get you, sorry for getting your hopes up. P.S. Know of any good spots for hunting obscure trees on the domain?

 

[yARIC008]

I just replaced my leaking wheel cylinder yesterday on the van and holy crap, now I remember why I hate messing with drum brakes. Whoever says it's an hour long job is pretty well insane if you ask me. I worked on mine for about 8 hours. I didn't see any possible way to get the wheel cylinder out without taking the shoes off. The manual also said to disconnect the emergency brake dealio but I couldn't even get close to getting the nut off the backside of the backing plate for the pivot bolt, no socket I had would fit down on the nut because of the design of the backing plate. I couldn't even get to the bolts and brake line on the back of the wheel cylinder. No matter what I did the springs were perfectly in the way to prevent my hand from getting in there. Eventually I unbolted the backing plate from the axle and shimmied it enough to get my hand in there.

Maybe the trucks are designed a little better than the van or something... but it was just horrible! I started at 3:30 pm and didn't finish cleaning up until 11:30pm. And that was only one side... If you're not VERY experience with your drum brakes and don't have alot of luck, there is just no way you could do this job in a parking lot at school in an hour. You'd have such a mess.

I hate drum brakes...

If you need to drive home still and don't want to have the brakes catch, just adjust them in as far as possible. That should keep them from engaging. Just try to drive carefully so you can get by with just the front disks working.

 

[askikr79]

I just did my axle seal today. Replaced both wheel cylinders and shoes. Now that I have done it once, it would be a pretty easy job in a parking lot. Good thing my dad bought a 12,000 lbs post lift this year. Makes working on vehicles so much easier.

 

[basilbowman]

Thanks man, it's good to have these play-by-plays. I think I'll end up doing it at home and doing both sides plus the shoes. It looks like the clips/springs/shoes sets are pretty cheap, so I might as well take care of that while I've got everything off, and then I don't have to worry about not knowing what goes where if I'm doing both sides together. Also, I need to do my grease seal - askikr79, how'd that go for you?

-N

 

[askikr79]

seal- $30 advanced auto parts
Wheel cylinders- $11.00 each advanced auto parts
Brake shoes- $30 at car quest
Hub wrench tool- $17 advanced auto parts

I should have the fluid in tomorrow after work.

 

[basilbowman]

what year is your truck? Did you do the axle seals or the hub seals? When you say fluid you mean brake fluid, right? You don't have to drain your diff to change the seals do you? (aware that might be a dumb question)

-N

 

[askikr79]

1990. i guess you would call it the hub seal. i gave them the number on the seal. it keeps the oil in the hub area from slinging out. i had gear oil all over the right fender well so i drained all the fluid from the rear differential to replace it. i got the truck maybe a month ago so i dont when it was changed last. you will have to remove the axle shaft to get to that seal. it takes a special socket and the one on the drivers side is reveresed threads.

i replaced the wheel cylinders because one looked like it was bad and the shoes were soaked in gear oil.

 

[basilbowman]

Thanks man. I knew about the special socket, but I didn't know about the reversed threads, that would have killed me. Was your gear oil on the inside or the outside of the tire?

 

[askikr79]

inside tire. it came out from brake drum area. who knows how long it had been leaking.... noticed it when i was replacing fuel tanks.

 

[basilbowman]

That's a pain in the ass to do if it's the first time - I did both and the front one went ok until I had to attach my fuel line pickups, but the rear one I just couldn't get the plastic filler hose to fit the filler neck in the right way. God that was terrible. Anyways, now I know what I'm dealing with. Have any trouble getting the seals or did they have them on the shelf?