'Wet' Brake Shoes

[ISAslot]

Wheel cylinder on the rear of my 68 ford started leaking.
The pads aren't very warn, but I'm probably going to replace them anyway since they're covered in brake fluid. Is this the best idea? Or can I just clean them off and reuse?

 

[phucheneh]

Replace them.

Yes, you could just hose them with brake clean and reuse (though it's never supposed to be advised). But they are 'compromised' to some unknown extent, and moreover, they're cheap and you already have the drum off.

Don't be afraid of the springs.

...okay, be afraid of them a little bit; they can take out an eye. But it's not that hard to dis/reassemble that stuff, if that's the worry. Just do one side at a time. And be willing to spend an extra few bucks at the parts store for a tool or two. Things get miraculously easier when you stop trying to pull springs into place with screwdrivers and pliers, believe me.

Did you make sure it's just brake fluid, btw? Sometimes it's easy to lump in an axle seal leak with a bad wheel cyl. Brake fluid will be slick. Gear oil adds some tackiness.

Replacement parts for those cars are just really inexpensive and available. And I like to get one whole area 'right' when given the opportunity, and know that it won't need to come apart again for a long while. Shoes, wheel cyls. Hardware if it's really old. Brake lines if they're rusty. I think you have to pull the axles to do the seals on those. But maybe your rearend could use some maintenance, too...then you might as well do some U-joints...trans mount...rear trans seal...hell, just stop at the carburetor. :awe:

 

[wirednuts]

honestly I would soak them in brake cleaner and reuse them, because they are rear drum brakes. those fall out of adjustment so easily that most of the time they don't even get used... the front brakes on trucks are enough to stop at any speed anyway...

 

[ISAslot]

My trans is leaking a bit. :hmm:

Ideally, I would just disassemble the entire car, and slowly restore it. I wish I had the space to do it.

It's definitely brake fluid though. Although, the rear end could probably use some service. It did have a rubber isolated harmonic balancer attached behind the yoke (which I can't seem to find mention of in parts lists) but the rubber was torn allowing it to spin independently from the yoke. This caused some horrible vibration at 60mph or so. Had it taken off about 16yrs ago. Now there's a low (but tolerable) periodic vibration at that speed. I really don't drive it on the highway anymore, so it hasn't been an issue. It still would be nice to solve the mystery about the part though.

Here's a pic of the spaceship looking thing:

So wait, you're telling me there's actually a special tool for working with brake drum springs?

 

[phucheneh]

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...N-26l5?itemIdentifier=46854&_requestid=629074

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...ring-tool/_/N-26l5?itemIdentifier=390907_0_0_

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...ake-spoon/_/N-26l5?itemIdentifier=390895_0_0_

There are other styles, too. Different ones work better on different setups. A spoon is good to have but not required. The pliers and other prying tools are for stretching springs into place. The little socket part is for pushing in the hold-down springs so you can rotate the little locking pin.

 

[wirednuts]

oh god yes. trying to do drum brakes without the right tools is just a pain in the neck... with the right tools, its fairly easy.

 

[ISAslot]

Thanks Phucheneh!