any maint. with drum off?

[Donald]

I am pulling off wheels and or drums to hunt down what sounds like a screeching worn brake on my Dodge. The diesel engine is so loud its hard to tell front or back.

So I have a drum off, anything easy to do while its off. This wheel is not the problem. Maybe a little syl-glide on the star adjuster wheel threads? I assume I should just wipe and not use brake cleaner as it might remove some of the existing grease inside the threads. And does one need to worry about asbestos and blowing with compressed air on a 1999?

 

[Cardenio327]

I would wash everything with water and dish or laundry soap and a sponge, including inside of drum. Two major brake lining manufacturers are recommending washing after a brake job with laundry soap (Raybestos & LUK/Ruville). Brake cleaner (chlorinated or non-chlorinated is bad for the friction material.

On the star wheel's threads, I would go ahead and clean off all the old grease so it doesn't react with the new grease, wire brush the threads if necessary then grease them. It doesn't have to be Syl-Glide as the star wheel has neither rubber parts nor is exposed to high temperatures. You can use Never-Seize.

The inner working surface of the drum will rust within an hour of contact with laundry soap, I don't worry about it. I figure it conditions the surface, breaks up deposits.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Cardenio327
I would wash everything with water and dish or laundry soap and a sponge, including inside of drum. Two major brake lining manufacturers are recommending washing after a brake job with laundry soap (Raybestos & LUK/Ruville). Brake cleaner (chlorinated or non-chlorinated is bad for the friction material.

On the star wheel's threads, I would go ahead and clean off all the old grease so it doesn't react with the new grease, wire brush the threads if necessary and grease them. It doesn't have to be Syl-Glide as the star wheel has neither rubber parts nor is exposed to high temperatures. You can use Never-Seize.


Compressed air?

 

[The_Jeff]

Another fan of anti sieze on the adjuster wheel threads.

If you're going to take things half apart (shoes out) sometimes you run into these single use horseshoe clips. Beware ahead of time if it's your only ride.

When I have the drum off I like to frig with the adjuster just to make sure it's not frozen; you sound like you're taking it a step farther.

 

[Cardenio327]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Compressed air?


I would only use compressed air if I was in a hurry to dry it.

I have woodworker's lung, so I'm not a fan of dust in the air.

 

[dishdude]

You don't want compressed air, or you'll be breathing all that dust! Also, I'd lube the backing plate where the shoes slide with proper drum brake grease.

 

[demarpaint]

No compressed air, clean and grease as Cardeino mentioned above. There is still a possibility asbestos is in those linings, and even if it isn't the dust is not good to breathe in.

Don't forget to lube the backing plate where the shoes make contact with it.

 

[JHZR2]

DOT approval for rubber brake lines is only six years. Nobody really does it (I did at nearly 30 when cracking was visible), but given that youre up in NY salt and hard winter area, you might want to think about somehow protecting the connections on the brake lines and even replace the lines if they look bad or corrosion...

 

[andyd]

On the Rat,I have one original brake hose, the master cylinder, the front rotors one brake drum and 2/3 of the E brake cables. The rest was replaced in 2/12

The drum and driver's side rear cable most recently to solve a dragging LR brake. Stuff came apart easily because, I had used grease to cover every metal fitting. I don't care if it collects dirt, so long as it does not rust. I grease every moving part of the brake. 'Cept for the shoes. I only use syl-glyde on calipers when I redo then.