More 10" brake woes...

Here we go...

I finally got to looking at the front brakes tonight. I pulled the passenger side first (as it was pulling to the left) and low and behold...
brake fluid all over the shoes . Cylinder blow-out. Not much I can do until I here from the PO of the brakes. Need to know if they came off the front or rear so I can order the correct cylinder.

Anyway, I have never taken a set of drum brakes apart before I know, what self-respecting jeeper has never done that! Anyway, I am hoping you guys can coach me though this when my parts arrive.

 

Dennis, are you planning to pull the rears also? If you are and don’t a hub puller it may be a good time to purchase one, not necessary, but will make the job easier.

 

Not going to do the rears yet, Chuck. I just need the front working properly. Rears will be later this summer.

 

I wouldn't call myself self-respecting, but I haven't either. Don't feel bad. I paid to have my 11" put on the front. Steering and brakes are two things I would prefer not to learn the hard way on.

 

Dennis, if you have a digi cam, take a couple pix. Then just start taking stuff off. Use a pair of vise grips to get the brake springs unhooked; push, twist and release the shoe hold downs. Undo the flex line between the steel line and the wheel cylinder, then remove the flex from the cylinder itself. You may have to knock back a retaining clip at the frame to do that. The wheel cylinder should have a number on it, maybe even a name, like Wagner. I had very good luck with my NAPA counterman. I have 11 inchers, but your brakes and the job itself ought to be similar. Clean whatever you are reusing, check the drums, have them cleaned up if necessary, put it all back, adjust, and VOILA! Brakes!

Oh, one more thing: if your cylinders are just leaky, or even if they a mite crusty inside, they are rebuildable, as opposed to buying new ones. You'll need a cylinder hone if they are yucky. My fronts were (yikes!) about twice as much as the rears! I might have rebuilt mine if I had realized what I was about to spend. Oh, well....

It's all easier than you might think. Take your time and good luck!

Stu

 

Dennis,
I have both my back brake drums and backing plates off and rebuilding them for the first time, you are not alone friend

crawdaddy

 

I found out too late 4WD.com is much cheaper for the brake cylinders then my neighborhood Napa. Way cheaper. If you end up getting new ones.

 

The best thing I learned is to use the digital camera. Take a picture of the brakes before you take them apart. Then you can go back and refer to the pictures of how it goes back together. My Dad always said to do one side at a time so that you still have the otherside to look at. With todays cameras you can document everything .........and most important.........you can share pictures with all of us

 

Good idea. Since there is no documented brake assembly here, I will take the pics and give a description. I am tearing them down tonight so I only have to order parts once

Thanks for the words of encouragement.

 

Re cylinder rebuilding, I have not had good luck with rebuilt master cylinders or wheel cylinders. Their life is much shorter than new, even failing within a month or two of rebuilding. Plus, to rebuild them right, you need a cylinder hone (more expense). If you can buy new wheel cylinders, I'd suggest you do.

 

Ok guys, I can't belive how un-complex drum brakes are. I'm feeling a little better about things now. (I still took plenty of pics and will submit a write up, though )

Here's the culprit...Wagner part number proudly displayed

 

Update:

With the 1 1/8" bore, I had some difficulty finding the right wheel cylinder with-out paying twice as much as I should. Dennis at Willys Overland was extremely helpful in finding the right part. It seems these were on the late-model cj5's w/ v6. After a couple of phone calls and digi pics, he had the correct cylinders in his hand. They will be on today's truck

 

I just did this last summer. I got all my parts from Krage, I called him up because I wasn't even sure what brakes I had (apparenlty you measure from the inside of the drum) I saw the brake plyers suggestion. I'm not sure if anyone suggested the other tool for the second set of springs that you need to push down and twist. I tried doing it with my thumbs, and didn't realize they made a tool for it till I was on the last one.