I think my drums are dead (1 Viewer)

[HemiAlex]

My hand brake barely works, the brakes lock up very easily and now I'm getting a pop from the rear if I fully pull the hand brake. (I feel wheel cylinders are sticking or over extending) If I touch the brakes at low speed starting off they tug and pull along with a low groan as of this week.

They're probably original. I bet oem brakes could go 283k.

So I've got the following:

New shoes
New advics wheel cylinders
rear hardware kit

What else should I have ready? I can get a new adjuster kit but I wouldn't imagine it would be that bad or a consumable.

I'm on the fence about turning the drums. I almost trust the oem drums more than anything I could replace them with but I imagine there is probably a huge ridge in the drums and probably no show material left. I don't think it's metal to metal...yet.

Any advice for what I should be prepared for? I'm also doing my axle to frame lines in longer braided pieces so I don't have to crack the hydraulics again. It's all new up front anyway.

 

[OGBeno]

Measure the drums per OEM spec. If they can be machined, do it.

If not, replace.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

You're missing any mention of re-habbing the bell cranks. They are the key to the entire rear brake self adjustment mechanism, and I'd recommend a full tear down and rehab. They will likely be rusty and nasty, so you can either clean them up, or get new parts and install.

The drums have a lot of metal and can likely be machined.

 

[HemiAlex]

I saw that these are available on line.

Is this the hardware you refer to?

 

[EasternYeti]

I saw that these are available on line.

Is this the hardware you refer to?

View attachment 1379583

While those are good to have they are not the bell cranks, see the green circle at the top of this diagram and the associated components. The bell cranks usually get encrusted with a layer of crap (as they are completely exposed to the elements), hindering its proper operation

 

[EasternYeti]

Afterthought: the second circled part in red, blue and green is the parking brake cable. If you didn't already order these I would do so, order (2) and call it done, part is still available through Toyota. This will save you a lot of aggravation

I did the rear brakes along with the rear axle seals in November and knowing it all ahead of time would have saved a lottttt of time

 

[Kleatus]

X2 on the advice of bellcrank and short cable. I did mine within the last year and my drums were just over the serviceable limit (OEM, presumable original at 380k-ish.)

Don't do like I did and replace things piecemeal to try and save a little money. I had to go back in to do wheel cylinders a couple months after replacing everything else. They looked OK, with no leaks and were moving fine at the time. Then one stuck and caused dragging which lead to heat causing glazing on the new drum and the friction material to come unbonded from one of the new shoes. I only realized it when washing the truck after water was sizzling off my wheel/drum.. I hope it didn't damage the axle seal, which was also recently replaced. I should have known better. Point here is that it all works as a system and is best replaced as such, as brakes will only work as well as the crappiest part of the system.

The adage of "If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it again..?" will certainly be in my head next time I work on brakes..

 

[EasternYeti]

X2 on the advice of bellcrank and short cable. I did mine within the last year and my drums were just over the serviceable limit (OEM, presumable original at 380k-ish.)

Don't do like I did and replace things piecemeal to try and save a little money. I had to go back in to do wheel cylinders a couple months after replacing everything else. They looked OK, with no leaks and were moving fine at the time. Then one stuck and caused dragging which lead to heat causing glazing on the new drum and the friction material to come unbonded from one of the new shoes. I only realized it when washing the truck after water was sizzling off my wheel/drum.. I hope it didn't damage the axle seal, which was also recently replaced. I should have known better. Point here is that it all works as a system and is best replaced as such, as brakes will only work as well as the crappiest part of the system.

The adage of "If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it again..?" will certainly be in my head next time I work on brakes..

Pretty sure that's exactly what happened to my rear seal, absolute nightmare to keep taking it on and off for 3 weeks

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

@HemiAlex, Glad to see this post. I am eyeballing my rears and they are a mess. Just so ugly I am embarrassed. I have yet to have a problem but I am sourcing parts for basically my entire brake system. I have most of the parts for the front which I am planning to do in the spring and now researching the rear. When you look through the rim, are your drums ugly as heck? Seeing the amount of rust on mine just makes me feel really uneasy.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

"If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it again..?"

This needs to be on my fridge, and over my desk and anywhere else I can't miss.

 

[HemiAlex]

@HemiAlex, Glad to see this post. I am eyeballing my rears and they are a mess. Just so ugly I am embarrassed. I have yet to have a problem but I am sourcing parts for basically my entire brake system. I have most of the parts for the front which I am planning to do in the spring and now researching the rear. When you look through the rim, are your drums ugly as heck? Seeing the amount of rust on mine just makes me feel really uneasy.

Surface rust is of no worries. I'm going to wire brush mine and throw some black paint on them.

I trust the 30 year old Japanese drums over anything new and Chinese.

 

[roadstr6]

I trust the 30 year old Japanese drums over anything new and Chinese.

I made the mistake of buying new drums from Autozone for my 2000 Honda Accord when I replaced the rear shoes. If only I could get my 235,000 mile original Honda drums back that I traded as cores I'd do it in a heartbeat. This new stuff is complete garbage.

 

[Spike Strip]

Generally you can take the bellcranks apart, clean and wire-wheel them, use a lot of good anti-seize on the contact surfaces, and they're good to go. You'll probably want to replace the Bellcrank boot as it's most likely dissolved by now. Still available from Mr. T or Beno.

OEM drums were available a few years ago.... Ikuda brand, but almost the same price as Toyota boxed, so I'd just do the Toyota. When it's not there, I miss me something fierce that little TEQ stamp...

 

[doug720]

Leave it to Spike to post some booty porn first thing in the morning! Full floaters give me a FF!

 

[HemiAlex]

I had to use AutoZone rotors due to poor planning on my tacoma. Never again. Warped in about 20k miles and had to be turned.

I'll hold out for better parts on this truck.