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Tightening Rear Brake Drum Retaining Nut

D

DennisG01

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Location
Allentown, PA
I popped the drum off to take a look at things. I don't have the special retaining nut tool so I tightened it back up in a similar fashion to the way I do it on trailers - "by feel". For this nut, I stuck a small Torx screwdriver in one of the "holes" of the nut and used that to rotate the nut tight. The hub spun freely and there was absolutely no play in the hub when I shook it. Then I tapped the nut a little tighter with a hammer (probably made it turn about 15*). I then backed it off until the keyway lined up (a little less than 15*). Still no play in the hub. I put the wheel on and there was still no play when I tried to rock the wheel back and forth.

Does this sound alright?
 
Thanks for the reassurance, guys!

The whole reason I took it off was that I've got some zerk fittings (on the wheel cylinders) that are either not cooperating (even with penetrating fluid) or broken off. So, I need to replace those wheel cylinders sometime soon and I just wanted to get a looksie at everything in there before I started. I think I'm going to change out the rubber brake lines to SS, while I'm at it. The rubbers are at least 9 years old, anyways.
 
I'm definitely replacing the rear wheel cylinders (both). What do you think about the rest? Is is recommended to replace springs, shoes and drum? The truck has about 120K on it, I've owned it for 9 years and nothing has been changed in the 9 years I've owned it.

Can you get "loaded" backing plates for these trucks (8,600lb, 13" drum with 3.5" shoes) like you can with trailers?

Or, should I look into replacing the entire axle with one from a salvage yard that has disc brakes on it (2001+). I realize it won't make too much of a difference in braking performance (since it's the rear) and that I would also need to replace the MC and proportioning valve.

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Your better off with what you have than disc IMO. You will have to buy the parts in pieces no loaded plate for them.
Get new spring kit to they are so cheap anyway.

If you don't already have one I highly recomend you buy the special spring remover/installer tool. Any auto parts will have it.
 
Heck, clean those parts up, get the drums turned, and put some new shoes on it. 120k on those is just broke in. I've done well over 300k several times on drum brakes with just an occasional service.
 
You didn't really have to pull an axle to get to your brakes with the 13x3.5's.

I'm curious as to what kind of runout/wobble there is on your hubs...
 
You lost me I think? Our drum brakes require you remove the axle unlike the Fords. Ford is better designed in that aspect.
 
Hmm, my SRW ton'r has the 13x3.5's and the drums just slide right on and off... Maybe his 3/4 ton 'burb is different.
 
OH ok I get you now. Like you said BFH! they should'int just slide off, but don't think it would hurt anything if they did.

Fords just slide right off like a car does
 
No no seriously, they should just slide off when all things are 'right'. If Dennis could post a pic of the outside of his drum we could see.
 
On all I have worked on I had to beat the studs out before the drum would come off. We should start a poll thread. You bring up a good idea though. I think next time I will enlarge the holes a tad so the drum will come off easily.
 
The wheel studs are pressed into the drum (which you can see in the picture above of the drum's backside). The axle cap cover gets bolted onto the drum. The axle cap covers the retaining nut. The retaining nut holds the drum on to the axle housing. I just went outside and took this:

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So, all full floaters aren't like this (this is my only experience with a FF)?
 
From the picture above (inside of drum), does there look like there is enough meat to have them turned? I crudely measured the wall thickness at .35" and there doesn't really seem to be any type of "groove" worn into the drum from the pads.
 
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