its definitely a bad wheel seal.
from what i understand, i have to open differential and remove hub to access all the drum brake bits and pieces, ya? ill be doing a few low mile trips on the hack brake spring until i can complete a rockauto order. most of my local trips are done by bicycle anyways.
im going to pop the drum back open to verify the spring wont be hitting the 'star adjuster' and if it does, am i just better off driving with the spring disconnected?
*EDIT*
there appears to be about a 2-3mm gap between spring and star adjuster. should i just remove the spring and drive without it for now? because prior to my hack job, the free end of the spring was just dangling *above* the axle. it looks like if the brakes are applied, the shoes hinge from above so the spring should move slightly upwards ... but the 'star adjuster mechanism' would also move slightly upward.
Are you seriously asking if you can remove one of your brake components and then drive your truck?
I’m not a TRS official, but I’ve been on this earth 71 years and playing with this junk for probably 55 or 60 years, and
the answer is emphatically “no!“
I have tinkered, cobbled, rigged more stuff in a year that most people would ever think of doing in a lifetime. But there are two basic rules when it comes to fiddling with cars and trucks, especially old cars and trucks. Number one, if something happens, you have to be able to stop.
Never compromise anything on the brakes. Unimaginable experience and design expertise has gone into making every little component on what seems like an age old brake system. That includes investigating accidents and what worked and what didn’t work, material science, bench testing, and failure, etc., etc..
Number two, if something happens, you have to be able to steer it to the curb or a safe spot.
Never compromise anything in the steering.
PERIOD.
On a different level, again I’m not an official with TRS, but if anybody responds in any other fashion, it would be gross negligence, and they would be liable if anything were to happen to you, or God forbid, anybody else. Consider that. It’s one thing to risk your own neck, it’s another thing to put other people at risk. The path you’re heading down put everyone at risk. You just can’t do that.
Go behind the grocery, steal a milk crate, and zip tie it to your bike, and use that until you can fix your brakes properly.
There is just no other answer.
And you may be a “young buck“ just starting out, but think of your own reputation when you even ask such things. Do you want to be known as careless and irresponsible? Devoid of responsibility, risk management and care for other people? I’m not chastising you, but it’s something to think about. Obviously we’re judged by the things we do and say. You’re going down a wrong trail with this whole way of thinking.
If you’re in a jam, get a friend with a couple bucks, go down the local auto parts store (or scrapyard), and get the proper parts and fix it properly before you drive it.
Hope it helps.
