One drum brake shoe set worn to metal

Ok, had the metal on metal noise from the rear drum brakes on my 84 B2 the other day so I stopped driving it. Had time to pull it apart this morning and found the driver's side brake shoes worn to metal, while the passenger side still has a bit of material left. Is this type of thing normal, or is something wrong that I need to fix? Looks like someone has been into the passenger side before as the parts looks to be a bit newer than the other side, maybe they only replaced one side of the brakes? Then found that the parking brake cable or the self adjusting cable that is about 9" long that goes around the back of the brake shoe on the inside then down to the self adjuster was just dangling in there could that have caused the increased wear on one side since it wasn't hooked up?

Ugg if its not one thing its nother...on the bright side I just need brake shoes and the hardware kit instead of the drums as well.

I would rebuild wheel cylinders(slaves) or get new ones($10-$15)

These often get stuck and cause higher wear on one side.

Check the drum for ridges, metal to metal ridges will cause new shoes on that side to wear faster.

Make sure self adjuster is lubed and turns easily

Could have been a hacker like me and found his brake cylinder was leaking so disconnected the line...but it sounds more like just a bit sticky on one side so I'd redo both sides same time if possible and like Ron said...change the brake cylinders...they're actually only about $15 or less each...and get a few line plugs in case because you can always disconnect the lines from the T if they do start leaking...

I carry a few of them with me now because they can mean the difference between having to get a tow or driving home with only two or three brakes working...at least you will make it home to where you can work on it and have the money that you would have paid for the tow to buy new brake parts...

I drove my Tempo for 6 months with only 3 of the 4 brakes working...and currently driving my Ranger with the driver side disabled...I replaced everything and just needs to be connected and bled...just not fond of doing that in the driveway in winter...

Brakes should not be "cheaped" out on. Fix them and fix them right! Lives can be saved. There is nothing on an RBV brake system that is overly expensive. Better safe than sorry.

Ok, so at this point I'm thinking the PO did some shotty brake work LOL. This is the first time pulling the brake drums on this thing and I can already tell that someone had been in there previously and replaced the brake shoes on the passenger side as the parts on that side are different than the ones on the driver side which still look to be factory or well anyhow not the same on both sides.

I'm getting new brake shoes, and a hardware kit when I get paid, its been parked in the driveway again for 2 weeks I miss driving it already LOL. So I'll do the wheel cylinders as well since I have to tear it all apart anyhow, looks like they may be leaking just a little bit but even if they aren't I'm already in there and will replace everything brake related that I can since I'm already tearing everything out anyhow. I've never cheaped out on brake stuff, which is why I've had the truck sitting since I started hearing the metal on metal noise. Good news is the surfaces of the drums on both sides feel really smooth, no ridges or roughness that I figured I would find since I heard that metal on metal noise I thought I was in for new drums as well. At least for right now I'll get the shoes, hardware, and cylinders replaced as the drums don't seem to be damaged. Figure on about $40 to do this part. Who knows I may break down and just get new drums too LOL why not they're I think about $40 each. Ok fine maybe I'll be $100 into this brake job doing it myself, but I sure as hell ain't paying Les Schwab $250-300 to do this. Not my first time doing Drum brakes, I just hate the springs LOL.

A cheap set of brake tools are well worth the cost.

Doofy said:

A cheap set of brake tools are well worth the cost.

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Yep especially since grandpa has had the brake tools in his toolbox for decades LOL. I did drum brakes on a friend's S-10 a few years ago and didn't have the tools that brake job made me miss the brake tool set for sure LOL, and didn't want to drive home to get the tools so I made due with a screwdriver, pair of pliers and lots of explicit language LOL.

I never cut corners on my repairs, that's why the B2 sits for long periods of time, when something goes wrong, I wait till I can afford to do the job the right way. I just wish the money fairy would show up and drop several thousand $$$ into my pockets LOL.

Thanks everyone for your help as always.

Here's a couple quick pictures I shot this morning after I pulled the brake drums off. Forgot to take pictures of the interior of the brake drums, but nothing to really see, they look like good brake drums LOL.

Driver Side


Passenger Side


Terrible pictures I know. Sorry I'll try to get better shots before I pull the shoes off hopefully tomorrow after work. Have to get a can or 2 of brake parts cleaner, these things are dirty. Self adjusters I will definitely have to clean up the threads are caked in grime.

I'm also replacing both rear wheel cylinders as well, not taking the chance, they're $11 each at Oreilly's. I have it apart I'm gonna replace everything I can at this point. Looks like the front brakes were done pretty recently by the PO as the pads look pretty close to new.

You can have the drums turned, smooths them out nicely.
Both need to be done, never do just one.
Usually $10-$15 per drum, many auto parts stores used to do it, but the replacement rotors and drums are cheaper now, because they are thinner and warp, lol.

RonD said:

You can have the drums turned, smooths them out nicely.
Both need to be done, never do just one.
Usually $10-$15 per drum, many auto parts stores used to do it, but the replacement rotors and drums are cheaper now, because they are thinner and warp, lol.

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Yep I know both need done or just replaced period. By what I can tell both drums are original unless the previous owner paid a premium for Ford brake drums LOL, but considering everything else on this truck original brake drums wouldn't surprise me. I'm thinking of just replacing everything this time so I know what's been replaced and go from there, I doubt I'll have the truck when the brakes need done again given its overall condition. Overall this is just a project and something to work on when I have spare money which is hardly ever LOL. But if something goes wrong it can sit in the driveway if need be.

The bad part is right now it has a full tank of gas in it that I can't use LOL.

Why would anyone just replace 1 drum or have only 1 of them turned, and then put the old one back on? Seriously if money is that big of an issue they really shouldn't be driving IMO. If I don't have the money to fix something I park the truck till I do. Taking shortcuts on anything is just a ticking time bomb, I would rather spend a bit more $$ up front then to have the initial $$ on the half ass repair wasted plus having to spend more money to repair what else got screwed up in the process of saving the couple bucks and not doing the job right to begin with. Yep, seen the shortcut repairs many times and I've always told myself do it right the first time, and when in doubt take it to a shop. I like doing things myself whenever I can though I don't mind turning wrenches at all, its just the lack of equipment to do the larger jobs like engine removal that I don't care to do myself LOL.

Full tank of gas?

I have an electric fuel pump on my 2.3...if I want to take gas out I just disconnect the line from the carb and turn on the key...pumps out pretty good...

Last one I bought cost me $50 but I'm sure they are cheaper down your way.

Only problem is...last night the hose fell off the carb (because I didn't put the clamp on properly) and started hosing down my engine bay with raw gas...good thing the bowl only holds enough for a few minutes drive or I would have dumped my tank out completely...just wish there was a way to meter that somehow...

Doofy said:

Brakes should not be "cheaped" out on. Fix them and fix them right! Lives can be saved. There is nothing on an RBV brake system that is overly expensive. Better safe than sorry.

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I agree new drums, shoes and wheel cylinders is the proper way to do rear brakes in my opinion.

Mark_88 said:

Full tank of gas?

I have an electric fuel pump on my 2.3...if I want to take gas out I just disconnect the line from the carb and turn on the key...pumps out pretty good...

Last one I bought cost me $50 but I'm sure they are cheaper down your way.

Only problem is...last night the hose fell off the carb (because I didn't put the clamp on properly) and started hosing down my engine bay with raw gas...good thing the bowl only holds enough for a few minutes drive or I would have dumped my tank out completely...just wish there was a way to meter that somehow...

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LOL, well if I ever get paid from work from the past 2 weeks I'd have the B2 already back on the road. Anyhow, you mentioned an electric fuel pump with a carburetor. I'd definitely be interested in this idea in the future, what exactly is involved in doing this on a 2.8L V6?

kimcrwbr1 said:

I agree new drums, shoes and wheel cylinders is the proper way to do rear brakes in my opinion.

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Yep my thoughts exactly. I have to tear everything apart anyhow, why not replace everything since I'm right there at that point anyways.

Should I hang onto the old drums and have them turned and keep for a spare or replacement or is it worth the trouble? Any potential issues in replacing the wheel cylinders and bleeding the system that I should worry about? I know when I did the brakes on my 84 Ranger I had absolutely no issues at all bleeding the system on it, anything different on the 84 B2?

wildbill23c said:

LOL, well if I ever get paid from work from the past 2 weeks I'd have the B2 already back on the road. Anyhow, you mentioned an electric fuel pump with a carburetor. I'd definitely be interested in this idea in the future, what exactly is involved in doing this on a 2.8L V6?

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Not much to it really. The carb can only take low pressure and you can find them rated between 4 and 9 lbs psi like the one I have. Too much and it blows out the needle and floods.

The block I put in my 88 to replace the 2.0 (carbed) was from an 87 Ranger FI 2.3 with the fuel pump key closed over (never was opened) and I probably could have put on a manual pump by simply dilling out the pump slot...but I was concerned with all the other work involved so I just went out and found the low pressure electric.

All you would have to do for that would be to connect the existing fuel line to the filter on the incoming end of the pump and then run a hose from the pump to the carb inlet...then run one wire to ground (i used the motor ground strap connection on the firewall) and then another one to the fuse panel...

However, I am now considering putting in a kill switch...to prevent what happened the other day...or at least stop it from dumping too much fuel.

Mark_88 said:

Not much to it really. The carb can only take low pressure and you can find them rated between 4 and 9 lbs psi like the one I have. Too much and it blows out the needle and floods.

The block I put in my 88 to replace the 2.0 (carbed) was from an 87 Ranger FI 2.3 with the fuel pump key closed over (never was opened) and I probably could have put on a manual pump by simply dilling out the pump slot...but I was concerned with all the other work involved so I just went out and found the low pressure electric.

All you would have to do for that would be to connect the existing fuel line to the filter on the incoming end of the pump and then run a hose from the pump to the carb inlet...then run one wire to ground (i used the motor ground strap connection on the firewall) and then another one to the fuse panel...

However, I am now considering putting in a kill switch...to prevent what happened the other day...or at least stop it from dumping too much fuel.

Click to expand...

Ok, so you just simply covered the OEM manual fuel pump location and installed an electric low pressure fuel pump. Dang that's pretty simple and straight forward thank you.

Now back to the brakes LOL. Seems its a long time between me doing any sort of brake work. What's the best way to bleed the rear drum brakes after I change the wheel cylinders? Just open the bleeder screws and pump the brake pedal till all the air is out?