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pacodiablo
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2007
- Messages
- 392
- Age
- 37
- City
- Birmingham, AL
- Vehicle Year
- 2002
1994
- Transmission
- Automatic
What started as a tire rotation has turned into redoing the rear brakes on my 1994 Ranger 4x4 with an 8.8 28 spline rear axle and 10" drums.
The previous owner did something before I got the truck to bang up the driver's side backing plate. Whatever they did also took a chunk out of the lip of the drum. I am guessing it fell off a jack or jack stand on to hard ground, or maybe was slammed into a rock or curb somehow. The truck has been driven this way for some time, at least 10K miles or more.
When I got to reassembling the brakes, the drum would not go on even with the brakes adjusted all the way in. The shoes would push it off center of the axle, then it would hit the edge of the backing plate, rather than the backing plate seating into the groove on the drum.
There weren't many good options for a replacement backing plate online, and I want to avoid spending a chunk of my weekend at Pull-A-Part if possible, so I called the Ford dealer today even though it was a long shot. Sure enough, 1994 was obsolete with no dealers anywhere showing to have it, but 1995 was available at the closest distribution center, so I have it on the way.
I am wondering what is different? It's hard to find good pictures of backing plates on Google Images that are for sure a certain year/configuration. I think the only real difference might be the location of the access slot for the adjuster, but I am not sure. I will closely compare the new backing plate when I get it, but was hoping someone has messed with the brakes on these enough to know if a 1995 backing plate will work on a 1994 truck, or if it can be easily modified to work. Thanks.
The previous owner did something before I got the truck to bang up the driver's side backing plate. Whatever they did also took a chunk out of the lip of the drum. I am guessing it fell off a jack or jack stand on to hard ground, or maybe was slammed into a rock or curb somehow. The truck has been driven this way for some time, at least 10K miles or more.
When I got to reassembling the brakes, the drum would not go on even with the brakes adjusted all the way in. The shoes would push it off center of the axle, then it would hit the edge of the backing plate, rather than the backing plate seating into the groove on the drum.
There weren't many good options for a replacement backing plate online, and I want to avoid spending a chunk of my weekend at Pull-A-Part if possible, so I called the Ford dealer today even though it was a long shot. Sure enough, 1994 was obsolete with no dealers anywhere showing to have it, but 1995 was available at the closest distribution center, so I have it on the way.
I am wondering what is different? It's hard to find good pictures of backing plates on Google Images that are for sure a certain year/configuration. I think the only real difference might be the location of the access slot for the adjuster, but I am not sure. I will closely compare the new backing plate when I get it, but was hoping someone has messed with the brakes on these enough to know if a 1995 backing plate will work on a 1994 truck, or if it can be easily modified to work. Thanks.
