bent axles?

[97ranger22bronco]

So I was finishing up work on the rear brakes on my '97 and the passenger drum just would not fit right. I got a second opinion from someone and he said that the axle is bent? He took a look at my driver's side and noted the same thing, as you turn the drum it gets tight and loose periodically. On the passenger side, it doesn't turn very well at all.

So, at this point, is his assumption correct that the axles are bent? And if so, how can I fix it? They're 10 inch brakes and it's a RWD '97 XLT with a 2.3

 

[pjtoledo]

first remove drums and clean, scrape rust, off all mating surfaces.
put a dial indicator or equivalent on the hub and spin it. check the small step the drum mounts on.
adjust brakes, smack them back 'n forth so the shoes settle in.
mark the inside of the drum up with a marker, spin it and look where its rubbing. torque it down.
then rotate it 2 holes and repeat, does it rub in the same spot?
yes = drum, no = axle.
axial runout is hard to check because the axle can move in & out under normal conditions.

can't fix a bent axle, at least not easily for sure.

did the truck vibrate before the brake job?

 

[97ranger22bronco]

The truck sat in the field for 14 years when I got it so I don't know about any vibration unfortunately. The reason I'm thinking the axle shafts may be bent is that when the tow truck pulled it out and then later pushed it into my garage, the rear brakes were completely seized so the wheels didn't turn at all.

On the passenger side when I try and put the drum on after the shoes are sitting on correctly, the studs don't line up with the holes in the drum at all. Also, when I turn the rear wheel it's very hard to spin.

The driver side is only a bit more easier to turn.

Could it be that the axle shaft is fine and that it's a bad bearing/seal?

 

[4x4junkie]

I'm thinking bad (warped) drums. That or they're just so rusty they will never spin correctly.

I would get new drums regardless of the axle(s) if they were rusted so bad as to be frozen. Chances are better that it's the drums than the axles.

 

[97ranger22bronco]

@4x4junkie this is with brand new drums

 

[Uncle Gump]

Look at the tops of the brake shoes. They have to be firmly seated up against the backing plate anchor pin.

 

[4x4junkie]

@4x4junkie this is with brand new drums

Ah, my apologies.

I would suggest check the flange runout like @pjtoledo said then. Just be sure to keep a continuous inward pressure against the shaft if you do it with a dial gauge so that the endplay doesn't affect your readings.

Also, you did retract the self-adjuster screw, correct?

 

[97ranger22bronco]

Also, you did retract the self-adjuster screw, correct?

That i did.

 

[Uncle Gump]

You can also eliminate the possibility of a park brake issue by removing the park brake strut for testing purposes. If the drum goes on... it's likely a seized park brake cable... not a bent axle.

 

[97ranger22bronco]

You can also eliminate the possibility of a park brake issue by removing the park brake strut for testing purposes. If the drum goes on... it's likely a seized park brake cable... not a bent axle.

I tested the e-brake as i was replacing the brakes and the cable moved good without any hangup

 

[97ranger22bronco]

The bent shafts were suggested to me that because when I spin the passenger side flange and it does not spin freely at all and the driver's side spins and tightens, spins and tightens.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I tested the e-brake as i was replacing the brakes and the cable moved good without any hangup

You still need to check brake shoes to anchor pin.

 

[97ranger22bronco]

You still need to check brake shoes to anchor pin.

Just checked, they look like they're aligned right, I believe.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Nope...

 

[Uncle Gump]

That gap between the shoes and the anchor pin is your problem.

Pull the park brake strut... I'll bet the drums slide right on.