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Problem with rear drum brakes, I'm out of ideas.

OK...if both sides have the problem, swap wheels from front to back and see if it is the wheel. You can at least isolate it down from there.
I wonder if your drum brake system just is incompatible with your axle for some reason.
Can you remove the brake shoes and mount the drum and wheel and see what happens?
 
Best solution is to do what you are good at....blow the motor up and then you won’t need brakes!
 
Sure....don’t share with the class! I’ve been waiting for you to chime in and now you two are going to have a phone date!
Sorry. Not trying to be cryptic or anything. We'd been discussing this for a bit and went through everything the gang here offered up already. Had an abstract thought about it during my travel this week and wanted to try something at home before offering up in public. That's all.
 
OK...if both sides have the problem, swap wheels from front to back and see if it is the wheel. You can at least isolate it down from there.
I wonder if your drum brake system just is incompatible with your axle for some reason.
Can you remove the brake shoes and mount the drum and wheel and see what happens?

Does it without the wheel, just lugnuts on the drum.
Tried just drum without shoes and that rotates just fine. It’s the shoes causing the drag, but why?


Mark
 
Maybe you could throw a few washers on the studs to space the drum out and torque the nuts down to see if that eliminates the bind. If so then you have to figure out if the drums offset is incorrect or the pads are spaced out and why.
 
I would be tempted to check the drum's runout. Perhaps install the drums on a spindle or axle facing outward you can set up a dial indicator. Do it with lug nuts just snug and again with the torqued down, to see if there is any change. I'm curious if it is the same issue folks talk about when engines are bored without torque plates, that the cylinders distort some when torqued down.
 
I would be tempted to check the drum's runout. Perhaps install the drums on a spindle or axle facing outward you can set up a dial indicator. Do it with lug nuts just snug and again with the torqued down, to see if there is any change. I'm curious if it is the same issue folks talk about when engines are bored without torque plates, that the cylinders distort some when torqued down.
Good thought I'm just not sure how the drum could be pulled out of round cinched to a flat surface if both contact surfaces have been verified to be flat. He has had the axles checked out as well as the drums turned/checked by reputable shops with this being one area of concern. He was at it again today working to find the issue. I'm convinced it is a combination of a couple things leading to the problem simply because everything anyone can come up with has been checked at least twice. Our floppy eared pal is frustrated for sure. He'll figure it out.
 
Where I’m at.

I checked a bunch of things today with no real advances. I have a race buddy coming by maybe this weekend to put a fresh set of eyes on it. If no fix is found, I’m going to adjust the shoes so they are loose with the drum slid on and they are just dragging when the wheel is on. I’ll also try giving the rear a little more pressure with the prop valve. I won’t know any result till October at the next race.

None of this makes any sense.


Mark
 
Race buddy came by this morning and we went all over it from scratch. He left with a puzzled look and mumbling strange words. We made zero progress.


Mark
 
Sounds like the shoes might be spaced too far out contacting the face of the drum when torqued down.
Maybe you could throw a few washers on the studs to space the drum out and torque the nuts down to see if that eliminates the bind. If so then you have to figure out if the drums offset is incorrect or the pads are spaced out and why.
Did you try the washers?

_____________________________
Never argue with a Moron. They'll just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
 
I see a visit by priests to rid my car of the curse that Randy placed upon it years ago. This has gone too far!

Haven’t I suffered enough?


Mark
 
One of the local Ford mechanics is going to look at it this weekend. He’s their primary brake guy.

My hope is he finds something I did wrong. Although, when I explained it to him, he said “That doesn’t make sense”.


Mark
 
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