Oval drum brakes - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

darkpino · 01-05-2009, 03:59 AM

Hi guys here i am again.
I have a strange problem with my drum brake.
When i bought it my handbrake got stuck one time, i felt it on the highway (it was a bit bumping, shaking?)
So i stopped to look what was wrong, felt the rearwheels and felt it was a bit warm so i got them loose again and drove home again.
No problem.

But i thought i would be better to renew the brakeshoes atleast to be sure, they were getting a bit soft and it doesn't cost a lot of money...
After that the trouble began.
My right rear brake was really stuck but i had to get home anyway so (it wasn't a long drive, like 15 minutes or so just driving an average of 20 mph i guess) and it was really hot after that!
I got the drum right after that off, and i still have a small burn wound on my hand :P
Anyway my drum after that turned like oval? everytime i braked it felt bumpy and sometimes when you just drove it on the highway it also kind of got stuck a little.
It wasn't really hard but after the drive if you felt at the wheel it was a bit warm (not really just a little bit...)

I got my drum refreshed by a benchworker and it was really great... for 2 weeks.
Friday it started again and now my drum is all oval again and bumpy and stuff.
I'm really scared it will tear my rear end all apart, or my car :P
So actually do you guys have any experience with this kind of stuff? i have the car like 7 or 8 months now and i always had problems with my right rear brake.
My brakecylinder was leaking so i installed a new one.
After that new brakeshoes but somehow it won't work...
I only haven't renewed the drum, but it is been done by a bench worker so i guess that should be enough...? i'm really getting tired of it right now

**special-K** · 01-05-2009, 08:16 AM

The benchworker must have not gotten them turned down to round.Maybe he was running out of material,going below the minimum safe thickness.

darkpino · 01-05-2009, 09:08 AM

But how come it does the exact same thing again now?
i mean it was good for 2 weeks? shouldn't be done the same right after the was redone?

**Palf70Step** · 01-05-2009, 10:24 PM

I may have read this wrong, but did you replace the shoes, then have a problem, then grind/turn the drums? If you did not replace your shoes again after the drum was turned, then yes the shoes are already worn in with the out-of-round condition and may be good for a short while but will then start acting up again.

darkpino · 01-06-2009, 04:14 AM

No you have read that right :P
But the problem is not that the drum turned oval after 2 weeks.
The drum started running against the brakeshoes again after 2 weeks and because of that it turned oval again (i guess that's normal if drums get wayyyy too hot? sounds normal to me...)
So what made the shoes run again the drum again? i have ordered a new drum yesterday which should be here today.
But don't want to mess up the new drum because of something else...
Thanks for the help guys!

cparman · 01-07-2009, 03:27 AM

check to see if the emergency brake cable going to the right rear wheel is free. If the emergency brake cable is frozen or stiff, and you apply the emergency brake even thought you release the E brake inside the cab of the truck, the cable still has the brake applied at the wheel.

01-05-2009, 03:59 AM	#1
darkpino Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Zaandam, Netherlands Posts: 8	Oval drum brakes Hi guys here i am again. I have a strange problem with my drum brake. When i bought it my handbrake got stuck one time, i felt it on the highway (it was a bit bumping, shaking?) So i stopped to look what was wrong, felt the rearwheels and felt it was a bit warm so i got them loose again and drove home again. No problem. But i thought i would be better to renew the brakeshoes atleast to be sure, they were getting a bit soft and it doesn't cost a lot of money... After that the trouble began. My right rear brake was really stuck but i had to get home anyway so (it wasn't a long drive, like 15 minutes or so just driving an average of 20 mph i guess) and it was really hot after that! I got the drum right after that off, and i still have a small burn wound on my hand :P Anyway my drum after that turned like oval? everytime i braked it felt bumpy and sometimes when you just drove it on the highway it also kind of got stuck a little. It wasn't really hard but after the drive if you felt at the wheel it was a bit warm (not really just a little bit...) I got my drum refreshed by a benchworker and it was really great... for 2 weeks. Friday it started again and now my drum is all oval again and bumpy and stuff. I'm really scared it will tear my rear end all apart, or my car :P So actually do you guys have any experience with this kind of stuff? i have the car like 7 or 8 months now and i always had problems with my right rear brake. My brakecylinder was leaking so i installed a new one. After that new brakeshoes but somehow it won't work... I only haven't renewed the drum, but it is been done by a bench worker so i guess that should be enough...? i'm really getting tired of it right now

01-05-2009, 08:16 AM	#2
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,863	Re: Oval drum brakes The benchworker must have not gotten them turned down to round.Maybe he was running out of material,going below the minimum safe thickness. __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

01-05-2009, 09:08 AM	#3
darkpino Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Zaandam, Netherlands Posts: 8	Re: Oval drum brakes But how come it does the exact same thing again now? i mean it was good for 2 weeks? shouldn't be done the same right after the was redone?

01-05-2009, 10:24 PM	#4
Palf70Step State of Confusion! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gulfport, MS USA Posts: 46,634	Re: Oval drum brakes I may have read this wrong, but did you replace the shoes, then have a problem, then grind/turn the drums? If you did not replace your shoes again after the drum was turned, then yes the shoes are already worn in with the out-of-round condition and may be good for a short while but will then start acting up again. __________________ Bill 1970 Chevy Custom/10 LWB Fleetside 2010 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner SR5 Double Cab - DD Member of Louisiana Classic Truck Club (LCTC) Bill's Gallery Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God! Last edited by Palf70Step; 01-05-2009 at 10:25 PM.

01-06-2009, 04:14 AM	#5
darkpino Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Zaandam, Netherlands Posts: 8	Re: Oval drum brakes No you have read that right :P But the problem is not that the drum turned oval after 2 weeks. The drum started running against the brakeshoes again after 2 weeks and because of that it turned oval again (i guess that's normal if drums get wayyyy too hot? sounds normal to me...) So what made the shoes run again the drum again? i have ordered a new drum yesterday which should be here today. But don't want to mess up the new drum because of something else... Thanks for the help guys!

01-07-2009, 03:27 AM	#6
cparman sharp as a marble Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: atlantic beach,florida Posts: 1,082	Re: Oval drum brakes check to see if the emergency brake cable going to the right rear wheel is free. If the emergency brake cable is frozen or stiff, and you apply the emergency brake even thought you release the E brake inside the cab of the truck, the cable still has the brake applied at the wheel.



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