Drum brake diagnosis...need direction and advice

A piece of Scotch bright on the axle and twisted around a BIG screw driver or simular round thingy to do the inside of the hub taper will get you going. I have on occasion lapped the hub to the axle with fine valve grinding paste. I have right at 50 years of screwing around with early Ford parts.

 

I'm not saying otherwise, but perhaps his knowledge and expertise in the area of rear axles and rear drum brakes is a wee bit weak to be tackling a repair like this.

Yeah, but only one person here seems to be able to put his hands on the vehicle in question and examine it up close, if you see what I mean.

No, but just reading through this thread it's pretty clear that the subject of diagnosing and repairing problems with the rear axle and drum brake ***emblies on the car in question may be a bit beyond the current expertise of the owner.

Look, I applaud his desire to perform the repair himself, but isn't it possible that to perform this repair in a manner that results in a vehicle that is safe to operate might require a bit more than exchanging some brief forum messages here?

Like ... maybe having a mentor (perhaps somebody from the forum) drop by to check the situation out and guide him through the process?

Imagine a line that extends north from the eastern tip of Long Island to the Canadian border. The part of New England that is west of that line would qualify as "western New England." (More or less.)

 

It's rear brakes on a 1940's car. Ever work on rear brakes on a '40's car?
If you can figure out whether you should stand or sit whilst relieving yourself, you can repair the brakes on a '40's car....WITHOUT the help of a mentor.

I'm from Vermont. That is in New England. New Englanders are proud of being New Englanders. You, apparently are not. Are you a transplant from, say Illinois, who feels that differentiating yourself from "common New Englanders" is somehow, a boon? That you are closer to, say...Hollywood than Maine is a thing to be reckoned with?

Does your wife let you drive her car?

Damn... "Western New England".... NOW, I've seen it all.

 

"more or less" I live west of that line, but "all" of Ct is called part of Southern New England.

I've heard of Western M***, but never heard of Western New England...but i don't get out much

 

But, to extend the olive branch...you, in a "western New England" sort of way, have a point.

Remember, 10% of Americans are unemployed, many of whom have cars. People, in general should not work on their own cars. Whether it's brakes or a rear main seal leak, done incorrectly, both could cause death. You're concern, on the surface, seems well-founded.
Consider this, however. Todays' mechanics are not all direct descendants of Albert Einstein. Many have drug/alcohol issues, are *****s or just plain don't give a ****.
This man, obviously, is computer-literate, has a family and well-knows that brakes stop the car in which his loved-ones travel.

10 bucks on the human.

 

I'm 35 miles from the Pacific Ocean....but remember being happy when the thermometer was warmer than 20 below......

I guess I'm a "Western New Englander", too!

 

Kevin, I'll PM ya my #. I'll come over and give you a hand.....I've gone thru these brakes hundreds of times....they're actually quite simple...if you need the drum turned, you also need the shoes arced to match...rarely done but highly recommended....I also have a torque wrench that goes to 250 ft' lbs.......Mike

 

Ya I'd listen to Mike I think he's on to something.If you need someone to sit on the torque wrench i"m within the torque range.

 

Any rust on the lip of the drum? and sounds to me like the hub was not tight enough on the axle. Should have needed a puller to remove it.

 

I think you may have a good point. Worn bearing that needs replacement?

 

I respectfully suggest you buy and use a 1/2 in. torque wrench to secure the axle nut. Too much chance of damaging threads by guessing and "jumping". If you damage the threads you really are in a "world of hurt." Go this site and read about correct axle nut torque in lower right hand column. http://www.btc-bci.com/~billben/flathead.htm ( I still think it might be the big axle roller bearing.)

 

Hey Mike! Thanks for the ***ist. I've got your number and will call you shortly for the hook up.

 

Thanks Dave! I'm pretty sure that I am "over torque weight"...we should be good. LOL.