Roadrunner777
Explorer Addict
- Joined
- February 5, 2011
- Messages
- 2,044
- Reaction score
- 346
- City, State
- Bemidji, MN
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 94 4x4 Sport 88k
In the spirit of Click and Clack, I offer the following puzzler, a true story:
This spring, I did normal maintenance, including lubing the driveshaft slip joints, ball joints, etc... About 2 weeks later, I began feeling drag as I was driving. This drag got progressively more noticeable, particularly after leaving a stop sign. It would seem to catch and then free up after leaving the stop sign and feel normal again within a few blocks. As it further progressed, the drag began to feel continuous, and I noted the right rear drum getting hot.
I rebuilt the rear brakes with all new parts. I had a minor issue getting the right rear drum on, as it seemed like the brake shoes weren't quite lining up correctly. But, I got it on and the problem disappeared!
Until a few weeks later when the problem came back. I pulled the brake drum looking for a mistake in re-assembly, but it was perfectly fine, a mirror of the other side and matched the manual exactly. Upon reassembly, it worked great for about 2 weeks, and then the dragging came back.
This time, I replaced the wheel cylinder (I should have said I didn't earlier, sorry). Again, the problem disappeared, and you guessed it, came back 2 weeks later.
At this point, I was ready to take it to a shop and get a brake expert to find my problem. Then, one day, I was repairing some body rust, and it came to me what the problem was. I took 2 foot steps and had it fixed in less than 5 seconds without parts, tools, and without entering the vehicle.
What did I do?
(I should say that the problem has not come back in over 2 months, and based on the solution, I don't expect it come back, it was quite obvious in retrospect).
This spring, I did normal maintenance, including lubing the driveshaft slip joints, ball joints, etc... About 2 weeks later, I began feeling drag as I was driving. This drag got progressively more noticeable, particularly after leaving a stop sign. It would seem to catch and then free up after leaving the stop sign and feel normal again within a few blocks. As it further progressed, the drag began to feel continuous, and I noted the right rear drum getting hot.
I rebuilt the rear brakes with all new parts. I had a minor issue getting the right rear drum on, as it seemed like the brake shoes weren't quite lining up correctly. But, I got it on and the problem disappeared!
Until a few weeks later when the problem came back. I pulled the brake drum looking for a mistake in re-assembly, but it was perfectly fine, a mirror of the other side and matched the manual exactly. Upon reassembly, it worked great for about 2 weeks, and then the dragging came back.
This time, I replaced the wheel cylinder (I should have said I didn't earlier, sorry). Again, the problem disappeared, and you guessed it, came back 2 weeks later.
At this point, I was ready to take it to a shop and get a brake expert to find my problem. Then, one day, I was repairing some body rust, and it came to me what the problem was. I took 2 foot steps and had it fixed in less than 5 seconds without parts, tools, and without entering the vehicle.
What did I do?
(I should say that the problem has not come back in over 2 months, and based on the solution, I don't expect it come back, it was quite obvious in retrospect).
