1994 Ford Explorer - broken self adjuster cable.

[Common Cents]

Initially, I was going to ask where to find parts to fix this, but some online searching turned up all the rear brake self adjuster hardware and the brake springs/hardware kit. I'm mostly posting this in case others have the same problem, and for any input on this job.

OK. So as you may know, I've started fixing up a "new to me" 1994 Ford Explorer Sport 4WD. I mentioned in my introduction post that the rear brakes were leaking. I pulled the drums today. I started at the right rear. When I got the drum off, it was scary in there. Here are some pics.

Click for high resolution image:

Right rear brake, 1994 Ford Explorer Sport 4WD, view from above, showing damage and excessive wear.
Click for high resolution image:

Right rear brake, 1994 Ford Explorer Sport 4WD, straight on view, showing damage and excessive wear.
Click for high resolution image:

Right rear brake, 1994 Ford Explorer Sport 4WD, view from below, showing damage and excessive wear.
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The adjuster cable had broken. There was a short piece with frayed ends still attached to the upper pin. The rest of the cable was gone, and the hook that attaches to the adjuster lever/ratchet piece at the bottom was mostly gone, too. There was a small piece of metal stuck through the boot of the front piston of the wheel cylinder that looked like it could have come from that hook piece.

The starwheel had turned all the way, and the threaded section of the self-adjuster was completely unscrewed from the forward piece and would not thread back in. It was crooked and might have cross threaded if I had tried to force it.

Anyway, I found my brake fluid leak. I also found a "Brake Drum Self-Adjusting Kit-Rear" at the local AutoZone, and BrakeBest - Drum Brake Hardware Kit at the local O'Reilly Auto Parts. I'll be picking those up as soon as I get an email that the orders are ready for pickup (I ordered online for in-store pickup).

It looks like I'll also need a 7/16" flare nut wrench for this job. None of my metric flare wrenches are a tight enough fit, and I don't want to risk rounding off the fitting on the wheel cylinder.

It also looks like I'll be getting some core shoes to ship off to my drum brake specialist, along with some new or servicable used core drums. I always get my shoes machined to match my drums. I usually use refinished (turned) drums, and I have a guy who relines shoes and matches the shoe radius precisely to the drums so that the friction material makes full contact with the drum. He also fits higher performance compounds to the shoes, and can provide performance matching front pads for improved braking and better fade resistance.

Machining new shoes to match the drum (a process called "arcing" the shoes) is an often overlooked part of repairing/maintaining drum brakes. It can sometimes be avoided if brand new shoes are fitted with brand new drums. But I've had situations where brand new drums and shoes don't match precisely. Usually when that happens, it's possible to turn the drums to match the new shoes (the new shoes are usually radiused slightly larger than a new drum, or the new drums might be slighly undersized).

The right rear shoes were also completely worn out.

The good news is the left rear was in good shape, so i won't need to do much for that side. I'll still replace the wheel cylinder and the self adjuster kit and the springs/hardware when I install new shoes/drums, but I don't have to deal with it today.

 

[Roadrunner777]

I had roughly the same problem earlier this year. If you wanted just the cable, orielly's should have that (you get 2). Seems like you are the kind that likes to use new hardware where you can. I have probably done 10 drum brake jobs compared to 30+ disk, and I was surprised when I went to get that cable how cheap it was to replace everything. I did so!

Do you want to share your brake guy? Man, I wish I had kept my old shoes now! I had to re-use my grooved up drums (long story, I already had almost $200 in parts on doing all the brakes and I just could not afford 2 new drums at the time) I'll fix all that in the spring time (pun, get it, Spring-Time? Sorry!) I'll buy new drums and shoes from him if you want to give me his info.

Thanks!

Phil

(my last brake job: new front brake lines (both sides), new hard line left front, New calipers both sides, new rotors, 2 new sets of premium disk pads (don't ask), new shoes, new rear brake cylinder, new hard line cylinder to Y connection on diff, all new HW on right rear)

 

[Common Cents]

Phil,

Thanks for the info. Yeah, I went ahead and got the full hardware kit and full self adjuster kit. As I mentioned in my opening post, the starwheel adjuster piece had some damage to it as well, due to the fact it unscrewed itself completely and was riding crooked. I was barely able to get it to thread back together, and it did not turn freely when I did. I don't want to risk that binding and not working.

Do you want to share your brake guy?

I actually have used two different people/companies over the years. The one place I'll share now is a company out in California, Porterfield Enterprises. They make their own racing and high performanc street friction compounds, and they also sell pads and shoes lined with Hawk and Performance Friction materials (both the race compounds and the "street" compounds). I started using them when my first guy gave up on my "too small" brake shoes.

They don't list anything for the Explorers, but they will do custom pads and shoes on your cores. In my past experience with them, they also understand an order for shoes that says, "Arc these shoes to match a drum diameter of ______mm/inches."

The first guy I had was the best, but I'm still trying to find him. He did my brake shoes for my SCCA race cars over many years (from the mind 1980's up to around 2000). Eventually, he refused to do any more for me because the drums on my last race car were "too small." Smaller drums and shoes require sharper bends to the friction material, and are much more difficult to deal with. He started with a "8 inch or bigger only" rule, and may have gone to "9 inche or bigger" at some point. I haven't sent anything to him in 5 years or so. The last time I got some Dodge Caravan shoes and drums done was in 2005 or 2006. I tried to call him yesterday, but I didn't get him. I left a message. He may be traveling for the holiday weekend, or maybe he's retired and moved for all I know. I won't give his information until 1) I'm sure I have it correct, and 2) he gives me his permission.

For the race car, I used to spec the shoes for the factory specified maximum "after turning" diameter for the drum, and just used junkyard drums turned to that diameter. It saved a bit of rotating/unsprung weight, and I had better braking with properly arced shoes.

For street vehicles, I'd turn the minimum to get a good surface, measure both drums, and turn the smaller one to match the larger one, then order a full set for that measured diameter.

Neither of my sources were cheap, but both have done good work for me over the years. I'll probably get quotes to compare with new drums and some "performance" shoes for the Explorer and see which option is best. I think I'll need drums anyway. That drum on the right side was already scored a bit. The only reason it wasn't scored more was because everything was thoroughly lubricated by the brake fluid. Also, I'm not sure how much thickness is in those drums for "turning."

On most domestic vehicles from the 90's (or later) with rear drum brakes, they usually made the drums for "single use" to avoid the whole shoe arcing issue entirely. There usually isn't enough material to turn the drums and have them still be usable. I try never to exceed the "wear limits" for drum diameter.

 

[Common Cents]

Follow up question about rear drum specs.

I found some replacement drums on AutoZone.com.

The specifications for those drums, they are 254mm inner diameter with a service limit of 256.3mm. I'm guessing these could possibly be turned one time if they aren't too deeply scored. Is there a maximum "after machining" limit? I wouldn't want to go over about 255.5mm with those specs, leaving enough material for some wear from the new pads. I'll have to measure mine. I'm not sure where my brake drum calipers are right now. I don't think I've unpacked them from my last move.

 

[Common Cents]

The project gets more complicated.

One more follow up.

I did a bit more on this one today. Got the bleeder screw out without much trouble (a 6 point deep well socket did the trick).

Nothing helped the brake line fitting into the wheel cylinder. I used plenty of penetrant (PB Blaster), some vibration (hammer and punch around the area where the fitting was screwed into the wheel cylinder plus the big hammer applied to the wheel cylinder body inside the drum), and even some heat from a small butane torch. The threads were very corroded and fused. After rounding off the fitting, I went to plan B (or was it plan E or F by this point), the small pipe wrench. I got some movement on the threaded part, but the line itself was also rusted and fused to the fitting nut. Turning it twisted the end off the line. Oh well. Inspecting the full hard line on the axle, I also found excessive rust (and possible perforation) at the tab that holds that line to the axle tube.

I will most likely replace both hard lines on the rear axle on this project. I'm also looking at that rubber flex pipe and thinking this might be a good time to replace that as well.

For now, it started raining, so I folded two kinks in the end of the line and crimped those down hard to stop most of the leakage and hopefully keep moisture out of the system. I'll get back to it Tuesday after the rain stops and things dry out.

 

[Roadrunner777]

I had a leaky wheel cylinder, twisted off the line just like you did. I'm going back and replacing all the brake lines related to the diff next year... that line broke just a little to easy for me. I have also since learned that I am supposed to do a double flare... more tools to buy!