Brake leak

[rlpowers86]

Thanks for reading. I have a 93 Explorer that I use for winters in Alaska. Yesterday my brakes died and I had a puddle under my right rear tire. I've only worked on sports cars (eclipse, prelude, RX-7), so I have no idea what could blow in a drum brake. What typically blows in these things? I can't find a leak at the line, so i'm assuming a seal is bad somewhere in this thing. Thanks for any input.

 

[waskly]

blown wheel cylinder? pull the drum off and look.

 

[Tony H]

Yup if the Line is OK then likely the wheel cylinder.
This is old school stuff. Growing up, all brakes were drums.
get the Brake line off the back, two small bolts from the back and it will wiggle out there between the axle. That horizontal thing under the top springs is what you are shooting for

 

[Jstcruz]

Im sure there is a thread on here somewhere about redoing the rear brakes. My advice; Take both wheels off but only take one side apart - use the other side as a template to put it back together. Get a can of brake cleaner and hose down the shoes before you put the drum back on. It seems complicated, but I did mine myself the first time in a couple hours.

 

[IR8NOTCH]

I had something similar happen a week ago to a 92 Explorer I picked up. I wound up replacing all the hard lines from the proportioning valve to each brake drum!
Usually when a wheel cylinder goes,it leaks out of the drum and onto the wheel/tire. Hopefully that's what happened as they easily replaced if the line doesn't twist off in the process.

 

[koda2000]

to work on drum brakes it really helps to have some specialty tools for dealing with the springs and retainers. they're pretty cheap and someone at the auto parts store should be able to tell you what you'll need. you can do it with pliers and screw drivers, but be prepared to do a lot of swearing and keep band-aids handy.

 

[Jstcruz]

to work on drum brakes it really helps to have some specialty tools for dealing with the springs and retainers. they're pretty cheap and someone at the auto parts store should be able to tell you what you'll need. you can do it with pliers and screw drivers, but be prepared to do a lot of swearing and keep band-aids handy.

I am not arguing this, but I have always used vice-grips and flat head screw drivers. I could never figure out how to use some of the drum brake tools lol

 

[snoranger]

I am not arguing this, but I have always used vice-grips and flat head screw drivers. I could never figure out how to use some of the drum brake tools lol

Get the right tools and learn how to use them. You wont believe how quick and easy they make the job.

 

[waskly]

Get the right tools and learn how to use them. You wont believe how quick and easy they make the job.

i use a pair of dikes on drum shoes. never fails..... only really needed tool is the retaining springs, makes like so much easier. the rest, is just a pair of dikes.

 

[koda2000]

something i've used for years is nylon packing strap. i rap it around the shoes to hold everything in place while i'm putting things back together. while i have all the brake tools, the one that's a must for me is the spring tool that's shaped a little like a crank (don't know if it has a special name) it's used to remove the big springs and put them back again. it makes the hardest part of the job a snap to do.