total brake job done, and wheel still frozen

[dosmastr]

HI,

I just did the drum brakes on my civic, new drum, pads, all new hardware, even new wheel cylinder.

The auto adjuster didn’t work right before, but I lubed it up and as I was bleeding the brakes I heard it turning as the pedal was pumped.

Wasn’t sure at the time but I thought even on the test drive it felt like that wheel was a little too tight, thought I was imagining things.

Got out of work at 430am, in the 15degree weather and went to drive home. almost stalled on takeoff…
oh look, the all new brake setup is hanging up and frozen just like the old stuff I took off (which didn’t look like it was in bad shape!!!)

The parking brake keeps slowly floating up on its own. Not enough to hit the first click, but enough to turn on the dash light.

I did 20mph the whole 8 mile trip home, stopping every 2 miles to let it cool off… and the wheel was hot to touch when I parked it.

So whats up?
The park brake cable seemed the same on both sides when I did the brake job so I don’t know why its doing this now.

Its acting exactly like it did before I did the brake job.

Topic

[dosmastr]

This what I need?

its the RR wheel hanging up.

What are chances I could just shoot lots of wd40 in there and it would be ok. (car has 200k on it and was beat on before I bought it… not expecting it to last much past 300k so if it can be safely done cheap, I’m for that.)

[Lorrin Barth]

If the cable doesn’t move easily in its jacket, lube or a new cable is the fix. If you have drum brakes in the rear or even a drum brake parking brake, it is easy to missassemble the parts. I’ve done it a few times.

[dosmastr]

thats just crazy its this tiny little cable (not much surface area to grip and hold) but its able to hang up and resist all the new springs….

[dosmastr]

Parking cable appears to have let go… But the self adjuster was much too tight.

Thats what happen before too self adjust was so tight i had to break the shoe hold down nails to get drum off

this time i didnt have to go that far but still too tight.

Self adjuster looks fine…. I dont understand where the failure is here,

[dosmastr]

Here is whats happening, but no clue how to fix it without just tossing the adjuster arm.
It started doing this on its own one day when it was cold.
Prior, the self adjuster wasn’t working properly, maybe at all, then it decided to over work and cook my 2 year old shoes and drums!

[dosmastr]

So what is wrong here? what needs to be replaced? everything looks like this is how its supposed to act…. but its not!

[Lorrin Barth]

The only thing I can suggest is a new hardware kit. Maybe something got bent or is worn.

[dosmastr]

Barneyb, thanks for the input.

I grabbed a new self adjuster today…. Auto zone doesn’t have a very high quality part though…much more play between the wheel and short clevis and also the short clevis and the shoe…even the new parts the arm moves and grips the star wheel like the old, just sometimes the arm will scrape past the new wheel and sometimes catch just a tiny bit of it.
The new clevis also has a slightly larger gap where it hits the shoe, might use new star wheel but old short end.

I’m beginning to wonder if its got something to do with the metal part of the shoe being too thin, allowing play into the whole assembly… but old shoes were just as thin….

What would be really epic is if someone had a video of a drum with the face that touches the wheel removed (so where the shoes hit is still there but you can see everything working) because it looks like the arm always is moving whenever the brakes are applied, just the new one doesn’t contact the wheel 100% of the time like the old one did. Tried to simulate what hitting brakes while in reverse would do…it doesn’t adjust that way.. only seems to hit when the shoe at a slight angle, which happens in my hand but shouldn’t while on the car.

hoping im missing something, will put on new adjuster tomorrow and report back

[Lorrin Barth]

For brake parts you may be well advised to shop a little higher on the food chain than Auto Zone. Maybe try NAPA.

[dosmastr]

napa didn’t have in stock and needed it done./… been driving wifes car for a week…. i see auto zone as last resort, just slightly below pep boys. one click on the e brake and i feel drag, let it go and i think it lets go 100%…..

replace the part that looks fine! thats the solution!
UGH… drove it around block several times, and I think it wasn’t tightening. went back and forth on my service street several times too before I had them adjusted just right (prior, it didn’t matter if they started right or not…. then ended very tight…. so hopefully)

Thanks Barn!

[Author]

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