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Rear Brakes...........LONG

J

jeeppowermj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
York, Pennsylvania
Ok, Heres the story. I posted a thread a while ago about me breaking a ujoint in the axleshaft. Well the other day I finally fixed that. It is now replaced with a CV joint so its only temporary. After I got that done I put my brake caliper on and forgot to put the master cylinder lid back on tight. Turns out this was a HUGE mistake. I started my truck moved it about 5 feet tapped the brakes and relized I had nothing so I put it in park quick. I pulled that little thing over the MC so it was tight and then drove down my driveway once. I realized I had nearly no brakes so I parked it and attempted to bleed the brakes. I wanted to make sure I could get all the bleeder valves open that night so I could bleed them when I got home from school the next day. I got the front broen loose without a problem. Both of the rear bleeder valves broke off. I got a set of new ones at autozone. Came home and tried to replace it. I was unscrewing the bolt that holds the top springs on and it broke(the bolt with no head, its round). I got the rest of the brakes apart but I have no idea what to do about this. Now the question. Do I have to drill and tap, get a whole new backing plate for the brakes, or what?
 
jeeppowermj said:
Ok, Heres the story. I posted a thread a while ago about me breaking a ujoint in the axleshaft. Well the other day I finally fixed that. It is now replaced with a CV joint so its only temporary. After I got that done I put my brake caliper on and forgot to put the master cylinder lid back on tight. Turns out this was a HUGE mistake. I started my truck moved it about 5 feet tapped the brakes and relized I had nothing so I put it in park quick. I pulled that little thing over the MC so it was tight and then drove down my driveway once. I realized I had nearly no brakes so I parked it and attempted to bleed the brakes. I wanted to make sure I could get all the bleeder valves open that night so I could bleed them when I got home from school the next day. I got the front broen loose without a problem. Both of the rear bleeder valves broke off. I got a set of new ones at autozone. Came home and tried to replace it. I was unscrewing the bolt that holds the top springs on and it broke(the bolt with no head, its round). I got the rest of the brakes apart but I have no idea what to do about this. Now the question. Do I have to drill and tap, get a whole new backing plate for the brakes, or what?
Click to expand...

If you can't get the old bleeder valve out, you can just replace the rear wheel brake cylinders. You haven't said what year your XJ is, but if you already have your rear breaks apart. All you need to do is remove the two bolts and brake line and there you go. Put the new one in, attach the brake line and bleed.
 
Ooops, I have a 88 MJ w/ D35. I bought new wheel cylinders and was putting them on. I was taking out the bolt that has a round head. If you're looking straight at your brakes its on the top in the middle. It is the thing that the springs are connected to. The bolt has a completely round head and in the haynes manual it says that a special tool that can be bought at any autoparts store will ease the removal of this. Seeing as how this is my only running vehicle(im 17) I can't go out and get this tool. I tried using vice grips and I got a good grip on it, but the head snapped off. I have maybe 1/8" of thread sticking out that I can get vice grips on but its not enough.
 
Why are you trying to remove that stud? In all the years I've been playing with cars, I have never removed that and never ever heard of anyone removing it. Just yank the wheel cylinders and replace them. Two bolts through from the back side of the backing plate, undo the brake tube into the wheel cylinder, and you're done.

If the functional part of it is intact, leave it alone. If you've already trashed it, you need to get a used backing plate from a junkyard or a cooperative NAXJA member somewhere in your area.
 
OK well I just realized how bad I f'ed up. After looking at the manual again and reading it a few times I realized I wasn't supposed to take this off. Also looking at the drivers side brakes I noticed that the ebrake cable is broke and that the piece that goes in the middle of the two shoes is laying on the bottom. Looks like im making a trip to the junkyard tomorrow to get a new backing plate along with some other parts. Do I have to take out the axle shaft to get the backing plate off?
 
The upper shoe and spring anchor is swaged into the backing plate, I believe. That means it's not replaceable unto itself.

What's wrong with the one that's there now? (What damage have you done to it?) If it's just scored/nicked/gouged, it can be dressed up with a mill file. If it's worse than that, then the only repair is to acquire a new or used backing plate. A boneyard would be your most cost-effective bet here.
 
AZ Jeff said:
The upper shoe and spring anchor is swaged into the backing plate, I believe. That means it's not replaceable unto itself.

What's wrong with the one that's there now? (What damage have you done to it?) If it's just scored/nicked/gouged, it can be dressed up with a mill file. If it's worse than that, then the only repair is to acquire a new or used backing plate. A boneyard would be your most cost-effective bet here.
Click to expand...

I broke it off. What if I would drill and tap and put a bolt in there that has the last 1/4" of bolt smooth. It would be easier than replacing that backing plate. Any reason I couldn't do that?
 
Last edited:
The backing plate is attached by the four bolts near the root of the axle flange. The axle shaft itself must be removed to remove the backing plate.

I would be skeptical of using a "big bolt" to replace the stud, unless the bolt could be turned on a lathe to approximate the contour of the original stud.

If it were MY brakes, I would just bite the bullet and buy a replacement backing plate, preferably used, from a boneyard.
 
OK, I was wondering if there is a kit that I could buy that had all of the pieces I need to do the rear brakes. Like all those little springs, and just about everything that could wear out.
 
jeeppowermj said:
OK, I was wondering if there is a kit that I could buy that had all of the pieces I need to do the rear brakes. Like all those little springs, and just about everything that could wear out.
Click to expand...

Yes, most parts places sell a 'spring & hardware' kit that should include everything you need. All I'd want from the junkyard is a backing plate for the correct side.
 
woody said:
Yes, most parts places sell a 'spring & hardware' kit that should include everything you need. All I'd want from the junkyard is a backing plate for the correct side.
Click to expand...
What he said. The kits include the hold-down springs, the return springs, most include a horseshoe clip for attaching the parking brake lever to the shoe, and most include a new cable for the self-adjuster. If your parts store doesn't sell them with the self-adjuster cable, buy it separate. They can stretch, and the self-adjusters don't work all that well anyway.

Be sure to buy some brake grease (don't use chassis grease) to lube the star adjusting wheel. In fact, it wouldn't be a bad idea to buy that new, as well.

If you're in York, you're not all that far from Hazleton, home of Harry's ... which might be the world's largest u-pull junk yard. Go there if you can't find the backing plate elsewhere. Just be certain you get it for the same axle and brakes you have. If you have a Dana 35 axle, the early ones had 10x1-3/4" brakes and the newer ones have 9x2-1/2" brakes. Needless to say, the parts don't mix very well.
 
I have access to a junkyard that I can get most parts for free. Im a broke highschooler so I'm going to attempt to drill and tap.

PS I know those two sentences contradict each other but I also would like to see if this works before I go changing the backing plate.
 
jeeppowermj said:
I have access to a junkyard that I can get most parts for free. Im a broke highschooler so I'm going to attempt to drill and tap.

PS I know those two sentences contradict each other but I also would like to see if this works before I go changing the backing plate.
Click to expand...

Since the backing plate is only about .100 to .125 inches thick, you are going to have to tap for a fine or extra fine thread at that large of a diameter to get more than 1 thread of engagement. Good luck.

A backing plate may be a whole lot cheaper than you think. I am guessing $10 from a boneyard. The only way to know for sure is to call them.

For $10, I wouldn't screw around with drilling/tapping/hoping it works.
 
AZ Jeff said:
For $10, I wouldn't screw around with drilling/tapping/hoping it works.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't screw around with it for $50, or 50 cents. Brakes are to important not to do right.
 
Remove the 4 bolts that retain the axleshaft & backing plate to the end of the housing. Use a slide hammer or pull really hard.
 
Im kinda a newbee to the whole rear brakes/axles. I always thought that I had to pull the diff cover and unclip something. Is that why D35's are "bad" , because if you break a shaft the tire will "fall" off?
 
jeeppowermj said:
Im kinda a newbee to the whole rear brakes/axles. I always thought that I had to pull the diff cover and unclip something. Is that why D35's are "bad" , because if you break a shaft the tire will "fall" off?
Click to expand...

That would be true if you had a c-clip version of the D35, but you don't.
 
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