Rear Drum Brake - Leak and Fix Question

All of a sudden this weekend my foot went nearly to the floor when I hit the brakes in my 2000 XJ. It still stopped ok so I took a look at the rear drums and noticed a spray pattern on the inside of the tire seeming to come out of the rear passenger drum. I think the master cylinder valves closed off the rear lines after the leak. From what I can tell the leak is inside the drum housing. I think there is an actuator or something back there that the line hooks to inside the housing and that mush have went bad.

Is there any good online guides for replacing both rear drums/shoes/actuators? Can someone please help, this is my first attempt at a drum brake job. I have done a few disc jobs, but never a drum replacement.

Thanks,
Matt

Sounds like your wheel cylinder went bad. I personally don't know of any online sources for information about doing the brake job, but I'd spend the $15 to get a Chiltons or a Haynes repair manual from the parts store if you are going to tackle this yourself.

Thanks, I will pick one up tonight. It will definitely help, I have one for my FSJ and it has been invaluable.

digital pics ahead of time before tearing anything apart, step by step, help to put it all back right .but drum brakes are not that bad just get a good pair of vise grips for stretching the springs

It also helps to do one side at a time so you have a reference of what it's supposed to look like (well, mirrored). You should probably get a can of penetrating fluid and a flare wrench to get the brake line loose. You really don't want to round off the nut.

One thing to check is the wear on the drum and shoes. Especially the drum.

One cause (mine did this) is when the shoes wear down sufficiently as the drum wears down. The two combined allowed enough space to let the brake cylinder fall apart.

If the drum is scored, you will need to get it turned. And hopefully it will still be in spec.

Since my brakes were turned to their maximum diameter 6 years ago, I had to buy a new set of drums.

The total cost for new drums, cylinders, spring set, shoes and fluid was over 300 bucks. And that was from NAPA. But I can stop on a dime now.

What I should have done was invested in a disk brake conversion set up. But that's another thread.

pabloconrad said:

One thing to check is the wear on the drum and shoes. Especially the drum.

One cause (mine did this) is when the shoes wear down sufficiently as the drum wears down. The two combined allowed enough space to let the brake cylinder fall apart.

If the drum is scored, you will need to get it turned. And hopefully it will still be in spec.

Since my brakes were turned to their maximum diameter 6 years ago, I had to buy a new set of drums.

The total cost for new drums, cylinders, spring set, shoes and fluid was over 300 bucks. And that was from NAPA. But I can stop on a dime now.

What I should have done was invested in a disk brake conversion set up. But that's another thread.

Click to expand...

$300???????? Did they offer to use some lube when you grabbed you ankles????

I have not replaced any drums recently, but shoes should be about $25, wheel cylinders are about $15 (only about $4 for the rebuild kit), spring kits are about $10, and a quart of brake fluid is about $5.

How much were those drums???

The drums will cost you the cash. $110 each. That's the cheapes I found. And I won't get parts like that from a junkyard.

Kinda sucked. I had better plans with the cash. Like this for the rear cargo area.

Oh well. I'd much rather be able to stop than have the back organized.

You got screwed!!!!
I just checked the AutoZone website---$29.99 each with a 2 year warranty.

http://autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker/?UseCase=C001&UserAction=answerRequiredQuestion&Parameters=%7C%7EWith+9%22+brakes&PageSync=4

Jess said:

You got screwed!!!!
I just checked the AutoZone website---$29.99 each with a 2 year warranty.

http://autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker/?UseCase=C001&UserAction=answerRequiredQuestion&Parameters=%7C%7EWith+9%22+brakes&PageSync=4

Click to expand...

After checking the site, the drums are $55 and takes a week.

Two things:
1. I use my Jeep for work and can't have it sitting around. I ususally drive about 100 miles a day.
2. They're Duralast with a 2-year warranty. Not a good warranty and I don't buy Duralast crap. Two years is not a good warranty on a vital part.

Bught Duralast "Lifetime Warranty" parts and usually within the first year, they wear oout or break.

I'll spend the extra money on NAPA parts and have them that day with the comfort of knowing they will last a longer time.