i just got done putting on some leaf springs, its dark and i was in a hurry. i forgot to put the drum back on when i was putting the wheel on and i went to move it until i realized something wasnt right with the brakes, i look back and the drum is just sitting aside. now i cant get the drum back on and it is leaking brake flude pretty bad... what do i do?????
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i just did something unbelievable stupid..
- Thread starter sjbond67
- Start date
90xj06
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Peabody, MA
if you depress the brake peddle when the drums are not on the pistons pop out of the cylinder. dont ask how i know but try to put them back in.
i never changed the shoes before, or a wheel cylinder. where is the wheel cylinder and how much do they run? are they easy to change? do i need to bleed brakes after im done? do you think all the brake fluid will drain out over night? thanks for the quick reply
Wheel cylinder is on top side of brake backing plate, the round thing with all the fluid pouring out of it.sjbond67 said:
Yes you will need to bleed the brakes, if and when you get either a new cylinder or get that on put back together.
Absolutely the fluid will drain out of the master in a matter of hours, making it necessary to bleed all the brakes on a single reservoir system.
RichP
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Effort, Pa
The brake cylinder is about $15 for a new one. Make sure you use a flare nut wrench to take the old one off and put the new one on. You might want to consider doing both now so they stay 'in sync'... I always do stuff like that in pairs just on the off chance that one will operate better than the other. I'd do both sets of shoes too.
Matthew Currie
NAXJA Member #760
- Location
- Vermont, land of big clay
Jess said:
Last time I asked at the auto parts store, the kits were up to something like 8 bucks, and the wheel cylinders were still around 12, and came with a new bleeder. It kind of went against the grain of an old New Englander, but I bought new ones.
gregmondro
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- West
The brake cylinder might not even be broken. Just put the seal back in and put back the piece of metal that holds it in. I've done this in my 99 XJ before by mistake (pressed the brakes with the drum off so the cylinder seal popped off because the shoes didnt have the drum to stop them).
90xj06
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Peabody, MA
ya been there done that. but when im working on the brake system i always replace both.
needsrepair
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Michigan
sjbond67 said:
First make sure the bleeder will open. No use in doing a bunch of work if you cant open the bleeder when your done.Use finesse, dont break it off. A little heat helps sometimes. Im in Michigan so everything is rusted. Then remove the shoe hardware enough to get to the wheel cylinder cups. As you take the hardware off lay it so you know how it goes back in or make a few notes. Get the seals/spring back in without damaging the sealing edge. The spring keeps tension on the cups so they stay up against the piston. Then get the dust boot and pins back in. Now put the hardware back on. You can look at the other side if you have problems. Best to do brakes one side at a time if your new at it. PUT THE DRUM BACK ON. Dont you hate a smart ass! Fill the fluid and put the cap back on or fluid may get all over. Have some one pump the peddle. Tell them to hold it down and you open the bleeder screw. Tell them to keep the pedal down until you have closed the bleeder. Repeat untill you have a good pedal. You may have to do both sides in back. If you have antilock brakes it may be much harder to get a good pedal. Antilocks often need a power bleeder or a vacuum bleeder. Put the wheel on and tighten The lugs in a staggered pattern. Slow and easy. Think things out and take your time. Hope it turns out ok for you.
Matthew Currie
NAXJA Member #760
- Location
- Vermont, land of big clay
needsrepair said:
X2 on the bleeder. I would add one more suggestion. After you put the drum back on, and pump the pedal good and hard a few times, take the drum back off to ensure that the cylinder has not leaked. If you catch a leak now, there's still a chance you can rebuild or replace it before it spoils the linings. If you wait and take your chances you may end up needing new shoes too.
If you're lucky it will all go back together with nothing lost but time.
thanks for all the good info. im probably just going to go ahead and replace the wheel cylinder. this is the first time im doing drum brakes. when i bleed the brakes should i do all four? the book states start with the rear right, then left rear, front right, then left front. right? and im suppose to do this until i see no bubbles in the brake fluid. how do i know if i have anti-lock brakes? its a 99 sport, im pretty sure i dont because i locked them up the other day and the pedal didnt push back. thanks for helping out a newbie thats livin and learnin, im taking off work tomorrow to do all this.
