olnick
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2019
- Posts
- 52
- Reaction score
- 29
- Location
- Milford NH
- First Name
- Nick
- Truck Year
- 1978
- Truck Model
- c15
- Engine Size
- 1982 350 4 bolt mains
I'll try and keep it short! Feb 2019 I replaced the gearset in my rearend! I went from 2:73 to 3:73 gears. All went well with that change. At the same time I said self change out the brakes while you have it all apart. So I did, removed the backing plates sand blasted them primer and paint installed back onto RR axle tubes. got new "Wagner" wheel cyl from Rock auto got new shoes local (S&H would have eaten any savings) along with new drums/ hardware/hoses and hard lines! install and done for at least 5 years!! Wrong answer.. After the install the brakes were perfect! I then decided to remove the bed and remove all the rust from 40 years of being on the road. Yeah the rebuild was slow over winter 4-5 months total time truck was not used during that time. When I got the bed back on it was great to have my truck back! I then noticed the brakes would shudder after a 20 mile ride. Then I noticed "the smell" of hot shoes/drums. Damn, I checked all the "normal" things, emergency cables nice and loose, had all new lines loosened a bleeder no excessive flow/pressure. Go out for another ride in light rain just touch the brake pedal and the Left rear locks right up??? IR temp gauge says 135F LH 165F Rh. both way too hot for not having used the brakes hard at all. I jacked up the Right rear and pulled the wheel and drum off, drum came right off with NO drag at all! I then went and pressed the brake pedal with my hand just hard enough to "set" the brakes. I went and looked at the shoes and the primary (front) shoe was out 1/4 inch from the anchor pin!!!??? I could not push the shoe back into place. I used my dead blow hammer to seat it. Again I pressed on the pedal, again the primary shoe was out a 1/4 inch from the anchor!! I removed the shoes then the wheel cylinder to check the operation. I needed to hammer the pistons and cups out of the bore! Totally gummed up! I was able to clean the bores up and re use the original parts! All is well again!!
The fix?? My mistake when I installed them by NOT taking them apart to check and lube properly??
The application stated: Wagner wheel cylinder made in USA.! That was also stated on the boxes! (My main reason for going with that brand) Well guess what? when I open the boxes the sealed plastic bags have "made in China" printed on them! The bottom line is that the quality control in China is NON existent!! Might just be the tolerances were toooo tight and did not provide the needed space for the parts to move?
I kept the old wheel cylinders that I removed and I will try to locate some made in USA rebuild kits and use those in the long run.
Olnick
The fix?? My mistake when I installed them by NOT taking them apart to check and lube properly??
The application stated: Wagner wheel cylinder made in USA.! That was also stated on the boxes! (My main reason for going with that brand) Well guess what? when I open the boxes the sealed plastic bags have "made in China" printed on them! The bottom line is that the quality control in China is NON existent!! Might just be the tolerances were toooo tight and did not provide the needed space for the parts to move?
I kept the old wheel cylinders that I removed and I will try to locate some made in USA rebuild kits and use those in the long run.
Olnick