1993 Dodge Dakota LE, 2WD, 5.2L, Auto trans, original owner

I had my rear drums off the other day and noticed the pads toward the front of the vehicle were worn significantly more than the ones toward the rear of the car...on both the left and right wheels. The backside pads measured .212 - .220". Both frontside pads measured .170". We're talking a .050" difference in wear on the same brake. That seems pretty significant to me. What would cause this? I have 75,000 miles on those pads (rural).

 

Normal operation.

The front brake shoes are leading shoes, and self-energizing, and will tend to pull in as you're braking.

The rear shoes are trailing, and tend to tip away from the drum.

Some designs put thicker shoes on the leading edge.

For some reason, our shoes are the same front and back, so the front shoe should wear out a bit sooner than the rear shoe.

I'd say also it's about time to replace those shoes, along with the hold downs and springs, in order to keep it braking like new (to keep it braking, not breaking ... )

RwP

 

Good, I can scratch that from my worry list. Only 1,783 left.

I also noticed while the wheel spins fairly free by hand, there is one spot among the 360 degree rotation where it gets hung. And it's tight enuf to stop the rotation which is probably around 30 rpm. Guessing the drum is warped?? They are the original drums.

 

Could be.

I'd plan on new drums myself; order them in (hint: I find usually Amazon Prime ends up cheaper than say RockAuto due to free shipping), and possibly rattle can the outside after cleaning completely to keep them looking good over the next 30+ years.

Also, if doing brakes, order new springs and hardware kits. I'd get new self-adjusters too, but cleaning the old ones and properly lubing them will do fine for most people.

(The springs are getting old and tired; the aluminum hold downs are getting fatigued; a whole kit is under $10 at the big lot stores, less if you shop online. Not worth recycling old springs and hold downs IMO.)

I'd ALSO do a complete brake system flush; all new fluid to keep it working right. Brake fluid is cheap enough in quarts (try 2 to 3 quarts; maybe 2 quarts and four of the smaller containers, so you can leave those sealed for next time) and if you have an air compressor, you can get a bleeder for under $25 on Amazon ( AmazonSmile: Thorstone Pneumatic Brake Fluid Bleeder Tool Kit, 1L Vacuum Brake Oil Change Set for Car, Truck, Motorcycle Including 4 Master Cylinder Adapters & Air Quick Plugs, 90-120PSI : Automotive ) which will help TREMENDOUSLY on flushing the system. And properly bleeding.

If it's still all original, do new hoses; they fail with age, and last you want to do is to lose the truck because the back wheels locked up (hose failed inside, kept the fluid from returning, keeping the back brakes applied) or quit completely (blew out due to pressure).

(I'd lay a weather eye on the lines; at this age, they're suspect due to rust and rock picks - I did new lines on my 1988 the 2021 July 4th holiday, save one, which ... then blew out a week later. Le sigh. So I did THAT one and reflushed the system.)

RwP

 

Funny you mention all that. I have been planning on doing a complete brake job in the Fall or Winter when it's not so hot out. All four wheels. New drums, rotors, cylinders, pads, springs, and the hoses (whatever they call them). In the past I have sucked the brake fluid out of my reservoir and replaced with fresh brake fluid. I'd repeat this about 8 times after driving a bit between each sucking. I knew that wasn't a complete flush but figgered it was better than nothing. I think you convinced me to do a complete flush...whether I do it myself or hire a garage. I prefer the complete flush. Less chance of contamination. I don't care how careful I think I'm being, you do that 8 times and the contamination risk factor goes up exponentially.

 

One advantage I have (given my truck is 28 years old) is that it has been garage-kept its whole life. And the last 23 years in North Carolina so no winter slop. Plus it was Ziebarted. Yes, there is rust about but it is nowhere near as severe as an "outdoor" vehicle. I inspected my lines the other day and they still look fairly good. Rubber, no. Cant eye inspect that.

 

If you're doing it all - and don't have ABS! - you can just bleed the brakes down, replace the calipers/wheel cylinders/hoses, and when re-assembled, use the pneumatic style bleeder to suck the fluid through.

You'll still get a chunk of brownish fluid, then finally the new clear fluid. (Bonus points if you can find colored fluid, ideally in a bright neon color ... but technically that's illegal, drats!)

I bought a gallon of synthetic DOT3/DOT4 fluid (Johnson's Brand) to do my truck; even after the blowout, I'm still finishing it up.

You don't want to leave brake fluid too long after opening the container; it's so hydroscopic that you'll end up with something useless, so the gallon may be overkill for you. If not, well, just remember to dispose of it about a month or two after you finish up the bleeding and everything's solid.

I had to replace my rear wheel cylinders also, on a sudden call. Turns out new ones use 7mm bleeders, not 1/4" bleeders or 5/16" (8mm) bleeders. I had to order a 7mm bleeder wrench to do it right; might want to get one to hand before you start, or if you're replacing the wheel cylinders, verify bleeder size before cracking the system open. That's an "Ooops!" on my part, and a pain; the 7mm deep throat socket did the job, but you can't use it while the pneumatic is still sucking, and I bet I still have some air in the lines.

OH! I did find out, don't use any grease on the rubber fitting - it does NOT help it seal better! Instead, it helps it pop off on its own ... Oops.

RwP

 

Excellent info! Glad you had to learn the hard way and not me. Thanks, Ralph!

 

Hee!

"The wise man learns from other's mistakes. The average man learns from his own. The fool never learns."

I try to be wise, I tend to average, and once in a while I'm the fool.



RwP

 

I think that applies to most of us.

Learning from others mistakes sure is a lot less expensive, but, where's the fun in that?