I discovered noise in one of my wheels yesterday am.
Light scraping noise that would become more pronounced on turning.
I took front tires off...all looked well.
Pulled left rear ...same.
Pulled right rear....drum well has completely seperated from its mounting face.
I coasted it home. Brakes parts lie all settled in the bottom of the drum.
We SLID the drum off...couldn't pull the front of the drum off...probably requires heating and/or puller.

Removed all components including worn out shoes.
Question::::
My buddy told me that if I removed everything from this wheel (save the cylinder) that I would be fine until I took it in for new drums/brakes......
I questioned the cylinder's operation during braking.
He told me that as long as it wasn't leaking I should be fine. That the majority of the braking power was sent to the front rotors anyway..(which I agree to a point). I put the tire back on, and drove around in the field, checking for more noise and stopping ability.
All seems well enough to drive to the garage. Am I in any serious danger of harming anything here until I can get her to the shop. The garage is about 8 miles away and this is my only vehicle. Can I drive it ok ...I've tested braking and she seems to stop fine...doesn't show any leaking on the rear tire...fluid levels haven't dropped...brake pedal feels normal...parking brake is disconnected.

 

Your buddy is wrong. DO NOT drive your truck in traffic if your brake shoes are not in place. The ONLY think keeping your wheel cylinder together is most likely internal corrosion. If you hit the brakes hard it would shoot the pistons out of the brake cylinder and start draining your brake fluid...if it was new and the parts moved freely. If you lose your rear brakes, you will still be able to stop with your front brakes but the truck won't stop near as fast. I've done it to limp to a shop or limp home but don't drive it like that and expect to stop quickly.

Derek

 

yea i understand your friends point that the actual stopping power is mostly your front discs.

...but what PushnFords is describing has happened to me. My rear breaks all came loose from the the backing plate (corrosion on my old Chev was relentless) and the wheel cylinder no longer push agianst the pads and it exploded. I lost ALL back brakes fluid/power and I suspect some of my front brakes (the master cylinder resevoir was the same for both ends but with a divided in the centre). Plus that truck didnt way anything near these (6200pound!) Dodges. Moreover you might evne be sucking more and more airinto it over time.If you are absolutely unable to park the vehicle, then at the very least weld a nut closed on one end (or buy one that way) and put a piece of rubber inside and screw ontothe end of the brake line running into the cylinder of the trouble wheel (what im saying is, block up the line on the problem side). But even that wont be safe forever.

geez im really amazed that cylinder did burst though...never seen them that rusted inside.