I have a 1996 Dodge Ram 2500 RWD V10, I have purchased 3 sets of brake drums for the rear and returned them because they were out of round and or the thickness varies up to .014 of where they mount to the hub and the wheel mounts to the drum thus causing the truck to shake when braking only using the emergency brake just enough to check the brake drums on the rear. It also shakes using the brake peddle too.

I have corrected the end play of the bearing to .003 and .006 which was .017. Check the runout of the hub housing without the axles installed and it is .001-.002, with the axles it is .002.

It appears all the drums I have purchased were made in China and now I'm looking at Bendix brake drums from Parts Geeks after talking to Bendix support their drums are made in China also.

My question is, are there any suggestions on where and what brand to buy these brake drums? I'm out of ideas. One other thing, turning the drums hasn't helped due to the thickness of the mounting surfaces.

 

Seems strange. Are the rear wheels balanced? If not, I'd try that 1st. Also, what's the torque you're using for the rear wheel lug nuts?

Also, wondering about the condition of the rear axle - Try jacking up the rear of the truck and see if there is any play in the pinion bearings and/or any of the U-joints in the driveshaft..

 

Lug nuts in two steps to 133 ft lbs and using the cross pattern, the tires are balanced when I jack it up without drums and wheels it is all smooth to 70 mph, put the drums on still smooth to 70 mph, put the tires and wheels on still smooth to 70 mph I don't take it any higher than 70 mph because of no load on the engine. I only get a vibration when braking with the brake peddle and really bad when braking with the emergency brake, some of the drums were worse than the others.

The axles are straight after replacing one that was slightly bent. Before replacing the the shoes and drums I had no brake vibration even with the slightly bent axle. Without the axles installed I set up the shoes to where they were barely touching the drums and there is still a high spot in the drums, with the drums mounted on the hubs without the axles and using a dial indicator on the surface where the wheel mounts turning the drum there is a variance of .017 from the low point to the high point thus making the drums wobble. I have done the same with the hub where the drums mount without the drums and there is a .001-.002 difference when turning the hub which is within spec of .003.

I have talked to a local mechanic and he has had the same problem with drums that have come from after market manufacturers in China. Member HeyYou in an old thread said he always turns new rotors and drums before installing them. Many years ago I did have the OEM drums turned by the local NAPA store and all was good, but a few years later I could get the OEM rotors or drum that came on the vehicle turned without them screwing them up to where I had vibration and movement in the brake peddle. I was able to buy OEM brake rotors and drums at that time but no more with this 1996 Ram. I'm waiting for HeyYou to chime in to find out what brand of drums he recommends or anyone else that has had good luck in the past couple of years.

I'm thinking that Bendix drums will be my best shot if they have very good oversight of quality control. Their drums are a bit more expensive but worth it if they are true in shape.

 

Thanks for the additional details. Which rear axle is in the truck and is it single or dual rear wheels?

Several years ago, I swapped out my drum brake Dana 60 rear for a later model Dodge 2nd gen disc brake Dana 60. The swap was pretty easy - just had to re-use the speed sensor from my '96, as the later model used a different connector. Not sure if your truck has a Dana 70 or Dana 80?

Just FYI, when I replaced the drums on my OE Dana 60 rear, I went with Reybestos drums (via RockAuto) and had no issue with them at all. I did have to have the rear outer stiffening rib of each drum turned down a bit to allow for the later model 2nd gen 16x8 aluminum wheels to clear the drums rear stiffening rib..

 

Bendix supposedly makes good stuff.... but... (and you knew that was coming) manufacturing in China still has a long way to go when it comes to quality of the parts and materials. That, and the drums get shipped here, truck, boat, truck, train.... finally make it to the point of sale. They can warp if they are stacked wrong, or any of a number of other reasons. (and sometimes *just because*....) Hence, why I always put on the lathe before installation. Usually only had a to take off a couple thousandths, but, that was universal. No such thing as installing a drum/rotor off the shelf, and not having pulsation issues these days......

 

A vast array of auto parts are made in China these days. Sign of the times we live in..

 

Mores the pity.....

The folks trying to convince us that Chinese made products are up to the same standards as their once domestically produced version, are from the marketing department of those companies. Most certainly not from any QA department. I have direct comparisons of 'identical' parts, one made in the US, the other made "elsewhere".... and the differences are quite obvious. Sure, that ain't the case for every product.... but, it is for enough of them, that I will never believe a chinese produced part is in any way the equal of a part produced here.... Inferior materials, shoddy quality control, etc, etc, etc..... Unfortunately, very little is actually made here any more.....

 

This is what I was getting at with my comment more than anything else. You can run, but you can't hide.. Chinese parts seem to pop up in numerous products when you look under the covers..

 

Yep, that is what I'm thinking. The trouble is at my location there are only two that have rotor/drum turning machines, NAPA and O'Rielly's. I have always had trouble with O'Rielly's but after having NAPA turn the drums I sent back he couldn't get them straight. I may have to try the NAPA store further away that is if they turn drums. What I'm finding is the mating surface of the axle hub and rim are warped as much as .017 which makes the drum wobble thus pulsations. I have called local machine shops with lathes but none of them will touch rotors or drums. The problem with an actual lathe how in the heck would a drum be centered if the brake surface is out of round and the mating surfaces of the hub and wheel are off? Everything about the drums I have found everything is warped.

 

I’ve used ACDelco drums from Amazon with no issues.