Brakes, cheap people, *********, and old parts

[RustyPile]

I spent the day working on rear brakes but no pictures because the work is dirty and I didn't want to make a mess of my camera.. .... I know, I know ---- pics or it didn't happen.. Ya'll will just have to trust me on this one...

Been getting the GMC ready for State Safety Inspection.. The parking brake has never held good enough since I bought the truck 3 months ago.. Drug out the frame stands, floor jack, wheel chocks, creeper, and creeper seat.. First thing I wanted to look at is the parking brake cables and related hardware.. Found nothing bent, broke or missing. The adjustment nut was run almost all the way up on the cable adjuster and the cable still had a lot of slack.. Pulled both drums and found both of them WAAAAAYY beyond max diameter.. Headed off to the parts house ready to order new drums, figuring they wouldn't be in stock.. That would give me plenty of time to clean up the brake dust, inspect the shoes, and do any other necessary work on the brakes.. Well, the little "mom n pop" parts house here in Elkhart had a pair in dusty boxes.. Bought 'em along with 5 cans of break clean and a brake hardware kit, and headed back to my shop..

Emptied 3 cans just getting rid of the crud build-up.. The shoes appeared to haven't been on the truck more than a few miles and were contacting the drums only about the middle 2 inches of the friction surface.. BUT!! some previous knuckle dragging, wannabee, wrench slinger installed both primary shoes on one side and both secondary shoes on the other side.. WTF was he/she/it thinking?????

Sorted everything out, cleaned and lubed the adjustment hardware and installed new springs.. Couldn't get the new drums to slide on until I backed off that parking brake adjuster nut -- and I mean B A C K I T O O O O F F F F F.. Got everything put back together and took the old broad for a test drive.. Brakes are about 300% better and the parking brake now holds as it should..

Some people should not be allowed near a tool box and should have their nuts removed just so they can't pass on their genes.. JEEEEEZE.. and I've been driving this truck.... Let me quit typing and drink some Dr Pepper before I have a kaniption fit....

 

[OkieFishMan]

Yeah, its amazing the amount of time one has to spend correcting the shoddy work of previous owners.......

 

[RustyPile]

Yeah, its amazing the amount of time one has to spend correcting the shoddy work of previous owners.......

Some of the gauges didn't work when I bought the truck.. I found some butchered wires disconnected and deliberately hidden in the harness. I didn't think much about it, just made the necessary repairs and hooked them up as they should be.

And now the brake shoes that have been improperly installed and drums that should have been discarded YEARS AGO.. From this point forward, I'm giving this truck some "microscope based" scrutiny before I drive it anywhere.. Those drums were some scary ****..

 

[HotRodPC]

Some people just shouldn't be allowed to touch tools. Past a tiny hammer for hanging pictures in the house, and to hell with a screwdriver, if they need one for they have the ability to work on, a butter knife will do just fine to change out a switch plate.

But on the bright side, you're going to be in real good shape now carrying a load and needing to stop and the parking brake is a nice added feature.

Did you think to replace the wheel cylinders while in there? Last time I worked on a half ton I wanted to get kits to replace the rubber in the wheel cylinders. They only have 1 kit, so I asked about reman wheel cylinders. IIRC, it ended up being brand new ones from China for like $10 each. I then decided to jump on that since I have seen cylinder with rusty pitted bores. Not much to go wrong with a wheel cylinder so I figured even a 10 year old in China could get that right and spend the $20 and they were working fine when I sold the truck and never did have problems with them.

 

[RustyPile]

Some people just shouldn't be allowed to touch tools. Past a tiny hammer for hanging pictures in the house, and to hell with a screwdriver, if they need one for they have the ability to work on, a butter knife will do just fine to change out a switch plate.

But on the bright side, you're going to be in real good shape now carrying a load and needing to stop and the parking brake is a nice added feature.

Did you think to replace the wheel cylinders while in there? Last time I worked on a half ton I wanted to get kits to replace the rubber in the wheel cylinders. They only have 1 kit, so I asked about reman wheel cylinders. IIRC, it ended up being brand new ones from China for like $10 each. I then decided to jump on that since I have seen cylinder with rusty pitted bores. Not much to go wrong with a wheel cylinder so I figured even a 10 year old in China could get that right and spend the $20 and they were working fine when I sold the truck and never did have problems with them.

I took a "peek" under the rubber boots on each end of the wheel cylinders and didn't detect any signs of leaking fluid.. I'm 74 years old and so was the previous owner.. Most projects take me much longer than when I was younger.. I'm sure the PO approaches things the same as I. It's pretty obvious now that the PO either didn't take the time and/or have the skills to do good work on this truck --- or --- he paid somebody to do the shoddy work.. The plan now is to check the front brakes sometime in the next few days and make any necessary repairs.. If the front calipers need attention, I will re-address the rear cylinders and possibly the master cylinder also..

The brakes seemed to work just fine, except the parking brake sucked.. I've been all over and under the truck checking steering and suspension. EVERYTHING seems to be in order. I've had this truck up to 85 - 90 mph checking to be sure everything is right within the engine and transmission.. Hindsight is telling me that was a dumb move -- won't be doing that anymore until I'm convinced I've uncovered all the shoddy stuff..

 

[OkieFishMan]

Some of the gauges didn't work when I bought the truck.. I found some butchered wires disconnected and deliberately hidden in the harness. I didn't think much about it, just made the necessary repairs and hooked them up as they should be.

And now the brake shoes that have been improperly installed and drums that should have been discarded YEARS AGO.. From this point forward, I'm giving this truck some "microscope based" scrutiny before I drive it anywhere.. Those drums were some scary ****..

I was lucky on mine. Only real problem was some butchered wiring trying to put in a stereo, and a broken ground that kept any of the gauges from working. I also immediately went through brakes and whatnot to rule out safety issues. Thankfully I found none.

Some people should just stay the hell away from tools and trying to fix vehicles.

 

[HotRodPC]

Calipers is another thing that is cheap for the 1/2 ton squares. I don't bother rebuilding them anymore for 1/2 tons. Just buy the new China made new caliper and bolt it on and be done. They come with Lifetime warranty so when you wear them out, FREE replacement.

 

[RustyPile]

Calipers is another thing that is cheap for the 1/2 ton squares. I don't bother rebuilding them anymore for 1/2 tons. Just buy the new China made new caliper and bolt it on and be done. They come with Lifetime warranty so when you wear them out, FREE replacement.

It's been YEARS since I depended on automobile repair work to put food on the table.. In those days, China kept their cheap-ass products to themselves.. I'd gather up a bunch of individual parts for a brake job, and do the component rebuild myself. I've even relined shoes myself. Not just mine, but others included - the job would last for years.. I kept a cabinet stocked full of alternator, generator, and starter parts.. Had the tools and equipment to overhaul them "in house"..

I'm scared to death of those Chinese parts out there today.. Have you and others on here had good luck with Chinese brake parts?? I've been married to the same old warhorse for 51 years.. I'd sure hate to loose her because of some crappy foreign made ****...

 

[HotRodPC]

I know exactly what you mean. Though I wasn't aware I was buying China **** when I bought it for brake parts until I got home and looked it over and read labels and such. Installed it anyway. To my surprise, fit and finish were good, not excellent, but good. Went together and fitament was like a glove. Worked great too to my surprise. No issues whatsoever.

 

[Oldrider]

Glad you got the parking brake working. I just have to shake my head and laugh at the way it was assembled when you opened up the brakes.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

I've used Chinese wheel cylinders and brake rotors from O'Reilly. BrakeBest brand. I haven't had a problem. Like HotRod mentioned, fit and finish were decent and they felt like pretty hearty parts, especially compared to factory cast wheel cylinders and worn down to the nub rotors. It pisses me off that so much stuff is made overseas, but between manufacturing outsourcing and EPA regs, I'm glad that I see "Made in USA" as much as I do, and if I know something is made here, I'll go out of my way to buy it over the cheaper one that's not.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

I took a "peek" under the rubber boots on each end of the wheel cylinders and didn't detect any signs of leaking fluid.. I'm 74 years old and so was the previous owner.. Most projects take me much longer than when I was younger.. I'm sure the PO approaches things the same as I. It's pretty obvious now that the PO either didn't take the time and/or have the skills to do good work on this truck --- or --- he paid somebody to do the shoddy work.. The plan now is to check the front brakes sometime in the next few days and make any necessary repairs.. If the front calipers need attention, I will re-address the rear cylinders and possibly the master cylinder also..

The brakes seemed to work just fine, except the parking brake sucked.. I've been all over and under the truck checking steering and suspension. EVERYTHING seems to be in order. I've had this truck up to 85 - 90 mph checking to be sure everything is right within the engine and transmission.. Hindsight is telling me that was a dumb move -- won't be doing that anymore until I'm convinced I've uncovered all the shoddy stuff..

Your old lol.......

 

[shiftpro]

We take for granted the skills we posses with hands, head, and heart.

 

[RustyPile]

Your old lol.......

HEY!!!! I resemble that remark...

 

[kb9szx]

I know that I am a little late, but I will always second some Dr. Pepper!