Checking rear break drums and pads

[Member 10617]

Two questions:

(1) Never done this before, so I'm pretty much in the dark.

How do you open the rear brake drums to check the pads and to clean out any dirt and grit that may have accummulated there?

I've heard that it isn't very difficult, but I've heard that before! Ha, ha. Prefer to get advice from you on the Forum.

(2) Does putting grease in the rear hub grease nipple send grease to the wheel bearings, or do they have to be removed, cleaned, and greased? I understand that the front bearings have to be removed, cleaned, and repacked.

Too hot to drive here in Virginia the past month. So I have been under the car cleaning the frame, removing grease, grit, light rust, and dirt. This followed by rust treatment and painting. Looks great, but -- as my wife says -- who will know but me. I tell her that the car runs much better when it is clean...

 

[Geo Hahn]

Pulling a brake drum should be easy. Raise the rear. Remove the road wheel and, if you have wire wheels, you also remove the splined adaptor. You are then presented with the drum which is only held in place by 2 flat-head countersunk screws.

Hopefully someone used anti-sieze on those and they will come right out. There is no reason for those screws to be really tight, they only hold the drum in place until the adaptor or road wheel is secured.

If the screws are stubborn, a hand-held impact screwdriver (the sort you smack with a hammer) is possibly the safest way to loosen them w/o messing up the heads. The screws are very short (1/2"?) so don't be alarmed when that is all that comes out.

Release the handbrake and verify the drum turns freely.

The drum should then slip off but can get hung up due to rust, dirt, a wear ridge or whatever. If it does get hung up the adjuster can sometimes be backed off to get more clearance.

Yes, the zerks grease the bearings. The only other way to get at the bearings is to separate the hub which ranks just after root-canal for things you will not enjoy. The manual says to grease them... but do not overgrease -- whatever that means. Overgreasing (I think) will just force grease past the inner seal & into the axle but nevertheless I try not to get carried away greasing there.

...Looks great, but -- as my wife says -- who will know but me...

But yours is the only opinion that really matters, so that is enough reason right there.

 

[Member 10617]

Re: Checking rear brake drums and pads

Thanks, George. I do have wire wheels, so I will have to remove the spline adaptor. I don't have the wheel off right now, but I seem to recall that the splined adaptor is held on with some bolts (Any advice on torque?) From what you say, I should see the screws when I remove the adaptor.

I've been told not to put more than two shots of grease in the zerks about every 6000 miles, but one wheel has begun sqeeling a bit when I brake. I'm not sure what is going on so I will check the drum and then give the hub a shot of grease. I suspect there is dirt in the drum...

And ... yes... my opinion on this matter is what matters. Reminds me of when I had my first car -- 1947 Desoto -- in Tucson. I always maintained that it ran best when the chrome hubcaps were polished.

 

[lbcs_r_fun]

Two questions:

(1) Never done this before, so I'm pretty much in the dark.

How do you open the rear brake drums to check the pads and to clean out any dirt and grit that may have accummulated there?

I've heard that it isn't very difficult, but I've heard that before! Ha, ha. Prefer to get advice from you on the Forum.

(2) Does putting grease in the rear hub grease nipple send grease to the wheel bearings, or do they have to be removed, cleaned, and greased? I understand that the front bearings have to be removed, cleaned, and repacked.

Too hot to drive here in Virginia the past month. So I have been under the car cleaning the frame, removing grease, grit, light rust, and dirt. This followed by rust treatment and painting. Looks great, but -- as my wife says -- who will know but me. I tell her that the car runs much better when it is clean...


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<span style="font-weight: bold">Ed, you need to get a decent workshop manual.</span> I'd recommend Bentley, which has good diagrams and step by step photos. Also visit Buckeye Triumphs, https://www.buckeyetriumphs.org/technical/Brakes/Rear/Rear.htm This article was written for TR250/6, but the differences are minor.

good luck,

T

 

[HerronScott]

Thanks, George. I do have wire wheels, so I will have to remove the spline adaptor. I don't have the wheel off right now, but I seem to recall that the splined adaptor is held on with some bolts (Any advice on torque?) From what you say, I should see the screws when I remove the adaptor.

Ed,

Yes, you should see the screws when you remove the wire wheel adapter. And *please* be sure to torque the nuts holding the wire wheel adapter back to the correct torque (65 ft-lbs according to my Bentley manual although interestingly they only show 45-55 ft-lbs for regular lug nuts).

In my youth when I first converted my car to wire wheels, I was sure I could tighten them tight enough with my trusty ratchet while keeping the disk and drum from turning with my other hand. I soon learned how wrong I was when the wheel and adapter started wobbling back and forth as I went around a corner. Luckily I caught it in time and did not lose a wheel. I was able to pull over and tighten them up enough to limp home.

Scott

 

[Member 10617]

Re: Checking rear brake drums and pads

"T" and Scott,

"T", Many thanks for all the good information. I have the TR3 "Service Instruction Manual" but what you sent me from Buckeye Triumphs is going to be much more helpful than the manual.

Scott (Hi, neighbor!), You said that you tried to tighten the nuts with your ratchet by holding the disk and drum with your hand, but that didn't work. How did you keep the disk and drum from turning when you finally tightened the nuts?

 

[bgbassplyr]

Re: Checking rear brake drums and pads

With the drums in place on both wheels, turn the adjuster until the drum(s) just drag on the brake shoes, then set the hand brake and torque the nuts.

 

[Member 10617]

Re: Checking rear brake drums and pads

Thanks, Jim.

Great little sayings at the end of your message! ha, ha. Here's mine: "I used to have money, now I have a British sports car."