Thoughts on brake drums ?

Why do you use the cheapest drums? They are almost always horribly off balance and cause lots of vibration issues.

Good on you for doing the pin bushings. I don't think I've evet seen a tech replace them.... which is why no tech touches my brakes.

A note about the cam bushings, if i was to buy a used truck i would replace them the first time i did brakes. But after that they will last the life off the truck if kept greased. But that's the beauty of running your own equipment, if i own it it gets greased every other weekend at the minimum. Takes 20 minutes and let's me get under it and eyeball everything.

 

With that many miles on the drums I would change them I mean why not they're cheap enough,and your only doing two of them.

 

I'm the 2nd owner but am blessed with access to the records of the 1st owner and yep they are the factory drums ...bye bye .

 

2?! Who does 1 axle? If one axle is needing shoes the other axle does also or will in a very very short time. Do all 4 at once the only exception to this would be if a guy has single drive axle with a lift or pusher that's up a good percentage of the time.

 

He did say drive axle so its probley a single axle , hence 2 drums ?

 

Make a note of what model number they are so you can find the specs and measure them next time.

 

It's a tandem and there wont be a next time ...its next owner will probably speak Spanish lol.

 

I figured it was a tandem drive considering where you got it. Do all 4 plus s cam bushings and you probably won't have to touch the drive brakes ever again on this truck.

 

Agreed and I think I'll have the cans done too .

 

Let me refraise that, Not the cheapest drums, the least expensive, balanced, Made in the USA drum that will hold up to the shoe I put on.

If it doesn’t say USA on the drum I don’t buy it. I’ve tried the dayton made in turkey drum, and the Con-met made in China (“with US steel they ship there”direct quote from salesman) both had a higher tendency for drum swell on my more severe drivers. Especially on the 4711 shoes / drums (8.625 wide). Currently I’m purchasing an Alliance drum (Freightliner aftermarket), looks like a gunite, and has a gunite type casted part number. On my severe drivers I still see alittle drum swell, maybe 1/8” not like the 3/8 to 1/2 I’d see with the imports.