Brakes are new and howling

Discussion in 'Heavy Duty Diesel Truck Mechanics Forum' started by thejudges69, Apr 3, 2026.

  1. thejudges69

    thejudges69 Light Load Member

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    Aug 22, 2015
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    Any input.

    1992 truck, stud pilot ball seat wheels.

    4709ES marathon brake shoes, new not re-lines with proper camshafts.

    Balance cast import 3600x style drums. I’ve been running this number drums for 20 years on stud pilots

    Just put new brakes, new drums, new hardware, new wheel seals.

    The brakes are howling and squealing at low speeds. Sometimes I get a brake chatter I can’t explain like the shoes are jumping inside the drums. I did remove the wheels today and made sure everything was tight with the wheels cause I torqued them when I installed them to 380lb ft as suggest for ball seat wheels. Today I didn’t torque them I tighten them with the impact.

    What else could make these howl? I’m wondering is the import drums are the issue. Marathon lining is a pretty good quality lining.
     
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  3. W923

    W923 Road Train Member

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    First thing that comes to mind is how loose and the s cam bushings
     
  4. thejudges69

    thejudges69 Light Load Member

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    Aug 22, 2015
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    they’re tight all of them. I had all 4 cams out to replace the grease seals on them. Reinstalled no issues there.
     
  5. SmallPackage

    SmallPackage Road Train Member

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    This is an old trick to burnish new linings. Wire wheel them lightly to rough up the smooth surface just a bit. The smooth surface can take awhile to settle in an will cause noisy like wet shoes or rust covered drums make. Its like crosshatching cylinder bores. It may work in your case. Tighten the inner thimbles and nuts to 500 ftlbs. 450-500 has been the torque spec for those for 70 years.
     
    blairandgretchen Thanks this.
  6. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    I was going to mention the torque spec on those wheels. @wore out
     
  7. thejudges69

    thejudges69 Light Load Member

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    Aug 22, 2015
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    I didn’t torque them the second time but I did tighten them further with the impact. I never had luck torquing barrel nuts in the past but thought I’d try it again and now I have noisy brakes.
     
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