Seriously dumb question about frozen/rusted brakes

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by Canucklehead, May 13, 2019.

  1. Canucklehead

    Canucklehead Medium Load Member

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    Uncharted area for me too. And extremely irritating and frustrating.
     
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  3. lester

    lester Midwest's #1 Feed Hauler

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    If you have full lockers, lock em all in and give her the juice
     
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  4. lester

    lester Midwest's #1 Feed Hauler

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    Just rust I imagine. Happens around here pretty frequently with trailers that don't get used much. I'm sure being in a humid or damp climate is a main cause
     
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  5. Canucklehead

    Canucklehead Medium Load Member

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    Yeah because I'm in Chilliwack BC, Canada. Although it doesn't rain as much here as it does in Seattle 150 miles away lol

    Gonna try my lockers on it today, but that could cause scary expensive damage in the diff or even the tranny. But will be very gentle. It's poring down with rain today, so if it doesn't break free today, I will go underneath tomorrow and do some exploratory surgery on the brake system itself. I don't know what brand of slack I have (never been good at identifying those) but will see if the push rod is seized (doubt it), or if it's cammed over (really doubt it) and try and cage the stupid thing. Worse comes to worse, if I have to limp it to the shop with a caged brake, at least I won't be adding an expensive road call to my costs to fix the bloody thing.

    Bad thing is a jack and axle stands and a heavy duty impact wrench was on my to buy list, but never got around to it. I have a feeling this exercise is gonna cost roughly the same thing.

    Argh!!!
     
  6. marmonman

    marmonman Road Train Member

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    Rusted brakes are done the same way frozen brakes are done . You hit ON the brake drum not the shoes .
    Chock you wheels with a 3 - 5 lb hammer hit the drum NOT the shoe . When it breaks loose it will go from a solid sound to a ringing sound .

    All you will do trying to power it loose is tear things up .
    Especially if you try to go forward always use reverse .

    You might have to whack it a couple of dozen times if it is real bad but it will break loose .
     
  7. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    All depends on how your brakes are set up as to which way to rock the truck. Fore or aft of the axle will dictate which is the best way to go.
     
  8. speedyk

    speedyk Road Train Member

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    Would torching the drums be a bad idea?
     
  9. Canucklehead

    Canucklehead Medium Load Member

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    I whacked it hard and long. Thing started moaning, so I figured that was enough. But, too much rain today to work out front on it. Gonna use an old trick to jack it without a jack (geez this is getting dirty) and get under it and see what the hades is going on. Still iffy on blowing up a diff by locking everything up.
     
  10. Canucklehead

    Canucklehead Medium Load Member

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    Before I start working on it today. Can someone please let me know if the cam is actually rolled over, is there any way to release the brake?
     
  11. lester

    lester Midwest's #1 Feed Hauler

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    If it's cammed completely over you are fine, the brakes would be released. It's when the roller is sitting right on the very edge of the cam that is the problem. If there is pressure on the pads and it's on the tip of the cam it's hard to get it to either cam over or back off.
     
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