Rear drum Slime

[FlyinRyan]

Hey folks,

I've been working on my rear drums for quite some time now and have run into a few problems.

Truck: 1998 B2500, 2WD.

A few months back I started getting a heavy grating noise from the rear, so I popped off the drums on the rears and had a few pieces of metal fall out. Later determined they were the adjusting cable and the wheel cylinder to shoe pusher.

I was short on time so I replaced shoes and drums and ordered the part in from Mazda. I put my brakes back together, all new hardware. This time however, there was only one pusher coming from the driverside wheel cylinder. I figured this was okay, at least one of the shoes would push out.

Today I had the time to replace the wheel cylinders. I take the drum off of the drivers side to see what looks like perfectly new shoes covered in a black/dark brown slime. The slime is viscous. It looks like the shoes haven't made contact with the drum!

The passenger side didn't have this slime, and they have worn.

I didn't end up replacing anything because I couldn't get the brake lines off the cylinder without bending the lines. I know this is bad, and I don't want to replace the lines today.

Two questions:

-Has anyone seen this slime, or know where it comes from? I pumped the brakes with the drums off and it didn't look like any fluid pumped out of the wheel cylinder where the missing pusher is supposed to go.

-How can I get a stuck on brake line off of a wheel cylinder? I've tried penetrating oils and I can get the nut to move, but it's moving the brake line too. I've also put heat to the nut, then cold water, but it didn't do anything. How hot can I heat the nut without damaging the line or fluid? Any other tested solutions?

Thanks!

 

[racsan]

well i have before held the nut/line and truned the wheel cylinder to unscrew it from the line then put a new one back on again. had to twist the line slightly to mount the new wheel clyinder. workd but you may have to make a new piece of line up.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

You CANNOT run a wheel cylinder without both pieces installed that push against the shoes. The cylinder will over expand and the piston will go past the seal. What you are seeing is brake fluid covering the shoes. The shoes are now junk.

If you can't get the lines free, cut your losses and just cut them off and replace the hard lines on the axle. They are cheap to replaced.

 

[FlyinRyan]

Awesome...

Any other help for loosening wheel lines??

 

[mazda3000]

heat the crap out of it and hope for the best haha. i have only ever managed to save one brake line out of like the 10 i did. what usually happens is the fitting that screws into the wheel cylinder rust to the brake line. most of the time the line will twist and break before the rust brakes free.

 

[blk&blu03]

blown wheel cylider(cant spell) had the same prblem when i did a 47' cj-2a project

 

[kimcrwbr1]

All you can do is get a hydraulic fitting wrench is a box end with a slot to go over the line if that dont work either replace the whole line or patch a chunk of line with a good fitting and a compression cupler but the best would be with flare ends you can torque good and tite. A flareing tool and a bender with some fittings and tubing will give you a good dependable fix. And when you put the brakes back together get a good pic and make it like the pic no more or no less without brakes your driving a weapon you have no control over.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Something like this will work just fine

http://cgi.ebay.com/6pc-TUBING-CUTTER-FLARING-BENDING-TOOL-KIT-flare-cut-/360344175115?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e62fc20b

 

[modelageek]

Hey folks,

I've been working on my rear drums for quite some time now and have run into a few problems.

Truck: 1998 B2500, 2WD.

A few months back I started getting a heavy grating noise from the rear, so I popped off the drums on the rears and had a few pieces of metal fall out. Later determined they were the adjusting cable and the wheel cylinder to shoe pusher.

I was short on time so I replaced shoes and drums and ordered the part in from Mazda. I put my brakes back together, all new hardware. This time however, there was only one pusher coming from the driverside wheel cylinder. I figured this was okay, at least one of the shoes would push out.

Today I had the time to replace the wheel cylinders. I take the drum off of the drivers side to see what looks like perfectly new shoes covered in a black/dark brown slime. The slime is viscous. It looks like the shoes haven't made contact with the drum!

The passenger side didn't have this slime, and they have worn.

I didn't end up replacing anything because I couldn't get the brake lines off the cylinder without bending the lines. I know this is bad, and I don't want to replace the lines today.

Two questions:

-Has anyone seen this slime, or know where it comes from? I pumped the brakes with the drums off and it didn't look like any fluid pumped out of the wheel cylinder where the missing pusher is supposed to go.

-How can I get a stuck on brake line off of a wheel cylinder? I've tried penetrating oils and I can get the nut to move, but it's moving the brake line too. I've also put heat to the nut, then cold water, but it didn't do anything. How hot can I heat the nut without damaging the line or fluid? Any other tested solutions?

Thanks!

first off......you NEVER F%^& WITH BRAKES.......fix them correctly or don't drive the truck.......the slime could be leaking axle seal. ie. gear oil? but chances are it is the wheel cylinder and you just are missing it.........a 50/50 mix of atf and acetone is the best rust penetrator but be careful it is very flammable........liquid wrench is second best..........a Flare wrench is a must when removing brake lines. you might just have to replace the brake line

*I reread the post. if your brake fluid reservoir is not losing fluid then the slim is most likely gear oil from a bad axle seal.

see if you can get the line undone at the joint on the differential......they sell brake lines with the fittings on them for $4.......you just bend it the old one..

 

[FlyinRyan]

Thanks everyone!

I'm going to try to finish it this Saturday. I've got a better torch so I'll see what it can do, but I'm going to pick up some brake lines too.

Any hints for bending brake lines? I'm planning on picking up the ones with the fittings already on.

Thanks again! I'll keep you posted...

 

[modelageek]

Thanks everyone!

I'm going to try to finish it this Saturday. I've got a better torch so I'll see what it can do, but I'm going to pick up some brake lines too.

Any hints for bending brake lines? I'm planning on picking up the ones with the fittings already on.

Thanks again! I'll keep you posted...

well if it is your axle seal ...unless you are a master mechanic...with some tools you will not be finishing it on saturday

 

[FlyinRyan]

Well I'm hoping for the best.

How can I identify a leaking axle seal? What am I going to see? Hear?

 

[modelageek]

Well I'm hoping for the best.

How can I identify a leaking axle seal? What am I going to see? Hear?

thick gear oil coming though the backing plate.........if you need a new axle seal...you have to pull the axles? the parts are almost free.........but a lot of labor is involved

 

[racsan]

gear oil has a certian distinct smell and is quite thick. new axle seal is probly in the neighborhood of 10-12 bucks, rear cover gasket (if not using rtv silicone) is around 5-7 bucks, 80w-90 gear oil for the diff varires in cost, theres std and synthetic oil, probly need about 3 qts, the conventional oil is probly around 2-3 bucks a qt. you might as well pull both axles and do both seals, both have the same amout of hours and youre in there now, it would bite to just do one side and a month/year down the road need the other one done. i need to do the same axle seals on my wifes S-10 blazer. just waiting for spring to get here so i can start on it.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Thanks everyone!

I'm going to try to finish it this Saturday. I've got a better torch so I'll see what it can do, but I'm going to pick up some brake lines too.

Any hints for bending brake lines? I'm planning on picking up the ones with the fittings already on.

Thanks again! I'll keep you posted...

We use these for bending copper tubing not shure how well they work for steel.

http://cgi.ebay.com/IMPERIAL-USA-TUBING-BENDER-368-FH-1-4-5-16-and-3-8-tube-/350440870597?pt=BI_Pipe_Benders&hash=item5197e752c5