Left rear drum dragging

kfb13 · Sep 26, 2015

looks to me like your parking brake cross bar is in backwards causing the shoes to be apart at the top. the shoes should both touch the anchor at the top. KB

pjtoledo · Sep 26, 2015

pjtoledo said:
in the pic the adjuster is not contacting the front shoe correctly.

after looking again, its on correctly. The rub tab is difficult to distinguish from the center of the shoe on my pc.

enjr44 · Sep 27, 2015

Well, you have what is called double action brakes on the rear of a Ranger. Since most stopping is done going forward, the brakes are built to stop better in that direction.

When stopping the front shoe is pressed into the drum (the short shoe). This caused it to rotate away from the anchor pin (at the top). This rotation, pushes the rear shoe into brake drum since it cannot rotate because of the anchor pin. This is what creates the stop. In fact, in very old plymouths the wheel cylinder only had one pin and it pushed on the front shoe. Those things would hardly stop at all going backwards.

So, if it is dragging in only one direction, you have something put together wrong. Something that is allowing one of the shoes (probably the front shoe) to move away from the anchor pin without hyd pressure being applied.

Drum brakes are designed to have a small amount of pressure applied to the wheel cylinders at all times. That is to keep the cups expanded against the sides of the cyl and not suck air into the system.

If the front shoe spring was soft (or installed wrong) and it moved into the drum it would drag a lot more when to turned the wheel in the forward direction. And stop dragging in the other direction since the wheel motion going backward pulls the shoes away from the drums.

virgilbg · Sep 27, 2015

enjr44 said:
Well, you have what is called double action brakes on the rear of a Ranger. Since most stopping is done going forward, the brakes are built to stop better in that direction.

When stopping the front shoe is pressed into the drum (the short shoe). This caused it to rotate away from the anchor pin (at the top). This rotation, pushes the rear shoe into brake drum since it cannot rotate because of the anchor pin. This is what creates the stop. In fact, in very old plymouths the wheel cylinder only had one pin and it pushed on the front shoe. Those things would hardly stop at all going backwards.

So, if it is dragging in only one direction, you have something put together wrong. Something that is allowing one of the shoes (probably the front shoe) to move away from the anchor pin without hyd pressure being applied.

Drum brakes are designed to have a small amount of pressure applied to the wheel cylinders at all times. That is to keep the cups expanded against the sides of the cyl and not suck air into the system.

If the front shoe spring was soft (or installed wrong) and it moved into the drum it would drag a lot more when to turned the wheel in the forward direction. And stop dragging in the other direction since the wheel motion going backward pulls the shoes away from the drums.

What you just posted is exactly what is happening. Both sides are dragging when the wheels move forward.
Here is a link to all the pictures and how they are set up. As a reminder I have removed the parking brake cables and the bracket that they attach to for now as I will have to replace all three cables.

http://s102.photobucket.com/user/virgilbg/slideshow/The%20ranger

Denisefwd93 · Sep 27, 2015

This seems pretty common with rangers, don't know why.. I did a quick net search and hundreds of rear brake dragging discussions came up in here and other sites. I'm starting to wonder if my driveline "shake" is the new brakes dragging on my truck now! No RABS, new rear cylinders, shoes springs and Parking cable power bled by the shop I trust.

virgilbg · Sep 27, 2015

Side note how did you get that US Vet under your name? I'm not a Vet yet (still Active) but it's pretty cool.

virgilbg · Sep 27, 2015

Green and White spring Swapped

Well I swapped the two upper springs and the left will rotate without drag but the right is dragging still. WTF man!!!!
I think I may take it to work tomorrow and see how it goes. if it doesn't over heat then I may have the drums turned.

Denisefwd93 · Sep 27, 2015

virgilbg said:
Well I swapped the two upper springs and the left will rotate without drag but the right is dragging still. WTF man!!!!
I think I may take it to work tomorrow and see how it goes. if it doesn't over heat then I may have the drums turned.

Suggestion, bypass the tabs valve mine was working like a check valve.

pjtoledo · Sep 27, 2015

Denisefwd93 said:
Suggestion, bypass the tabs valve mine was working like a check valve.

if the springs are pulling the shoes back to where they contact the anchor pin line pressure should not be the problem.

pjtoledo · Sep 27, 2015

virgilbg said:
Side note how did you get that US Vet under your name? I'm not a Vet yet (still Active) but it's pretty cool.

User CP,

scroll down to group memberships

enjr44 · Sep 28, 2015

Well, not sure about swapping springs around. They are specific for where they go. And they are color coded. https://www.google.com/search?q=ranger+rear+brake+picture&es_sm=122&tbm=isch&imgil=Ty-oxTox-U0llM%3A%3B7Gl0iSBYfXPEyM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.2carpros.com%252Fquestions%252Fford-ranger-1994-ford-ranger-rear-brake-shoes&source=iu&pf=m&fir=Ty-oxTox-U0llM%3A%2C7Gl0iSBYfXPEyM%2C_&biw=1206&bih=631&usg=__OZQbGbzfehCCIArc2artzGWS1Lg=&ved=0CDcQyjdqFQoTCNzIxayomsgCFQ87iAodj1wAxw&ei=D4EJVpyFKY_2oASPuYG4DA#tbm=isch&q=93+ranger+rear+brake+picture

The springs are different for a reason. The front shoe spring is supposed to be stronger than the rear one because it is the one that does all the work. The rear spring is used only for stopping when backing up.

I do have one dumb question. Did you check that there is no grooves worn in the backing plate. If there are and they are deep enough they can "hang" a shoe. Used to run into this when restoring old vehicles. If they are not very deep we just filed them down. On deep ones we filled them will welding and ground them down.

Denisefwd93 · Sep 28, 2015

pjtoledo said:
if the springs are pulling the shoes back to where they contact the anchor pin line pressure should not be the problem.

I was there 5 times when the drums came off and 5 times the shoes were not on the pins. :icon_surprised:

the 4th was was after new parking cables were in. That is when I finally took to a trusted shop. and had them remove the RABS. Brakes are wonderful now. :yahoo:

I don't think they drag anymore, but I keep checking the temp on the drums and front rotors nearly every time I get done driving some distance.

naford · Oct 1, 2015

enjr44 I like your explanation of rear brakes. I wonder if that is why when the parking brake would get frozen on my old old Toyota it would free in one direction and not the other?

Back to the subject at hand. Have you tried to drive it without the adjuster cable installed? That's the one that goes from the center post down to the lever. I still think it is in there somewhere. Either the bottom spring is weak or the adjuster cable is to strong.

joey7478 · Oct 1, 2015

shoes

enjr44 said:
Well, you have what is called double action brakes on the rear of a Ranger. Since most stopping is done going forward, the brakes are built to stop better in that direction.

When stopping the front shoe is pressed into the drum (the short shoe). This caused it to rotate away from the anchor pin (at the top). This rotation, pushes the rear shoe into brake drum since it cannot rotate because of the anchor pin. This is what creates the stop. In fact, in very old plymouths the wheel cylinder only had one pin and it pushed on the front shoe. Those things would hardly stop at all going backwards.

So, if it is dragging in only one direction, you have something put together wrong. Something that is allowing one of the shoes (probably the front shoe) to move away from the anchor pin without hyd pressure being applied.

Drum brakes are designed to have a small amount of pressure applied to the wheel cylinders at all times. That is to keep the cups expanded against the sides of the cyl and not suck air into the system.

If the front shoe spring was soft (or installed wrong) and it moved into the drum it would drag a lot more when to turned the wheel in the forward direction. And stop dragging in the other direction since the wheel motion going backward pulls the shoes away from the drums.

I think my shoes are backwards so the short shoe go in front! I will go check. my shade tree buddy put them on.

Left rear drum dragging

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