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1 rear brake shoe dragging


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I replaced the front and rear pads/shoes on my 2002 2wd 3.0 Ranger 10" brakes, the drivers side rear will start to rub/drag after a few days once the self adjuster has "adjusted" itself.
1st I noticed the noise when at slow speed, then I can smell the brake and feel the rim is warm to real warm depending how far I have driven (more heat than the fronts while rear passenger side could be called cold) and bad gas mileage that week.
Parts and steps I've taken and replaced.
1. new shoes, twice,I replace the 1st set within the 1st week.
2. new springs
3. new brake cylinder
4.smoothed and applied anti seize to the backing plate wear bosses.
I did not turn the drums as they were in good shape, I put a caliper on them and it measured exactly 10.00".
I replaced the springs due to breaking one, I replaced the wheel cylinder after 2 weeks of trouble shooting, (with no noticeable change)
3 days ago I smoothed and applied the anti seize to the backing plate bosses, and now I get a hideous noise if braking semi hard at slow speed (sounds like dragging a bow over a violin)
Visual inspection shows no noticeable wear, no bare metal on the drum, shoes contacts and rests on the top post, springs return the shoes freely to the top post, I can reach forward and pull on the e-brake cable and the e-brake links moves freely (about 1/2 inch movement with drum off, minimal shoe movement)
Shoes show 100% contact,clean wear no brake dust build up, I inspected the passenger side and it looks dusty (brown) as not having full contact.
Seams like the self adjuster continually tightens, although when I remove the drum it comes right off with no resistance, so it does not seem to be over adjusted, I might try replacing the self adjuster as that seems to be the last part I can replace, and I will try switching the drums left to right.
Any help will be welcomed.
Curt
 


Uncle Gump

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The first thing you have to look at is...

With drum off and looking at the top of the brake shoes where they meet the anchor pin... are both shoes fully seated up against the anchor? If not... I will bet it is the opposite shoe for which the park brake lever is connected to. This would tell me your park brake cables aren't releasing or are not adjusted right.

If this is the case... remove the park brake strut and test drive. Verify the brake drag is gone. Then repair your park brake system.

edit: 1. Go lightly with the anti seize on the backing plates. If that stuff bleeds onto the brake shoe... it start another problem for you. It is only there to give a little lube for the shoes to slide on and prevent a squeak.

2. I am in no way suggesting that you leave the park brake strut out long term. It would only be removed to diagnose your brake drag.
 
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Denisefwd93

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I can't even count how many vehicles I've had in my lifetime with dragging brakes, you did allot, must know what you're doing mechanically if it's not the parking brake and cables hanging up which it almost always is on Ford Rangers. it may be time to scrutinize the Hydraulics, you have a newer Ranger so I don't know if you have rear ABS there are a number things that can so I can go wrong hydraulically. if you replaced your brake booster or master cylinder recently, the adjustment between the two could be off, collapsed brake hoses are pretty common even on newer vehicles, can they front brake hose cause pressure on the back? possibly, I don't know. Abs valves have very very small passages and are easily restricted by rust if moisture has permeated the fluid. the one in my other truck was acting like a check valve.
 
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pjtoledo

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to isolate the hydraulics, drive it enough that it's hot and dragging.
immediately stop and jack up that wheel.

does it drag?

if yes, quickly open the bleeder, does it still drag? did fluid squirt out?
if fluid was released and the dragging stopped your lines are blocking the fluid from returning to the master cylinder.

for the mechanical part, remove shoes & adjuster and place inside the drum. space the tops at exactly the same distance as if installed against anchor pin.

does the assembly move freely inside the drum? you can check for hi spots on the shoes by using a felt-tip pen to mark the shoes,, rotate a bit then look at marks.

in the past I've had shoes that simply were too big for the drum,,,,shoes that needed shaving near the ends so the curvature matched the drums,,,,,and filed the notches in the adjusters to allow the shoes to come in a bit.

make sure the cross bar is on correctly, and the tops of the shoes touch the anchor pin.
 

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I suggest swapping the drums side to side to see if the issue moves to the other side. Shoes are almost never identical in size/curve from one set or brand to the next so new shoes on old drums often have some break in issues. Drums are so cheep these days its hardly worth even bothering to measure or re-use drums anyway. I think I paid 22.00 a piece for bendix drums on amazon last time I did my rear brakes.
 

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Thank you all for the trouble shooting tips, I did make a reply a few days ago but seems I was having troubles with my acct affecting my posts.

I did swap the drums with no affect
I removed the e-brake support bar with no affect
I released the bleeder valve immediately after driving with no affect.

I did at one time place the shoe in the drum to verify the curve (10 as opposed to 9") and it fit well, I did not try to place both shoes and try to simulate rotation.

when I opened the bleeder valve there was no noticeable pressure built up, it initially had nothing come out then in started to run out with gravity.
I'm still stuck with no answer.
I was thinking of just returning these shoes and try to upgrade, but it only is affecting the one side (drivers).

Thanks for the ideas, keep them coming as I have not given up yet...
 

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This may be of NO use but, Always turn your drums and rotors. Even brand new drums and rotors can be warped. I worked at a brake shop for a few years, Boss offered "NO Squeel Guarantee". we turned every drum and rotor before we ever put it on the vehicle. I was the lathe guy. I was surprised at how brand new shiny rotors/drums were warped, either from sitting or from the factory IDK, but that little step saved us a lot of recalls on brakes because the mechanic only got paid once to do the job, the recalls he had to do for free.
Unless they are too thin, turn them bad boys, there are tiny grooves and lines in the drum that need to be smoothed out for better performance from your shoes.
 
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Denisefwd93

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Parking brake cables are notorious for causing this problem and when you check it's magically okay
 

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You have to be missing something here... take a deep breath.

You do know there is primary and secondary brake shoes... right?

Small shoe to the front... Larger shoe to the rear. The larger "secondary shoe" carries the task of providing the majority of the braking effort in drum brakes... due to the way drum brakes self energize... and its always on the rear. If backwards... would cause the smaller shoe to get hot and drag.

Next... was the truck exhibiting this condition before you did brakes? Or did it start after you did brakes?
 

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Uncle Gump has a point. There's a big shoe and little shoe for each side. You may have two big shoes on the same side.
 

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Yes, it all started with the new brakes, the primary/secondary are in the right locations, Secondary (long shoe) to the rear,it has the post for the self adjuster spring on it. I was thinking of swapping the shoes left to right to see what happens...
 

Uncle Gump

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Parking brake cables are notorious for causing this problem and when you check it's magically okay
I have to agree with Denise here...

The symptom you describe is classic park brake cable.

If you've done everything that has been suggested... it might just be time to take it to a reputable technician and let some professional eyes look it over.
 

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I have disconnected the parking brake last week by removing the cross brace, so the parking brake cannot be the issue.
I think it is the self adjuster, when ever I trouble shoot I back off the adjuster ,the problem goes away for a a short time then returns,so yesterday I replaced the adjuster with a new one (complete kit) and again the dragging came back after only driving about 4 miles.
What limits the adjuster from over tightening? the drums always come off easily, but when I turn the tire I can hear the slight drag.

Pictures are before the adjuster replacement yesterday, note full contact on Secondary (rear /long) pad. I might down size these pics they are huge...








 
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Uncle Gump

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What limits how far the adjuster will self adjust is the size of the drum. If the adjuster is self adjusting to the point of dragging... it would be both shoes dragging and the drum wouldn't easily come off... chances are you would have to back the adjuster off to even remove the drum.

I do see a couple issues in the pictures.

The third picture appears to show the self adjuster cable behind the guide opposed to being in the grove. Also the end of the cable that connects to the lever should be rotated to hook on the long part of the spring opposed to the end of the spring. The way it is now has more interference between the cable spring and the bottom return spring.

But what stands out to me is the damaged return springs (most apparent in the third picture). It appears that you have bent up the hook ends pretty good. The way I see it you have lost some of the tension that the springs provide in keeping the shoes tight to the anchor pin. Try taking a pair of channel locks to squeeze the hook ends back to more of their original shape. This will apply more tension to keeping the shoes at the anchor pin until you apply the brakes.

My guess is you probably used a screwdriver and pliers to remove them... a cheap brake tool is way better suited for return spring removal and installation.
 
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Denisefwd93

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Do the brake shoes return to the pin when you lightly press & release?
 

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