Drum brakes wet, not sure where it's comeing from

From your pic of your drum. Max Dia 230mm. To convert from mm to inches, divide mm by 25.4. 230/25.4 = 9"

You could also measure the drum.
 
I would do a disc swap but that's probably just me. Cost me 70 bucks because the jy donor vehicle had a recent brake job, would probably cost around 130 or less with new pads/rotors. Look for a zj with rear discs.
 
Update:

I HATE drum brakes... but managed to stumble thru getting a new wheel cylinder, shoes, springs and drum on that passenger rear which was shot and soaking wet w/brake fluid. I could see it dripping out of the old wheel cylinder once I finally got everything off.

I took pics and even printed them off, but I had to pull the drivers side drum off and see how it all went back together... back and forth many times. Adjusting the shoes was not as easy as one would think... hard to really tell much difference when turning that "adjustment 'screw' "

Also swapped out some new front brake rotors and pads. Trying out the Black Magic brake combo up front. So far so good. After going thru the recommended brake-in procedure the brakes feel MUCH smoother than before. Obviously fixing the rear drums helped, but the fronts are smooth now. No pull either direction when hitting the brakes hard, no squealing, just nice and smooth. 'Course it's just been 2 days so time will tell how good these are. 2-Thumbs up so far!!

Now so save up and get rid of these drums and replace w/some nice dics... :)
 
Update:

I HATE drum brakes... but managed to stumble thru getting a new wheel cylinder, shoes, springs and drum on that passenger rear which was shot and soaking wet w/brake fluid. I could see it dripping out of the old wheel cylinder once I finally got everything off.

I took pics and even printed them off, but I had to pull the drivers side drum off and see how it all went back together... back and forth many times. Adjusting the shoes was not as easy as one would think... hard to really tell much difference when turning that "adjustment 'screw' "

Also swapped out some new front brake rotors and pads. Trying out the Black Magic brake combo up front. So far so good. After going thru the recommended brake-in procedure the brakes feel MUCH smoother than before. Obviously fixing the rear drums helped, but the fronts are smooth now. No pull either direction when hitting the brakes hard, no squealing, just nice and smooth. 'Course it's just been 2 days so time will tell how good these are. 2-Thumbs up so far!!

Now so save up and get rid of these drums and replace w/some nice dics... :)

Congratulations on immerging from “Drum Brakes Hell” with only a few bumps and bruises . The next time you go back into hell (probably next year when the other cylinder fails). With the drum off stick your adjusting lever in the slot in the rear and make note of which way turns the adjusting screw out, such as “down to expand the shoes”, or whatever.
 
well, the star wheel will only turn one way with the self-adjusters installed - they will keep you from turning the star wheel in the direction that loosens the adjustment. Which means in effect that you can't use my favorite (and in my mind the easiest and most reliable) method of adjusting shoes - just crank 'em down until the star wheel won't turn anymore, then back them off until you get the right amount of drag (usually about 9-12 clicks, at least on a drum brake Studebaker) if you try to do that on a more modern vehicle with self adjusters your life will become much less pleasant quite rapidly. You *can* back off the star wheel, but it involves releasing the self adjusting thing with a thin screwdriver while trying to turn the star wheel with your brake spoon through the same slot. Guaranteed to make you start drinking early, although it is possible. (and good luck trying to pull a drum while the brakes are locked up tight.)
 
that sounds like the painful voice of experience right there.

I don't believe in drum brakes anymore. If I have to touch the rear brakes, they are coming off and being replaced with ZJ discs.
 
What years where the ZJs? I'd just get all the gear off a KJ Liberty if I could find it. All in all I shelled out ~$100 for the drum brake gear (wheel cylinder, shoes & drum) so not much more & I could have discs ....
 
What years where the ZJs? I'd just get all the gear off a KJ Liberty if I could find it. All in all I shelled out ~$100 for the drum brake gear (wheel cylinder, shoes & drum) so not much more & I could have discs ....
KJ ones are hard to find, at least around here.

ZJ ones are... not sure what year they started, but they went all the way through 98. They are not uncommon at all, there are 7 with discs at my local yard right now.

Again, I paid 64 for everything (frequent flier discount though...) - calipers, rubber hoses, backing plates, all the bolts, the backing plate mounting studs, rotors, and pads. The brake job on the one I pulled the parts off of was recent and everything was in good shape so I just ran the used pads/rotors, they work great. I spent the other 6 bucks of the 70 total it cost me on new axle seals.

You will need a few grinding stones for a dremel or equivalent to open the centerbores out, or do some work with a large half-round file. I think it took me 15 minutes or so.
 
Back
Top