[HUF]

Probably should have posted in Fleetwood forum.

I was bleeding whole brake system, replaced the rear right bleeder screw and everything went well. I have noticed that the right pushroad of the wheel cylinder was kind of very loose, I could remove it if I wanted with fingers. Then I started the engine and applied the brakes slightly to see how the parts of the rear brake move. You know what happened next. lol The piston pushed out the right seal and the pushroad way too far and brake fluid was pouring out of the cylinder.

Took the shoes off so I could put back the drum and the wheel back. The left pushrod, the piston, and the seals look OK. There was some sludge in the cylinder. What is that? Degraded DOT3? Can I still use the same cylinder or should I consider a replacement?

 

[Mr pogo]

buy a cylinder rebuild kit, hone the wheel cylinder and rebuild = cheapest
just buy a reman wheel cylinder = a little pricier but easier

 

[HUF]

buy a cylinder rebuild kit, hone the wheel cylinder and rebuild = cheapest
just buy a reman wheel cylinder = a little pricier but easier

Thanks for the reply. I bought two new wheel cylinders for about $10 each. Will replace the both and will get rid of that sludge.

 

[MAUSS]

The sludge comes from 2 places... rust from the inside of the steel lines and deterioration of the flexible lines. You need to flush your brake fluid more often.

 

[HUF]

The sludge comes from 2 places... rust from the inside of the steel lines and deterioration of the flexible lines. You need to flush your brake fluid more often.

Unfortunately, looks like nobody flushed the system in15 years.

 

[Mr pogo]

well actually theres wear particles from the rubber moving parts + moisture + heat + gravity = acidic sludge at the bottom most parts of the brake system.
when pushing in the caliper pistons during new pad install the caliper bleeder should be opened to relieve the old fluid.
pushing up old fluid back to the master cylinder will cause mc and abs problems down the road.

 

[HUF]

Thanks for the replies, gents. Installed new wheel cylinders. Put everything together and everything seems to be all right. Did not bleed the rear brakes yet.

 

[HUF]

well actually theres wear particles from the rubber moving parts + moisture + heat + gravity = acidic sludge at the bottom most parts of the brake system.
when pushing in the caliper pistons during new pad install the caliper bleeder should be opened to relieve the old fluid.
pushing up old fluid back to the master cylinder will cause mc and abs problems down the road.

I have replaced the both wheel cylinders with ones made by Raybestos. It was perfect replacement unlike one from NAPA. After driving forward and back to get the adjusters self adjusted and making some 30 miles, did not notice anything strange - the rims remained cold, etc. Nevertheless, removed later the rear wheels and drums to see how was everything. The left plunger of the wheel cylinder on the passenger side is not perfectly parallel to the axis of the cylinder - there is probably some 5-10 degrees angle. The right plunger is fine.

As for the driver side, the both plungers are parallel, but the right plunger extends less than the left one by some 3/8". Should I be concerned, and if so, how can I address those little issues?

Thank you.

 

[Mr pogo]

it really sounds like the brake shoes are not adjusted and have some gap to the drum.
the brake shoes should be manually adjusted first, theres so many potential things could be wrong causing the self adjusters not to work.
are springs and adjuster installed correctly for each side?
primary shoes forward?
equalizer bar and spring installed correctly?
do you have a good service manual showing how each side goes back together and the drum brake adjusting procedure?

 

[HUF]

it really sounds like the brake shoes are not adjusted and have some gap to the drum.
the brake shoes should be manually adjusted first, theres so many potential things could be wrong causing the self adjusters not to work.
are springs and adjuster installed correctly for each side?
primary shoes forward?
equalizer bar and spring installed correctly?
do you have a good service manual showing how each side goes back together and the drum brake adjusting procedure?

I do have FSM and also watched several video clips to make sure everything is put together correctly. The shorter shoes look forward, the assembly is similar for both sides except the parking brake lever and orientation of the strut. I did preadjust the adjuster so that the drum could barely move and hoped that the rest will get adjusted by itself then I move the car back and forth. The parts are pretty clean and the threads of the adjuster are lubed as well as the contact points of all other parts. I did not really like the design, particularly that 1/8' diameter pin serving as a pivot.

 

[Mr pogo]

I did not really like the design, particularly that 1/8' diameter pin serving as a pivot.

if youre talking about the "nail" coming thru the backing plate, that is not a pivot for the shoes.

I would suggest posting pics of what you got.

 

[HUF]

if youre talking about the "nail" coming thru the backing plate, that is not a pivot for the shoes.

I would suggest posting pics of what you got.

Oh, I see... there is a pivot for the other shoe. and this one does not need one.

 

[Mr pogo]

well both shoes need the "nail".
one shoe also has a collar that the adjuster lever rotates on, so that could be called a pivot altho not for the shoe itself.