Leaky brake drum

[rubywoofs]

Just after my '74 starting diving to the right while braking, I saw that the right front drum was leaking down the inside of the tire and rim. I know enough to know that the two are related and that I need brake work. Genius, right? Anyway, what is going on there? Easy fix or time to convert?

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Viperwolf1]

Wheel cylinder is leaking and causing the shoes to grab. It'll stop doing that once it runs out of brake fluid. Pretty easy fix, replace shoes and cylinders on both sides. Anytime you have front drums is a good time to convert to disks.

 

[jperry1290]

Go disc. All the work to pull the wheel cylinder you might as well do discs. Plus since the fluid has touched the shoe its no good, so new shoes turning drums and wheel cylinders= money for disc kit. I was able to get used disc parts incld new rotors and pads for less than $300

 

[MattW]

Wheel cylinder is leaking and causing the shoes to grab. It'll stop doing that once it runs out of brake fluid. Pretty easy fix, replace shoes and cylinders on both sides. Anytime you have front drums is a good time to convert to disks.

That's funny ;D

 

[rubywoofs]

update

it turns out that a hose had come loose from the cylinder. That's back on and I'm not leaking fluid. Shop told me the cylinder, shoes, etc., were fine. Still diving hard to the right on braking, though. Before the leak, it stopped straight. Other ideas on my current problem?

 

[Apogee]

Diving hard to the right can be caused by the right side grabbing, or it could mean that the left side isn't engaging equally with the right, causing it to pull right. Check your shoe adjustments both sides. It sounds like it's time to spend some quality time (and money) with your brakes.

 

[crsman2]

My right front drum did the same thing. I got the disc upgrade and the brakes are so much better.

 

[jw0747]

There's probably some residue on the shoes and the drums from the leak that's causing it to grab. Remove the drum and check. Smooth out the drums with some fine grade wet/dry sandpaper. Wipe the shoes down good. In most instances like this brake fluid on the shoes ruins them. They aren't expensive and easy to replace.