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Rear drum sticking at stop signs

4K views 32 replies 9 participants last post by  AstroWill 
#1 ·
Hey guys first time poster. I have had my 1995 Astro for about 3 years now and about 40,000 miles.

About a year ago I replaced the Drums, Shoes, Hardware and Wheel cylinders.

After 3 or so the drivers side rear has started to stick when I get to stop signs or stop lights and I push on the pedal with moderate pressure.

When I pull away from the light it'll make a clunk like the drum breaking free.

So I took it apart and it looked like these photo's attached. I rechecked everything replaced the arm with the star wheel and it was good for 3 weeks again and it started happening again. I also spun the star wheel in where it had the most slack in it....

Why is this shifting like this? What am i doing wrong?

Also this is only happening on the driver's side....



 
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#4 ·
Post a couple of pictures where we can see the whole thing.

Make sure the pads are in the correct way, also make sure you didn't swap the left and right adjusting screw and ensure that the adjusting screw spring isn't touching the screw.
 
#8 ·
Rubber line over the differential might be deteriorating like the front do. I've never seen it happen but if you bleed the brakes and find small black specs it's rubber.
Also the shoes are different sizes for the front of the drum and the rear. I don't recall which goes where I just remember to match them when I do the deed.
 
#10 ·
So this time it doesn't appear that the arm fell off of the star wheel. Also the shoes will only go on one way if I remember right. It appears I have the drivers side adjuster on it based off of the color of the star adjuster. The Gold ones are generally drivers and silver color is passenger.

Maybe since I bought everything at Autozone I'll have the replace the pads and wheel cylinder under warranty...
 
#11 ·
Shoes are on correctly, shorter one in the front, everything I can see here looks correct.

Any issues with the parking brake, cable kinked, smooth action, etc?

Everything lubed properly?
 
#13 ·
The spring is on wrong. The way it is it is hitting the adjuster. Pushing it out. On the adjuster side it should come through the hole from the inside. The spring end should be into the hole. From the side your on.

Took a bit to see it. Here is a pic of the spring oriented correctly. Because my description was only as clear as mud.

spring.png
 
#17 ·
It doesn't have that spring shown in the manual. Look it is bent to miss it. Yours don't look like that. The picture I showed is actually a astro from a instructional video for changing the brakes. He is putting it back on the way it came off. I got the same set up you do.

Just for future reference. I always take a picture of drum brakes before they come apart just for this type stuff when I am working. Actually everything wires under hood etc etc. Helps if you can see what you already forgot you took apart.

Take both drums off and do one side at a time. So you can reference the other side as you do it.
 
#18 ·
Yea I usually always take photo's too. I must of missed it that day. I'm gonna run up to Autozone tomorrow and grab another hardware kit (they're closed for the night) I also went ahead and ordered a service manual for it too. I can't believe I haven't had one yet.
 
#20 ·
chevymaher said:
Just look at it. If it is touching the adjuster arm it is wrong. And in the picture it is holding it out. It won't let it go down and engage the teeth.
But why would the adjuster not working cause the symptom he's having, i.e. brakes sticking or not releasing? Return springs pull the shoes toward the cylinder - sounds like something is interfering with that. Woodbutcher might be on to something with the hose not allowing fluid pressure to release.
Only other thing might be contaminated drum surface, but since everything else looks so clean I'm not seriously considering that at this point.
 
#21 ·
95AstroLT said:
But why would the adjuster not working cause the symptom he's having, i.e. brakes sticking or not releasing? Return springs pull the shoes toward the cylinder - sounds like something is interfering with that. Woodbutcher might be on to something with the hose not allowing fluid pressure to release.
Only other thing might be contaminated drum surface, but since everything else looks so clean I'm not seriously considering that at this point.
New brakes and look at the adjustment. It is all the way out. Brakes would be dragging. That screw piece should be all the way in. That is what is interfering with the shoes retracting.

It is alot easier to fix if I was there and could look at it. It is tough in a picture. May it is maybe it isn't the whole problem. But it is wrong. The adjuster should be down in the teeth not laying over them. Fix what is obviously wrong then if it needs more move on.

Basically the same thing.
diagnosing-acar-over-the-phone-hahahaha-3027374.png
 
#24 ·
chevymaher said:
New brakes and look at the adjustment. It is all the way out. Brakes would be dragging. That screw piece should be all the way in. That is what is interfering with the shoes retracting.

It is alot easier to fix if I was there and could look at it. It is tough in a picture. May it is maybe it isn't the whole problem. But it is wrong. The adjuster should be down in the teeth not laying over them. Fix what is obviously wrong then if it needs more move on.
That adjuster is super far out, wrong shoes or drums maybe?
 
#25 ·
AstroWill said:
chevymaher said:
New brakes and look at the adjustment. It is all the way out. Brakes would be dragging. That screw piece should be all the way in. That is what is interfering with the shoes retracting.

It is alot easier to fix if I was there and could look at it. It is tough in a picture. May it is maybe it isn't the whole problem. But it is wrong. The adjuster should be down in the teeth not laying over them. Fix what is obviously wrong then if it needs more move on.
That adjuster is super far out, wrong shoes or drums maybe?
Just go with me on this one. Or the adjuster mounted wrong allowing it to unscrew. It looks adjusted wrong and the adjuster is not working properly. Co-incidence? It was working right then started doing it. It sure sounds to me like that adjustment screw worked out to far. It worked before something was different.

Just turn the spring over re-adjust it. If it does it again call me a NOOB as they say in minecraft.
 
#26 ·
I'll call you a noob anyway just cause I like ya,,,

:lol:

chevymaher said:
It is a lot easier to fix if I was there and could look at it. It is tough in a picture. May it is maybe it isn't the whole problem. But it is wrong. The adjuster should be down in the teeth not laying over them. Fix what is obviously wrong then if it needs more move on.
Absolutely, I didn't see this.
If the pads are rubbing too much they will tend to stick after you come to a full stop. This may not be all but it is the first step.
 
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