mustangGT90210

So my "beautiful" '91 is out of commission. It's pissing brake fluid out the rear wheel cylinders, the drums back there were shot and are now dead I have a feeling. I need to get this truck back on the road, and I've never messed with brakes before.

How do I go about replacing all the rear stuff? Drums/linings/wheel cylinders/etc. I don't even know everything I should be fixing to make them proper again. So please guys who have done the brakes on these trucks, enlighten me! I can't afford the $350+ for a shop to do it and I like learning

Welder7018

It's fairly simple to replace the dual piston that pushed out the shoes. Should be two bolts then remove the line and replace.

ManSam91

Wheel cylinders, drums and shoes. Then hardware kit and self adjuster kit if yours is locked up.

Jack it up.

Pull the wheels off.

Then pop off the rubber cap for the self adjuster and if you can back it off so that the drums will be easier to get off.

Pull drums off. Hopefully they aren't frozen on there too bad.

Now the fun part. Take a picture if your memory sucks like mine does some days.

Pull all the hardware off. springs, parking brake cable, hold down springs.
The shoes will come off with the hold downs.

Then the fun part of the wheel cylinders. Hopefully you get the line off without breaking the line if its rusty. Just two bolts on the wheel cylinder and it should come off easily or with a little hit if its rusted on there good.

Then just reverse everything to put it back on with new parts.

You're looking at MAYBE a hundred bucks. Depending on part prices in your area.
Oh and a can or two of brake cleaner. You'll want to spray down the drums before installing them. They come coated in oil so they don't rust

mustangGT90210

That's the kind of info I needed, thank you!

Where is this self adjuster found? I've had the drum covers off before to replace wheel studs and don't ever remember seeing one

Moose_God

It's between the shoes...a cylinder looking thing with a star shaped adjuster wheel on it.

I'd make sure to get a new package of hardware (springs, hold downs, etc) to go along with your new shoes and wheel cylinders too. It'll prevent a lot of headaches during reassembly and in the future.

13Harleyfan

I would guess your wheel cylinders starting leaking because they pistons probably came out of the cylinders because the drums are wore out, if the drums won't come off you will have to unadjust the shoes, the rubber boot is on the backing plate, it pops out and you hve access to the adjuster, there is a star looking wheel on the adjuster, it turns both ways, 1 way tightens the other loosens, to loosen you have to push a small little plate that rides on the star that doesn't allow the adjuster to move, look in a shop manual and it will make more sense. Once you loosen the shoes the drum should slide off. to the shoes there is a pin that goes thru them with a little round clip on the end that is removed by pushing and turning at the same time, this will make more sense when you get the drum off, to remove the cylinders spray some WD 40 or other liquid lube on the 2 bolts and let it sit for a while before removing, the brake line that attaches to the cylinder needs to be removed first and this requires a special wrech to keep from rounding off the corners on the line. Always spray everything down with a degreaser before taking apart and it will make the job alot easier.

mustangGT90210

Special wrench? Guessing I can get that at the auto parts store.

I'm doing a full overhaul on these brakes so I don't have to touch them again for a long time. Sounds like I'll go to advance and borrow a shop manual to read in store for a better idea here, and start opening things up to figure things out.

Just have to figure out if a new front tire for my motorcycle will trump the brakes for this week. Too many choices!

sylver91

Here is a complete tear down of the rear brakes for ya. IMO these are about the easiest drum brakes I've worked on. Get a multipurpose brake tool and a brake spring hold down tool.

f150cam

sylver91

Updated the diagram to a slightly better one, just do one side at a time so you can put things back the way they were. And be sure to put the brake shoes FACING THE RIGHT WAY.