Joined: Fri Mar 09 2007, 02:34PM
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 661
about a week ago, I was on my way to work when I heard a rubbing noise from the back somewhere. I called work to let them know. I had a panic attack thinking OMG my differential is bad again!!
Turns out it was my rear shoes and drums. They were out of round, or not true, and had a little ledge on them. On the left hand side, I had to use a hammer to get the drum off. I tried adjusting them down, putting the drum on and adjusting them out, but they still weren't right.
Monday I located a hot rod shop right next to where I get my exhaust done, and they cut my drums.
Joined: Tue Oct 11 2005, 01:33AM
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 5893
When i first read your post I got to "cut my drums" and I got a mental image of a hot-rod dude with a cutting torch! After a few second thoughts it dawned on me that you meant "turned" your drums. Wow, I'm awake now!!
Joined: Fri Mar 09 2007, 02:34PM
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 661
Yes Bill, "turned" I guess?
A couple weeks ago I was on my way to my store when I heard a rubbing sound from the rear I thought. Didn't know what it was but I panicked and thought OMG my differential is falling apart! If my differential was going again, that's it I thought. I'm done. Time to get a Honda!
I made it to work, and while I was there I took a parts call from Kenny Montgomery Junior, son of the triple nickel drag racer.
He said it's probably nothing serious, just jack up the back the back og the car, take the rear wheels off, spin the axle shafts, and listen to the brakes and differential.
Well next morning, I jacked it up, took the drums off, and fortunately no leaking and the differential sounded quiet. However, my drums, especially the left side, were out of round and I couldn't get the drum off. I needed a hammer and wd-40 to get it off.
I played with the adjustment and brushed out the dust and it seemed a little better. But I decided after another few days that I should have the drums machined. There was a little ledge that kept the drum from coming off past the shoes.
I dropped them off on a Monday after noon then picked them up Wednesday morning. This time I also sprayed off the brakes and backing plate to get off dust and dirt, though there wasn't that much. I put the drums on, and adjusted them out with a brake spoon until I heard Shooooosh. Just a slight drag.
I had intended to turn the rotors after I got the rear wheels on the ground, but my old Pop said "Forget it, they're too thin to cut. You need new ones."
I did get front pads, as I saw over the weekend that my passenger side pads were too thin.
So it was about lunchtime on a hot day, and thought I would be done soon. I put the pads on the driver's side, put the wheel back on, then moved to the passenger side. It's a good thing I did because i realized that my rotor was loose!
I said, "What the hell is this?" I took a hammer and screwdriver, tapped of the grease cap, and sure enough, my outside bearing was coming apart. When I put new wheel bearings on the rotors some years ago, I used red synthetic bearing grease. There was a lot of filver in the red grease. Apparently the roller bearings were bring ground into dust for some reason. Indeed, the little rollers were about to fall out.
Fortunately, the inner and outer bearings are readily available and I managed to put the new bearings in the rotor, adjust spindle nut to get out all the slack, out the new pads and caliper on, clean up, and get the car roadworthy for work. So the rubbing noise might have also been the front wheel bearings.
Needless to say, I now have a lot more pedal and the car drives nicer and quieter.
Joined: Tue Oct 11 2005, 01:33AM
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 5893
Wow, talk about a great series of events that led you to the very most important problem. From your description your front bearings were very close to total failure and probably close to eating the pinion bearing surfaces. That would have been a very expensive part replacement.
it brings to mind a habit my father taught me about 60 years ago, about once a week he would shut off the radio, heater fan etc and would drive and "listen" and "feel" his car. He would drive down a street with lots of tall buildings and do his "listening" with the windows down so that he could hear the echo from the buildings. I've followed his advice and discovered that I very quickly learn my car's normal noises so any "new" noise gets my immediate attention. I've caught a number of small problems literally before they became full blown disasters.