1970 rear brakes

[NAZglen]

Having problems with my new brake system.

I replaced the hard lines front to back, rubber brake hoses, master cylinder, fluid reservoir, wheel cylinders, new shoes and spring kits and turned the drums.

It took me a while to bleed the brakes. The hand vacuum pump I bought from Harbor Freight was useless. I ended up drilling the reservoir cap and installing a tire valve. I turned my air compressor down to 5 PSI and pressurized the system. Bled the right rear, left rear, right front and then the left front. I had my son watch the level in the reservoir as I bled the system and fill as needed.

I then adjusted the right front, left front and left rear wheel. But the right rear wheel was locked up. As soon as I loosened the castle nut on the right rear stub axle, the drum spins freely.

I checked the brake shoes and they are riding on the backing plate. I checked the shoes and they are all the way in the wheel cylinder and adjuster slots. The adjusters are screwed all the way in. I installed the outer stub axle spacer with the bevel facing in. It is like the drum is somehow rubbing against the stub axle housing or outer seal when the castle nut is tightened.

Anyone ever run into this? Where did I go sideways?

Maybe i didn't drive the outer bearing in far enough?

[VW_Jimbo]

The braking system is independent of the stub axle set up. Did you do anything to those bearings, spacers or seals? It would be strange that when tightening the axle nut up, the drum is getting mashed into the backing plate.

Try referencing this.

#1 Torsion Bar
#2 Inner Spring Plate Grommet
#3 Spring Plate
#4 Outer Spring Plate Grommet
#5 Spring Plate Caps
#6 Trailing Arm Pivot Bolt (M14x1.5mm threads)
#7 Trailing Arm Bolt Washer
#8 Trailing Arm Pivot Bushings
#9 Trailing Arm
#10 Control Arm Rubber Stop
#11 Inner Axle spacer
#11a Sway-A-Way Axle Spacer
#12 Seal Stub Axle Inner
#13 Control Arm inner snap ring
#14 Inner Control Arm Axle Bearing
#15 Axle Spacer between Bearings
#16 Plastic Emergency Brake cable holder
#17 Outer Control Arm Axle Roller Bearing
#18 Large "O" ring
#19 Small "O" ring
#20 Bearing Cap
#21 Outer Axle Spacer (Seal surface)
#21a Sway-A-Way Axle Spacer Kit
#22 Seal Outer Stub Axle
#23 Bearing Cap Bolts (M10x30)
#23a Spring Washer
#23b Flat Washer
#24 Rear IRS Brake Drum
#24a Lug Bolts
#25 Rear Axle Nut Flanged
#26 Cotter Key Large
#27 Upper Shock Bolt
#27a Nylock 12-1.5mm self locking nut
#28 Rear IRS Shock
#29 Lower Shock Bolt
#29a Nylock 12-1.5mm self locking nut
#30 Rear Axle
#31 CV Bolt
#31 CV Bolt Washer
#32 CV Bolt Plate
#33 CV Axle Boot with Flange
#34 Washer
#35 Constant Velocity Joint
#36 CV Axle circlip
#37 Stub Axle
#38 Grease Cup used in some CVs
#39 Large CV Boot Clamp
#40 CV Boot
#41 Small CV Boot Clamp

Good luck!
_________________
Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[NAZglen]

I thought I had it...

MAYBE I had put the outer spacer in backwards. But the bevel was facing inward.

Took the stub axle bearing cap off and found that the outer rubber seal's spring had popped off and wedged itself in the bearing. i carefully pulled it out.

Luckily I had bought an extra rear wheel seal kit. Tapped the new seal into the cap. Put a small dab of grease on the inside of the seal and put it back on.

Brake drum slid right on. Tightened the castle nut by hand. The drum still spins. Tightened it that last 1/8 of a turn with a socket and breaker bar.

.AWHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

It locked up again.

[NAZglen]

I thought that maybe the drum was rubbing against the backing plate. So I dabbed on a thin layer of blue gasket maker around the outer lip of the backing plate. Put the drum back on. Tightened the castle nut by hand. Turned the drum back and forth. Tightened it until it started to bind. Turned the drum back and forth. Took the drum off. All the gasket maker was untouched. Nothing in the backing plate groove on the drum either.

We're talking about 1/100's of an inch that is causing this binding...
Need help or suggestions on what the problem could be

I assembled the left and right wheels the same. the left wheel is fine.

[DesertSasquatchXploration]

MC Master get you some shims.

[Starbucket]

Switch the drums if the other side has in/out play.

[NAZglen]

Good idea... will pull the other drum and swap em.

[Starbucket]

You know the nuts are torqued to around 200 ft/lbs or a 4' pipe on a breaker bar to the next carter pin hole when the nut quits turning to pull everything together

[DesertSasquatchXploration]

[NAZglen]

Yes, I know it gets torqued to 200ftlbs...

I never got that far as it still up on jack stands. I hand tighten the castle nut, the drum still spins. I start to snug up the nut (maybe another quarter turn with a socket and 18" breaker bar) and the drum binds up.

BTW. This is happening after installing KaddieShack's 100mm bus axle/CV/stub axle kit. The stub axles seems a little long as the cotter pin hole is right at the outer edge of the castle nut.

Going to call KaddieShack tomorrow and see if anyone else has run into this "binding up" problem when installing this kit.

I appreciate the positive input from other members.

[NAZglen]

To remove it from the list of possible problems, I just fit the left drum on the right hand stub axle. Hand tightened it, the drum spins. Tightened it another 1/4 turn, the drum locks up.

Did not want to have to take out the CV's and axles and start from the beginning. But it has to be something with the stub axles, or bearings, or bearing spacers.

Going to wait and call KaddieShack to see if any other customers have ever run into this problem.

Any other possibilities?

[Starbucket]

If one of the stub axel bearings didn't get seated you can try tightening the nut and then with a big hammer smack the drum by the lug bolt holes a few times to see if that loosens it up.

[NAZglen]

I will try that with a dead blow mallet...

Nope, didnt help.

I could swear I seated the bearings up against their stops.
I have the inner and outer spacers installed the right way.
The long spacer that rides in the middle of the stub axle looked like it could be installed either way.
Don't know what else I could have installed backwards that would be causing this.

Thx for the reply.