bigragu

Adjusted my shoe to drum clearances twice in the last couple of days, and I'm really lame when it comes to " feeling for slight drag and what not. So, I adjusted them for full lock, then backed the starwheel off about 16 clicks. If I use one of the tire brand letters as a mark, and spin the tire, I get about 3/4 of a revolution.
Anyway, took the truck out for about a 45 minute jaunt around town, purposely slamming on my brakes as I was testing out an adjustable proportioning valve, and when I got home I shot a laser temp gun to the drums. The drivers side was at around 145 degrees, and the passenger side at about 173 or so. Obviously I need to back off the passenger side a couple more clicks, but I'm curious as to what optimal temps are, to anyone that has ever checked.

edwinsmith

There are so many variables involved in the brake system that measuring the temp or your drums trying to determine whether they're adjusted properly is a complete waste of time.

If your self adjusters are malfunctioning then fix them and stop worrying about it.

Edwin

bigragu

Hey, hey, Edwin! My adjusters are not malfunctioning. Don't know where you got that thought. My brakes are working awesome, I might add. Best ever. Common sense tells me that after adjusting for clearances, unless I'm missing something, if one drum is hotter than the other there may be slight excessive drag going on. Re read my question- I was simply inquiring if anyone has taken temps of their drums, and for comparisons sake, was just wonderiing if I was in the ballpark with other's temp readings. That's all.
Waste of time? I'm not working, retirement is a month away. I got all sorts of time, LOL

edwinsmith

Brakes work by converting kinetic energy into heat. The heat is radiated by IR and conduction to the air. The amount of wind coming from the side could make one cool faster. If one has less rust or is painted or other color difference can affect the cooling. A slight difference in drag which is impossible to engineer out will affect the temp.

What I am getting at is there are to many variables to make a temperature differential meaningful. If your brakes are working fine then why are you worried about them?

I don't know of anyone who checks the temp of their drums. It's a waste of time. Your nose will tell you sooner than that.

I'm not getting on you. I'm just trying to save you some time and worry.

Sorry if I came on to strong.

Edwin

saggonwaggon91

30 deg difference could be anything like he said above. If you did the same thing for both sides, itll be fine.

mknittle

As long as one is not locking up on a slick surface I wouldn't worry about it.
If there are more left turns the right one would be hotter and visa versa.
Because of the bigger radius the outside wheel travels. plus other variables.

johnh

i thought brakes work by friction!

bigragu

Thanks, all

maybe368

The friction is the process that creates the heat. Remember that energy is neither created nor destroyed, only changed in form. The kinetic energy of motion created by releasing the potential energy stored in the diesel fuel, manifested by motion of the vehicle. When the brakes are applied, friction occurs that then creates the heat, and the cycle of life continues...Mark

maybe368

@Augie, Your brakes would have 175 degrees sitting in the sun in Phoenix. That is almost cold, IMHO. It won't even boil water...Mark

NJTman

Feeling for you guys out west. Watched the weather channel talking about the 124+ degree temps in death valley, and not much cooler in the surrounding areas.

I was in San Francisco cali in 1990, and experienced 115* f weather. I was young. Much thinner, and had greater tolerance for hot weather. I just couldn't handle that temp now.not in a million...

85* f is miserable to me..
Stay hydrated...

maybe368

I was working the day that we had the record 122 and, of course, we had a rip snortin' house fire that day. Talk about a double whammy. They say that we will break that record on Tuesday. I have an advantage because my thyroid is stuck in the cold position from radiation, I shiver at 75 degrees F.. I am more concerned about the low than the high, our record low is 96 degrees and I'm betting we break that one this year. When the lows are that high, nothing cools off and the heat accumulates, it is like living in an oven...Mark

cougar

One big thing people forget about when trying to adjust their brakes is the parking brake. If it isn't working properly or is adjusted properly, doesn't matter how much you try to adjust he star wheel you won't get you brakes adjusted right. Been there, been there, been there. Before you do anything rear brake related, completely loosen both parking brake cables and make sure they move freely. Can't tell you how many times Ive found stuck cables. Adjust your brakes, then adjust the parking brake. Last fall I payed a shop about a grand to do a complete brake job. Guess what the didn't find? My left parking brake cable wouldn't release. It now has 2 new cables.

bigragu

That's what i did, cougar, was completely release all tension to my cables. Then adjusted my rears.
Couldn't sleep last night. Spent most of the night into the early morning, just reading about brakes here, using the search feature. 99% of the first gen folks all seem to have issues with these drums. From seized up hardware, broken cables, to low pedal after new parts installed. Seems the 1% of the folks that don't complain have taken the bull by the horns, and converted either to disc rears or did a HB conversion. Then there's that small percentage, that seem to have no problems whatsoever with their drums, cause they've either figured it all out, or have been able to source non overseas parts and paid good money for the best parts available.
There sure are a lot of treads, about that pesky RWAL module and ABS sensor.

maybe368

I don't know if it is scientific or not, but when I converted to disks, all of my brake problems went away. Everything else, including the dump valve, is still intact. It sure seems to point to the drums and all the related rear drum equipment as being at fault for the crumby brakes...Mark Edit: as a side note, I didn't weld anything and if a future owner wishes to put back the drums, It would be just a bolt on process...