Unless some ace (usually spelled with a double s) mechanic wrecked it because he thought it was the oil seal and tried to remove it.

I like the cup when it works, though. Had a seal go when I first bought my truck and was driving it home on an unfamiliar mountain route. The exhaust brake didn't work at the time, and I was pulling home the fiver. Coming down the grade at West Glacier, I had to lay on the binders pretty hard. Flag man at the bottom was running for a fire extinguisher. As it turned out, I was just cleaning off the grease on the outside of the right brake drum. Brakes worked good. Got pretty smokey, though.

A drop or two of brake fluid on the linings can make em grabby also.

 

The gear oil slingers work.... most of the time, but as J. stated above, if they're not all bent up from previous incarnations....

Anytime I've had rear brakes lock up it's been from gear oil, brake fluid, or highly polished drums from using them with gear oil, brake fluid or overtightened shoes.

Pull the drums, have them machined, and replace the shoes and seals. No issues since.

 

It is probably time for a good brake job. including hardware.

 

Can't tell you how many times I have said that to my wife, and she still doesn't get it....

 

I don't know if my dad ever had the rear brakes done. The truck may have less than 80k miles, but if they are original, I am sure 24 yr old parts might not be in the best shape.

I don't have a covered work area, so once the rains let up I'll open her up and take a look.

 

What rain it never rains in Eugene.

 

X2 on that. lived in Veneta (W. of Eugene) 95-97 and got flooded out twice Best part of those years was the truck purchase and winning the #1 plate in the open Am class for offroad enduro racing. Some of the best riding I've found in the states right there.

 

Yea, it feels like I have moss growing between my toes this time of year.

 

I managed to install the brake shoes on my '95 CTD backwards once. It caused terrible brake lock up. It took me 6 frustrating months to figure it out. I pulled the drums to put new brake shoes on and a buddy of mine pointed out the problem. I reinstalled them correctly and the problem disappeared.
I tend to agree with the other posts that fluid contamination is a more likely culprit.

 

. Man, know what your sayin. Have done that, and luckily I caught it before I threw the drums back on. If you aren't paying attention, it could easily be done. The second time around, which was just recently, I took it upon myself to lay the new shoes on the tailgate, so I could see the differences. I then took a paint marker and dotted the holes that were to be used for springs(had the drums off so I could see spring connection locations on the old shoes)and even went as far as labeling each shoe DRT(driver rear top) DFT(driver front top), etc., etc. Call it OCD which I slightly have, or from the few times I've had to disassemble large indoor HVAC units piece by piece cause stupid people failed to crane in the units in place BEFORE the mechanical rooms got built and closed up, but labeling along with pics and sketches have always helped me to put the puzzle together.

 

Not a bad idea. I'll probably do that unless I convert to disk.