Rear brake job from hell

[slow_90firebird]

Ok guys so this weekend I spent like 3 days doing rear brakes on my truck trying to get it ready for my trip to college... 93 W250 CC auto 4x4

Heres the new parts rundown:
New Shoes
New hardware kit
New Adjuster kits both sides
Brand new drums
New LR and RR brake cables (front not frozen)
New Steel line from proportioning valve back
Bypassed the ABS (new line straight into rubber hose)
New rear rubber hose
New Axle Brake lines
New 1 1/8" wheel cylinders
Cleaned and greased the Anchor Pin / Ebrake assembly
New wheel seals
Bearings looked brand new still so I cleaned and greased them...

Ok heres the problem. When i hit the brakes now the truck shakes like hell. There is no better way to put it. It gets worse with more speed. Exiting the highway it would wake a dead person. Not only does the whole truck shake and rattle, but the pedal pulsates too like crazy! Other than that It stops 100% better.

I feel like its the new drums, but I dont think I will have the time to take it all apart and take them back to advanced auto (and they are special order too so I would have to wait)

Theres only one place around that cuts drums i could find, a machine shop. He wanted $30 each drum, so i bought the brand new ones for $50. Plus he was only open when I am at work

I was thinking about having a friend bring him my old drums to cut still but they have been sliding around in the bed of my truck since yesterday now...

What do you guys think? Ever heard of defective brake drums? Here is what I did for the brake job if you see anything off let me know!

[Black93]

Back when I worked at O'reilly's we had a few new drums come back that was out of round. O'reilly's turns drums and rotors, if their not to thin. It used to be $8 each best I can remember, that was about 10 years ago though. $30 is ridiculous.

[ellis93]

Oh yeah drums get out of round.....especially when some idiot stacks them,or stands them up(like mounted on truck) instead of laying them down.
I agree 30$ is to much,I still get 15$........same as O'Reilly now.

[slow_90firebird]

Well remember I am in ct where diesel is $4.10 and smokes are $8...

So what do you think is the better option? Another set of advance drums? Napa drums? Or cut my old ones?

I wish there was an easier way to change them. I reused the old studs and they were still a pain to put in. I started them with the air hammer from the back then used the lugs flat side down to seat them in a star pattern... Took forever

[comotionman]

what was wrong with your old drums? did the rivets wear grooves into them? or do they really even need to be turned?

[Black93]

especially when some idiot stacks them,or stands them up(like mounted on truck) instead of laying them down.

That's when I got to wag the finger and say no no no, whenever I found them like that.

[ellis93]

what was wrong with your old drums? did the rivets wear grooves into them? or do they really even need to be turned?

This^^^
If the old ones are still slick,I'd reuse them. I've never really worried about a little waviness to the surface,only really cut them if they are warped or have some small lines ground in from a piece of spring digging into the surface.

[Philip]

I will not install a new set of drums or disks without having them trued on a lathe.


Where is your E brake cross bar at?

[ellis93]

Where is your E brake cross bar at?

It doesn't have one.....the ebrake arm acts as a cam to push the shoes apart

[slow_90firebird]

So I got another set of new drums on the way for tomorrow from advance... Pulled the shakey ones back off tonight to bring back.

My old drums had a big rusty lip that was eating into the shoes. And there are a few spots where that 1/2" overhang of the braking surface is rotted pretty thin...

Is there maybe a trick I don't know about? Like is there a way to center the drums properly?

[PToombs]

When I put old drums back on I use my 4 inch grinder and remove the lip on the edge.

The drums should center on the studs when you install them. Just make sure the mounting surfaces are as clean as possible.

[slow_90firebird]

Well I exchanged both drums for a new set tonight. Put the new ones on. Seems to be alot better now. I could tell just by when I was adjusting them with the axles out. They dragged alot more evenly all around. I will know for sure when I drive it more.

Maybe if they are good I will invest in a new set of those nylock spindle nuts

[slow_90firebird]

Well, looks like I am stuck ripping into this thing again. Glad I waited on the spindle nuts...

Drums were great driving around last nigt. Real nice and smoothe and stopped great. Nice hard pedal, didnt vibrate.

Then on my way to work this morning, I tried them again on the highway from 70. Still good. Going through hartford there was less traffic than usual so i was douing about 50-55 and some braud in a little acura passes me on the onramp to my RH side than cuts me off trying to squeeze between me and the car in front of me. Now since I had a spongy RWAL and frozen drums I was used to pushing the pedal as hard as I could when that happens. Did that this morning, throws me forward, hit a wet patch, rears lock up, truck slides sideways. I recovered and avoided the accident.

Then getting off the exit for work, ease into the breaks nice and easy, shake shake shake change in ashtray bouncing around coffee moving in cupholder pedal is a foot massage....

So angry right now. I just went and bought a set of drums from NAPA. These will go back to advance again and I will ask for my cash refund

[rockbuggy4x4]

I wonder if that could be a ABS issue? Only time I've ever had the pedal pulse like that, it was the ABS.
Edit: Just reread your original post. Did you bypass the front ABS as well? And is there any adjustment needed on the proportioning valve or master cylinder when the ABS is bypassed?

[PToombs]

No front ABS, just bypass the valve in the rear and unplug the ABS box to get rid of the lights.