Rusty Driver
Posts: 177
Joined: Mon Jul 10, 2017 8:50 pm
Location: Below the pinky finger of the Mitten
Finally getting started
Since I bought the truck from an online auction, sight unseen, the brakes have been an issue. A buddy was going to drive it home from the previous owner's, but felt something "hanging up" in the rear. The brake pedal seems to have little effect on the brakes. A friend and I went and bled the brakes- all of the bleeders opened easily. We did not bleed the hydrovac, I didn't even know it was there at first. Since then, I bled it and the passenger rear. Still no pedal. The booster and many of the lines and bleeders appear to have been installed recently, and all work, no line leaks. I limped it home on the back roads, using the engine and dragging rear brakes to slow down, with the post-transmission parking band brake as last resort.
I watched some YouTube videos and read a lot of the threads here. I jacked up the driver's rear and pulled the axle. I removed the outer lock nut and used it to buy a socket to remove the inner nut and any others, it is due tomorrow. When lifted from the ground, I am unable to turn the tires at all.(Tried both sides). Something is holding them solid, but the engine has enough to overcome this, of course. I pulled the lower access plug from the backer plate, but was unable to turn the adjuster star wheel in either direction. I see another plug up higher, but can't see how you could adjust anything inside there, due to the leaf springs blocking most access.
I don't see any threads exposed on either side of the lower star wheel, like that adjuster is fully retracted. Once the socket arrives, I figure I'll remove the inner hub nut- I'm hoping it is not turned so tight as to have the bearings being bound tight. I suspect the brake pads are holding the drum tight. If so, is the only chance to get them off loosening the shoe adjuster? Is there an upper adjuster also, and I need some special right-angle tool to access it?
The cast star that the rims bolt to, it is bolted to the brake drums. Is there a reason to not remove those five nuts and then pull the star from the drum? In one diagram I have seen, these are bolts from the inside of the drum, if not captured, I can see why loosening the nuts might not be possible.
I had a friend who worked a career as a mechanic at our local IH truck dealer. An amazing guy, he spent most of six years as crew chief for a P-51 Mustang in Africa all the way up to Germany. He had amazing war stories, as well as truck stories. He passed about five years ago and I still miss him, but even more now that I have this IH. He could have walked me through this no problems, I'm sure.
Now, I'm counting on you guy to do the same. Thanks in advance.