2000 AWD - Hard to turn rear wheels by hand

[baytonemus]

I had recently done a complete front and rear brake job on my Safari but hadn't gotten around to adjusting the parking brake until today. I knew that I'd need to be able to rotate the rear wheel by hand to determine when the shoes begin to make contact with the drums, so I raised the rear end off the ground. Because it's an AWD, I wasn't sure if the wheels would turn with just the rear raised but I thought I'd give it a try.

The strange thing is that they turn pretty freely for about half a revolution, then become difficult to turn the rest of the revolution, (then easy again). What might this indicate?

Not sure if it's relevant or not, but I have been hearing what sounds like a very light "scraping" when I'm driving around town when I let me foot off the gas. I don't always hear it and it's never very noticeable.

Thanks!

[brokenwrench]

[quote="baytonemus"]I had recently done a complete front and rear brake job on my Safari but hadn't gotten around to adjusting the parking brake until today. I knew that I'd need to be able to rotate the rear wheel by hand to determine when the shoes begin to make contact with the drums, so I raised the rear end off the ground. Because it's an AWD, I wasn't sure if the wheels would turn with just the rear raised but I thought I'd give it a try.

The strange thing is that they turn pretty freely for about half a revolution, then become difficult to turn the rest of the revolution, (then easy again). What might this indicate?

Not sure if it's relevant or not, but I have been hearing what sounds like a very light "scraping" when I'm driving around town when I let me foot off the gas. I don't always hear it and it's never very noticeable.

Thanks![/

sorry, but conventional drums or discs with parking drums?

[baytonemus]

This van has disc brakes in the front and drums in the rear. Parking brake engages the rear drums.

[Cobra]

hmmm i vaguely remember a friend saying the wheel should be able to make one full revolution if the rear brakes are adjusted correctly however i've never tested it that way. I just adjusted it until the drum is just touching the shoes then back it off a quarter turn. if it's binding after half a revolution and is fine the other half i would be checking if drum is out of round, i can only think something is warped if it only does it for half the revolution

[brokenwrench]

we have had some problems with Chinese brake drums, the "register", the big hole in the middle that engages the wheel axle register shoulder is too big or not centered, this results in the drum not self centering itself when it is installed, it is not the wheel studs job to center the drum, but the "register". this is one of the problems with $12 non-domestic parts, some are perfect, some are kief. And you can get 100 good ones then a run of horrible ones, we now stick them on the brake lathe that sat dusty for a decade and check them all before we put them on.

my local brake supplier, known him since kindergarten, all three years of it, has a display wall with all the bad parts, they are always looking for the best price best quality trade off.

took my valve grinder apart today, (Sioux) put new grinding wheels on it, cleaned all the grit away, sprayed it down with brake cleaner, thing is over 30 years old, dial indicator shows that all spindles are still perfect, no slop in feed wheels, paint is still perfect, thing is still perfect, made in the US of A.

[baytonemus]

Interesting. I'm going to check and see what drums I bought. I'm pretty sure they were from NAPA but I can't remember specifically which ones. Maybe I'll take them off one at a time and try rotating them. Maybe only one is bad.

Also, I'm going to have to get the parking brake adjuster unstuck. That thing is TIGHT! With the coated cable coming out towards the rear, I don't think I should use a torch on it. Maybe some Kroil or PB Blaster.

Thanks, guys.