Wet Brake, Dry Brake (Left Brake, Right Brake...) - 64 Valiant

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T0dd

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I pulled both back wheels off today to inspect the brakes for the 1st time as I make my way around this car. The rear driver side brake was very "wet" in appearance and had mountains of wet road grime behind the backing plate. The innards were very clean. The springs, cylinder and parking cable all seem fairly new. I am not sure if this wheel cylinder is leaking. It appears fairly new and I don't see any specific issues with the brake line attachment in the back. The Passenger side brake looked like it had never been touched. It was caked in dust and road grime and the innards and backing plate is clean and dry. Is the "wet" driver side indicative of a leak? I am currently on an empty brake system, The brake pedal slowly sunk to the floor over a few months but I assumed it was the original single pot MC which was leaking a small amount near the brake pedal on the interior. I have a dual pot MC I am going to install but wanted to take a look at each brake to tackle any shoes, springs, etc first. One more question, this is the first time I have come across the spring clip type shoe hold down. Can those be interchanged with the pin type if need be?

Driver Side (As Uncovered):
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Passenger Side:
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T0dd said:
I pulled both back wheels off today to inspect the brakes for the 1st time as I make my way around this car. The rear driver side brake was very "wet" in appearance and had mountains of wet road grime behind the backing plate. The innards were very clean. The springs, cylinder and parking cable all seem fairly new. I am not sure if this wheel cylinder is leaking. It appears fairly new and I don't see any specific issues with the brake line attachment in the back. The Passenger side brake looked like it had never been touched. It was caked in dust and road grime and the innards and backing plate is clean and dry. Is the "wet" driver side indicative of a leak? I am currently on an empty brake system, The brake pedal slowly sunk to the floor over a few months but I assumed it was the original single pot MC which was leaking a small amount near the brake pedal on the interior. I have a dual pot MC I am going to install but wanted to take a look at each brake to tackle any shoes, springs, etc first. One more question, this is the first time I have come across the spring clip type shoe hold down. Can those be interchanged with the pin type if need
Click to expand...
Looks like You've got an axle seal seeping, if it's greasy and stinky that's it. If the wheel cyl. was currently responsible there would be fluid all over the park apply strut, and
if they had gotten contaminated by a previous wheel cyl., it would have that odor & not be quite as greasy.
Yes, You could use more common coil & pin style hold-downs if You wish...........
 
Hit with water from the garden hose,you get suds its brake fluid.
No suds,gear oil.
 
That some Mopar undercoating there! Wheel cylinders are cheap and so are 7.25 foam axle and grease seals. Youll feel better getting in there, cleaning and changing these dollar tree items once and for all. Brake shoes look new: are they soaked?
 
Thanks guys for the advice! So from what I am looking at online and in the manual there are no c-clips to these axles right? I just need to unbolt, rent a puller (or do the drum trick) and pull out the axle. The seal appears to be in a position that I don't need to pull the bearing (assuming it checks out ok), correct? Does the seal just pull off, I seat the new one and reinstall?
 
shaft seals do just up and fail. It can also be a sign of bearing failure. Good luck with it.
 
T0dd said:
Thanks guys for the advice! So from what I am looking at online and in the manual there are no c-clips to these axles right? I just need to unbolt, rent a puller (or do the drum trick) and pull out the axle. The seal appears to be in a position that I don't need to pull the bearing (assuming it checks out ok), correct? Does the seal just pull off, I seat the new one and reinstall?
Click to expand...
Ok just remove shoes and attaching springs, parking brake hardware, unbolt the 4 nuts holding the axle/backing plate on. Pull out the axle, dont need a puller, just pull out, might need some light persuasion, the bearing will be on the axle. Will need a seal puller, or improvise, but seal is in the housing. Pull out seal, then pound in a new with the proper seal installer. Harbor freight sells a inexpensive one. Reverse order to assemble..
 
You get access to the nuts thru the large hole in the axle flange. Just rotate the axle till it is over each nut, then with a extension and a socket, insert the socket thru the hole and unbolt each one.
 
Mopar Tim said:
You get access to the nuts thru the large hole in the axle flange. Just rotate the axle till it is over each nut, then with a extension and a socket, insert the socket thru the hole and unbolt each one.
Click to expand...

Perfect, thanks Tim! I will post how it goes as soon as I get to it.
 
Hi all,
I am changing out a leaking Oil/Grease seal on my driver side rear axle and noticed I do not have the gaskets installed that are listed in the manual (see below). The gaskets I can find online are 5 bolt ones and my rear only has a 4 bolt retainer plate. Following the part number in the shop manual leads me to only B body items. Does the 5 bolt foam gasket work for this application? Were these not necessary on the 7-1/4 rear end?

Second question, on re-installation of the axle, do I pack the area around the bearing and collar with grease? I cant tell how much grease was suppose to be in the since most was in my brake drum mixed with oil from the blown out seal. -Todd

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Those foam gaskets aren't absolutely req'd. Thats what they used between cast iron and sheet metal like mater cylinder to firewall, backing plates to spindles, rear bumper braces to body, sandwiched sheet metal in general. detroitmuscletechnologies.com might have them. They're cut for common foam packing material so you might cut out your own.
 
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RedFish said:
Those foam gaskets aren't absolutely req'd. Thats what they used between cast iron and sheet metal like mater cylinder to firewall, backing plates to spindles, rear bumper braces to body, sandwiched sheet metal in general. detroitmuscletechnologies.com might have them. They're cut for common foam packing material so you might cut out your own.
Click to expand...

Thank you, they did have them Mopar 63-72 Axle End Foam Gaskets 8-3/4, 9-1/4, 9-3/4
 
On re-installation of the axle, do I pack the area around the bearing and collar with grease? I cant tell how much grease was suppose to be in the since most was in my brake drum mixed with oil from the blown out seal. -Todd
 
T0dd said:
On re-installation of the axle, do I pack the area around the bearing and collar with grease? I cant tell how much grease was suppose to be in the since most was in my brake drum mixed with oil from the blown out seal. -Todd
Click to expand...
Just give the housing & bearing/collar a thick messy coating and bolt 'er up, it needn't be "packed"...............
 
T0dd said:
One of those gaskets goes behind the backing plate that is not shown in this view, correct? If not I just have two gaskets pressing against each other. Can someone confirm?
Click to expand...
Yes sir. I had noticed the brake backing plate is missing from that drawing.
 
Clean off the shoes etc with a spray can of "brake cleaner", the brake drum as well, you should be good to go. Hopefully the front brakes are new as well, good luck. Cheers.
 
I differ in opinion from some. Brakes on one side look new inside but look crusty on the outside. Obviously someone has repaired a previous problem without touching the other side. You can clean the outside by using any of the suggestions. If you disassemble the axle assembly, you should replace ALL gaskets and seals. There is a 5-hole metal gasket that goes between the housing and the backing plate. They have been known to seep and produce the crud on the backing plate you see. Using a little silicone here helps. Axle seals- you have an inner and an outer. If you were getting gear lube on the brakes, then obviously these need to be replaced. How is the axle bearing lubricated? Not from gear lube!- remember the inner seal? Pack the axle bearing well. Now you have a 5-hole foam gasket, it is important! This one stops any seeping of that axle grease onto the brakes. You are learning a lot about your brakes, I hope this helps put things in perspective.
 
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