4X4 W200 Brake check

[aceaway]

I have a question? I am trying to pull the rear and the front brake drums off this 1966 Dodge 4X4, to inspect and clean and see whats up. Now the question for my book only shows the D100 2WD. In order to pull off the drum on the rears with the wheel off, I see a set of bolts that look like they hold on a plate that fits tight up to the drum. Do, I undo the bolts on that and pull the plate off and then the drum? Same question for the front with the hubs. I have never pulled these off before and don't want any surprises, like springs and things falling out. Especially without pictures to see whats in there. Thanks aceaway

[Hobcobble]

What you'll actually be doing is pulling the entire axle out of the tube.
Remove the nuts on the axle shaft cap and use a hammer [ball peen]
to rap the end of the cap so it'll slide out. You may get a bit of gear oil
seepage. Pull the entire axle shaft out and set aside. You will see two
very large [2 3/8"] nuts that have a keeper with tabs bent up against
the nuts. This has to be removed by carefully bending the tabs away
from the nuts. NAPA or a good auto parts store should have the large
socket needed to remove these nuts. If need be, you can [carefully]
use a large set of channel-locks. Remove both nuts and then slide off
the outer wheel bearing. Now, if your brake shoes aren't adjusted too
tightly, the drum should slide off. Ideally, that tabbed keeper/washer
should be replaced. If the tabs don't look like they've been bent back
& forth too often, you can probably re-use it. You should re-pack both
the inner & outer wheel bearings with a good hi-tac wheel bearing grease.
This is also a great time to have those drums turned if they need it.
Check the gear oil too and change it if need be. To do this, there will be
a drain plug on the bottom center of the diff. housing. If you aren't at
all familiar with the history of the brake shoes, springs, etc., its a good
time to get new ones installed. Turn the old shoes in for a core. Does
your front axle have lockouts??? By the way.... the 2 3/8" socket is 3/4"
drive. If you don't have a 3/4" set but do have a 1/2" set, buy a reducer.
My '61 & '68 3/4 ton rear axle drum nuts are both 2 3/8"..... I'm pretty
sure your '66 should be the same. Let us know how things turn out. You
can buy a Chilton's manual covering '67[?] through '88 Dodge trucks at
a lot of auto parts stores OR try to score a genuine "period" shop manual
on ebay..... there are usually a few up for sale at any point in time.
Back to the gear lube again..... if you haven't replaced it yourself or know
when it was last serviced, you should do it now.
John

[aceaway]

Thanks for responding, The large 2 3/8" nuts that you find after pulling the axle out. are they like the ones on the 2 wheel drive that cotter pin through the axle and tighten up to hold the wheel bearing in? I cannot picture how all that fits into place unless the axle rides through the large 3 3/8' nut. Maybe I am just stuck on the 2 wheel picture in my mind of the brake drum pulling off the axle. Can you straighten me out on that, idea. How does that system work. I do have a Dodge truck service manual, for conventional, 4X4 forward control Models 100-800. I do have to turn out the hubs on the front. I have had this truck, since 1997, and have never checked the brakes because of not knowing how. So, now is the time to figure it out. Thanks for you help. aceaway

[aceaway]

Thanks for responding, The large 2 3/8" nuts that you find after pulling the axle out. are they like the ones on the 2 wheel drive that cotter pin through the axle and tighten up to hold the wheel bearing in? I cannot picture how all that fits into place unless the axle rides through the large 3 3/8' nut. Maybe I am just stuck on the 2 wheel picture in my mind of the brake drum pulling off the axle. Can you straighten me out on that, idea. How does that system work. I do have a Dodge truck service manual, for conventional, 4X4 forward control Models 100-800. I do have to turn out the hubs on the front. I have had this truck, since 1997, and have never checked the brakes because of not knowing how. So, now is the time to figure it out. Thanks for you help. aceaway

[digdoug]

The rear ends are the same in 2&4wd trucks. The front of the 4wd is the same as rear,except on front you remove outer part of locking hub. Then remove the snap ring off the end of the axle . then remove the rest of the locking hub housing.After that its to the big nuts,same as rear. When you get it apart,also check the spots where the shoes rest against the backing plates. They should be flat with no groves worn in them. Also check the under side of your spindle where the outer bearing rides for a bad lip.

[Hobcobble]

Aceway,
The rear axle is a full floater.... meaning the drum/wheel bearings do
slide onto the housing tube, which has a fine threaded end. the axle
itself, with drum properly in place, slides into the housing tube and is
kept in place by the 8 nuts [with tapered washers] on the drum. It is quite
crucial to properly re-install the 2 large nuts, as these nuts are keeping
the entire axle/drum assembly on the housing tube. If they somehow
spun off..... you'd be in for a hairy ride. In the 7 years you've owned
this truck.... has anyone else ever taken a look at this part of the drive
train?? Do you drive this much??
John

[aceaway]

No, no one has looked at it since I've owned it, It is the property work truck, used to pick up rock, sand, wood, dirt. I like the truck so much that I decided to give it a face lift, so it will last another 40 years. I live on the southern oregon coast and the salt air, play havoc on unpainted metal. So, as I tear into it, I find that I can just keep tearing into it deeper and deeper. The only reason I am checking the brakes is one is dragging. I realize that could be from a number of reasons, but I feel I need to inspect the brake linings and drums and wheel cylinders, get all that up and slap her back together, for known piece of mind when I am coming down the mountain with 3,000 lbs of landscaping rock on the back of her. So, I am ready to rip into it today, at least pull off the 8 nuts holding it together and see what makes it tick. Thanks aceaway

[PwrWgnDrvr]

No, no one has looked at it since I've owned it, It is the property work truck, used to pick up rock, sand, wood, dirt. I like the truck so much that I decided to give it a face lift, so it will last another 40 years. I live on the southern oregon coast and the salt air, play havoc on unpainted metal. So, as I tear into it, I find that I can just keep tearing into it deeper and deeper. The only reason I am checking the brakes is one is dragging. I realize that could be from a number of reasons, but I feel I need to inspect the brake linings and drums and wheel cylinders, get all that up and slap her back together, for known piece of mind when I am coming down the mountain with 3,000 lbs of landscaping rock on the back of her. So, I am ready to rip into it today, at least pull off the 8 nuts holding it together and see what makes it tick. Thanks aceaway

When working on brakes, dont ever "slap it back together".
Downhill with a load is never a time for "peace of mind". There are precious few parts and even fewer backup systems between you and a dirt nap.

[davey]

Arn't the rear wheel bearings bathed in the axle lube on the Dana? So should they still be packed with grease or is gear lube ok??

[RussRoth]

The bearings should be packed with grease as per the service manual. However, after a period of time the gear lube usually takes over.