Inferno451

Ok guys, i've got a tough one. Can't think of any logical reason for this. I've got a 1987 Cherokee pioneer with Dana 44 rear axle. I've got a horrible, horrible squealing sound coming from the driver's side rear when i hit the brakes with about medium force. If i push as hard as i can it goes away. If i press lightly, no squeak. Ok, no problem, right? Obviously needs shoes! So i pull off the drum. PLENTY of meat left on the shoes. There's a slight lip worn into the drum, so i have it turned and put everything back together. Silent as the grave! Problem solved! For about 2 days anyways. Then it came back as bad or worse. Then today (about 2 weeks later) I brake hard to avoid hitting a car pulling out, and i notice that if i keep my foot on the brake pedal under about the same pressure, i get a pretty noticeable lurching from the back that does NOT inspire braking confidence. So i get home and pull off the drum again. Still plenty of meat, but shoes only worn in about the center 3 inches of each pad. The rest is just dark with a bit of brake residue on it. I can't think of what might be causing this. Just a recap: 1-Rear brakes squealing and lurching, 2- Plenty of material left on shoes, 3- Drum recently turned. Let me know what you think! Thanks for your help, you guys are the best!

Bustedknuckle

Welcome to CherokeeForum!


My guess would be a wheel cylinder isn't functioning properly, the shoes themselves need adjusting, or the drum is warped & out of round. Also, using the search feature, you'll be amazed what you find.

Inferno451

Thanks for the welcome! I searched thoroughly, but no posts matched everything that i'm experiencing. I'm not new to forums, just to jeeps since my toyota blew up going through 6 inches of water . By the way, Knuckle, that's one sick looking jeep you've got there, brother!

TheJerm

x2

Inferno451

Shoes are properly adjusted, wheel cylinders not leaking or stuck, and brake drum not warped. ANYTHING else it could be? Why would it only wear in the center of the pads?

tiwvr1

That wear is somewhat normal, but not to that extreme, gonna think that MAYBE the wrong size shoes were put on at some point?

tiwvr1

also, are u sure its a dana 44? maybe a chry 8 1/4

Bustedknuckle

Lmfao, well minus some springs, hold downs, parking cable and adjuster, that's basically all that's back there. So I guess either live with it or try making adjustments or having the drums cut or replaced to start.

















But I know nothing.

Inferno451

Well, i figured out at least the clunking sound! SOMEHOW, the parking brake arm FELL OFF! Don't ask me how something like that happens when everything is assembled inside the brake assembly, but somehow it did. The clunking ended up being on the right side. The arm was hitting the heads for the wheel studs when I hit the brakes, and the spring for it was sitting at the bottom of everything. I went to adjust the right side again and saw there was a spring there! "That's odd..." So that's gone, but the squeaking is still there. The shoes appear to be the right size (not obviously small, seem to be proportional in diameter to the backing plate, etc) but the guy i bought it from didn't seem to know much about cars, so i guess it's possible. I know the Dana 44 is pretty rare (It is for SURE a D44) so maybe he assumed he had the 35 in back. It's just weird that it's only wearing in the center. Really only about 3 inches of wear on each side.

slk88cherokee

Shoes wearing on just the center of the shoe (not hitting top and bottom portion)is oversized drum. Have em masured. I think the spec is 10.060" maximum machine 10.090" is maximum diameter, or 11.060 if they are eleven inch drums.