Brake Education Please

[happeetxn]

Howdy All,
I am in the middle of redoing my rear brakes and think I may be doing it all wrong. For starters I am begining to think that I should have rebuilt the cylinders while I had everything off. Here is why I say that (and the reason for the title to this thread): How far are the shoes supposed to move when the brake pedal is depressed? The shoe closest to the rear of the truck moves more than the front one on the drum. Is this normal?
And now for the really confusing part, the reason I am doing the brake job is because my brakes started squeaking and squealing pretty bad and I hadn't had a brake job done since 2002 and figured is was time. While we had the cash and considering the truck is a keeper I bought new drums since the ones on it are original (1995) as I figured they would be to thin to turn. Well, when I pulled everything apart the shoes were almost as thick as the new one's that I had bought. They (the one's on the truck) were very shiny and covered with small cracks running all over the surface of the shoe. Are the rear brakes even working? I have never been happy with the way the truck has stopped, bad brake fade, etc. I have replaced the master cylinder, RABS, obviously the pads and shoes, and bled them more times than I care to count just knowing I had air in the lines somewhere. Do our trucks have a proportioning valve and could it be bad?
I am holding off on the front brakes as I want to go with the PowerSlots(?) and Hawk pads. Doing this based on reading what some of y'all have said about this set up. I know this is long and if it is easier to PM or email me with answers that is fine and any info will be appreciated. [email protected]
Thanks and have a good one,
Craig

 

[94f450sd]

first DO NOT press the pedal with the drums off!but yes its a good idea to replace the wheel cylinders,they are only about 20 bux a piece,maybe less.with the glazeing(shiny shoes) and cracks that tells me your rear brakes are doing most of the work to stop the truck,or they were adjusted too tight.make sure that the self adjuster/star wheel turns freely.replace that stupid cable with the spring on it that operates the self adjuster,even if it looks good.these break often and when they do it will allow the slf adjuster to back off and loosen the brakes.

 

[powerboatr]

the very nature of drums is the one shoe moves and touces teh drum and rotation causes it to roll into a full contact, the other is picked up as the drum rotates(slightly) and presses against the drum to provide a full contac grip. as the slave cylinder pushes on it.
92-96 ish full floaters aslo had problems with the outer bearing seal failing and would sling gear oil onto the pads, which also causes poor brake performance.
and the drums are supposed to auto adjust each time you back up and stop quickly, mine i found on my 92 never did , instead i had to adjust them about once every other month or so.

the key is to have them just touching the drum when adjusted properly, light scrub, then they should work well
and yes ther is a proportional valve and its set up to make the fronts do most of the work , until your loaded down then it should allow more even braking. is it fool proof? NO mine always looked new and the fronts would be worn slap out