Hi guys,
I just removed my rear wheels and noticed some fluid that had dripped on my rear wheel and removed the paint. I removed the brake drum and found it to be contaminated as well.
My question is do you think it is a bad brake cylinder or bad rear seal? I am thinking brake cylinder due to the removal of the paint just not sure.
If it is the rear seal is that an easy fix or a pain to replace? Any special tools required to repair if I need to go down this path?
Thanks, you guys are awesome.

 

A thin fluid coming from the wheel cylinders would be brake fluid, and mean rebuilding or replacing the cylinder. Gear oil leaking from an axle seal would be black and heavy and stinky. On an F1, it's not a difficult job to replace a seal.

 

Like Wayne said thin fluid is brake fluid, I agree that with paint being removed that's probably the cause.

 

And if one brake cylinder is leaking, do both of them. They are cheap.

 

Ross is right but since shoes are wet replace those too, not trying to spend your money or time but unless you can remember when you rebuilt/replaced brakes do all 4 wheels. When you restore all brake pressure to 2 wheels you want to keep other 2 cylinders from going bad.
The brakes are so important as you know and our trucks need all the help they can get to stop. I did mine 3yrs ago after brake failure, scared the bejusus out of me. I had cyl leaking and lost all brakes.

 

And if the brake system has not been rebuilt, rebuild it all. If there is any rust at all around any of the steel line to frame clamps, pull the clamps and inspect the steel lines closely. If you don't know when the hoses were replaced, replace them.

 

in all honesty... If you suspect your axle seal to be leaking... I would replace that too, since the brakes would have to come apart anyway. And, as stated above, do the whole brake setup. hardware, hoses, wheel cyl and shoes. all in all, you would probably have less than 100 bucks to do everything (depending on the cost of the hoses...)

 

Fyrhosr I know it sounds like we are telling you to do a lot but when it comes to brakes sometimes t's best to just bite the bullet and do it, sometimes on these old trucks doing 1 thing is like opening a real can of worms, but these trucks are fun.

 

It's easy to tell if a wheel cylinder is leaking: pull the brake drum, peel back the rubber boots on the wheel cylinder. If the space behind the boot shows any sign of fluid, the cylinder is leaking and should be replaced. Don't try to rebuild them or use a rebuilt cylinder. Buy new cylinders from a reputable manufacturer, brakes are not a place to try to save a couple bucks, your life, your loved ones lives and the lives of innocents depend on them!

 

I agree with what has been said. Rebuild all the brakes completely. To just fix one can and will put more load or pressure on the other 3. And if one has went south another is soon to follow. When you are that far into each system it is only common
sense to do at least the rear seals and repack the front brg's.

Now it may well be that your brakes have already been done and are in good shape.
As these old trucks did not have automatic self adjusters it is possible that they have just worn, or backed out of adjustment.
If so than the brake cylinder piston can travel out far enough to let the fluid out.
If this is the case than basically all it would need is put back in and adjusted.
Probably not your case but is possible.

Let us know what ya fined please.

 

Technically, drums and shoes would be contaminated and the drums should be turned and shoes relined or replaced. That being said, it once was not uncommon for truck/tractor shops to get a torch and boil the fluid out of the pores of the linings if they are otherwise in good shape and either expensive or hard to come by.
I can not advocate this practice for vehicles used on public causeways.
Anyway, do consider that contaminated shoes and drums may cause considerable control issues while braking. Do the brakes right. People's lives do depend upon their effectiveness and reliability. Consider it good hygiene.

 

Like taking a shower and
putting yer dirty shorts back on?