Hi, I'm new here. I have a 1998 Ford Windstar with 3.8 engine and traction control. I just changed my rear brakes with new shoes, new drums and new right side wheel cylinder because the other one was leaking. This is the 3rd time in 70,000 miles that I have changed rear brakes. This is one of the easier rear brake jobs. However this time, I get a knocking sound only when I apply the brakes. It comes from the right side where I changed the wheel cylinder. The wheel cylinder is from Autozone. I think the name was Brakeware. The brake pedal doesn't pulse while this is happening and I have bled the lines. Any ideas what my problem might be? Thanks.

 

Are the drums from Autozone? Did a brake job over 3 times on a Windstar with Autozone parts because of the drums being garbage. Got drums from a different place and no problems since. The knocking is a warped drum.

 

Yes, all of the parts were from Autozone. Do you have any suggestions as to where I should try to get better drums? I'm in Pa.

 

Do you have Napa in PA? I'm in NJ and I used NAPA drums on the windstar with no problems.

 

Yes we do. I just thought about this. When I first heard the bumping, I switched the left side with the right side drum, I also used the old right side drum I took off of the car and still had the noise. Might the new wheel cylinder also cause a problem if the slots at both ends of the cylinder don't hold the shoes firmly? Just a thought.

 

OK if you had this problem with old drum ONLY after installing new shoes and wheel cylinder I would try a different wheel cylinder if noise is on that side as well. Usually knocking noise is a warped drum on these windstars but might not be in your case. The slots should be against the shoe. Maybe one pistons isnt moving out freely?

 

Hey, Thanks for all your help. I will try a different wheel cylinder and see what happens.

 

Good luck. Hopefully the cylinder will work and autozone is pretty good about taking returns. Hopefully that will fix your problem.