checked my rear brakes on my 97' today because i thought they were sqeeking. The pad on the shoes has about 1/4" left so I think they are fine. but Both drums had cracks around the out side lip where they slide over the back side of the brake assembley. Should I replace them or are they ok. Now the squick seems to be in the front driver side but the pads are allmost new on the front and the roters are in good shape. what is causing this?

 

If you lost a significant amout of the drum it will be out of balance and let in a certain amount of road debris. If you travel on dirt roads a lot you'll eventually get a pebble or 2 in the drum and cause a squeek/grinding until it's gone. If they are original then maybe new ones are in order.

 

Brake dust accumulates over time and it causes brake squeeks. Spray some WD-40 or PAM cooking spray on the rotors and drums and the squeek should go away lol

Cowboy Steve

 

I always heard you never wanted to spray any kind of lubricant on your brakes as it effects braking power

 

I believe that is Steve's attempt at becoming a comedian. LOL
That is true, you do not REALLY want to spray any kind of lube on your brakes. It will soak into the pads and you will have to replace them to fix it.

 

It is all relative, if it is a chevy you should lube the heck out of the brakes and then loan the truck to your ex wife two problems solved at once....... Never is a strong word, but you are correct if you want them to "work" then you shouldn't.

 

Any use of the information in the above post is at your ex wifes own risk. all testing and fielding of lubricant brake cleaning products were accomplished on a closed track by a proffesional driver. Do not try this at home.

 

sometimes they just squeek. pull the wheels. get a three or four cans of brake cleaner. spray the hell out of the fronts and the backs with the drums off. you can also blow them off with compressed air afterwards but wear glasses and recommend a doctors mask or something so you dont inhale all that evaporated brake cleaner and dust.

 

The disclaimers are become quite the fashion trend these days arent they, lol.

Compressed air is what I use to clean the brake assemblys when they get to squeekin.

That was merely my best attempt at sarcasm on the whole lube your brakes with WD. Stick around wmiller, there's plenty more where that came from, lol.

Cowboy Steve