Okay, back again for help. My soon to be father-in-law and I replaced the front pads and rear shoes on my 98 Ranger about a week and a half ago. After a few days of good driving, with little stop and go, it was back to work. After driving in stop and go traffic for 20-30 minutes I heard an awful metal on metal screech which I am fairly certain was emanating from the rear. After screeching starts, I noticed my brakes seemed to be sticking or pulsing. took it back to FFIL house and we pulled off the rear drums and checked everything. It looked fine. Put everything back together. Another few good days and then the noise starts again. It wasn't as loud this time. I also noticed today that the brakes were sticking/pulsing without any noise accompanying. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

Did you get the drums machined when you relined them?

 

Nope, wasn't aware I had to. Nor was my FFIL. Is that something that I need to get done?

 

Well, it's not required, but it's recommended. Just like your front rotors. And rear shoes should only need replacing about every other time you do the fronts. More like 3:1 rather than 2:1.

 

Well I guess I can try that. I'm gonna get the rotors turned here in a few months. There's still a little shudder but its not as bad since I put the new pads on. The shoes have never been worked on. We were doing the front but he wanted to check the back. After he did, he said the shoes needed replaced. We did that. The pads on the front are carbon-metallic. The shoes I don't remember a whole lot about. Got em at Autozone. I just can't figure why it's not constant but only after I've used em a while. Oh well...beginners curiousity.

 

Long ago I used to just put on pads/shoes, do a visual inspection of hoses, pack the front bearings, and call it good. However, now that I'm older and wiser I've learned through experience that the stopping ability is way, way better when you turn them. Don't fall for someones argument (often a penny pinching one) that "if they don't touch metal you don't need to turn them". Turning is not very expensive, and neither is a new rotor or drum. BTW, don't wait a few months to do it; if you do you might as well install new pads once again while your at it. The benefit of turning will diminish. Let the two wear surface break in together, not two months apart.