I need help fast!

1975 F250 4x4 W/ 390cid, 4spd manual, NP205, full float Dana 60

I just replaced the brakes on my Dana 60 rear end, and I couldn't believe how smooth everything went. to me it was actually easier that doing the drums on a semi-floater, just because there were less springs.

I put new:

• Drums
• Shoes
• Bearings
• Seals
• Springs
• Self adjusters

Everything went smooth even adjusting the brakes manually. And I got the right side all buttoned up. Heres the problem.

The left side went along just fine. the shoes are adjusted so the drum just barely fits and is snug but turnable. when tightening the first nut, to set the bearings, (50-80 ft lbs, while spinning the wheel) the wheel loses its free spin. Something is binding.

Ive tried:

• pulling out the bearings, repacking re-setting
• making sure the studs were tight so there is no free play between the hub and drum
• tightening all of the lug nuts so that there is no free play

I am lost... everything was so smooth...

 

Was just reading on doing those brakes as I have to perform that one myself. Says that after wheel all is back together if you have to much drag you have to open it back up and adjust clearance on ebrake lever...can't find the site that had the measurement for it as I am a work right now....was something like 0.15"

Regards,

Will R. Everett, WA.

 

Where are you getting the 50-80 ft. lbs spec?? That sounds about right as an initinal torque to set the bearings. And it would be normal for the wheel to loose it's free spin at that torque. But, you are supposed to back off and loosen the nut slightly. 50-80 ft. lbs is is WAAAAAY too tight as a final torque. The inner nut should not be much more than hand tight (assuming you could actually get your hand in there to turn it). I'm not too sure what the exact spec is.....because there are several different types of lock nuts....all with different torque specs.

 

I did the brakes on my F250, and thought that no free spin was too tight, I was wrong, I chewed up my bearings, and hub, went to the Ford factory service manual I have and it says the torque speq is 90ftlbs, there was very little free spin after that, but I never had a problem again

 

nvm looking at it again, that was the lock nut, it's been awhile

 

but, what it does say is, "While rotating the wheel, tighten the adjusting nut, 50-80 ft-lb. Back off (loosen) the adjusting nut 3/8 of a turn."

 

yep. thats what it says... then you put on the washer and tighten the outer locknut 90-110 ft lbs. and I have no prob on the right side it still spins free, its just as if something isnt sitting right on the left side. but ive taken out the bearings and checked and re-greased and re-sealed and to no avail.

Today i will take the hub apart and attempt changing the races (to make sure they are fully seated) and re-greasing the bearings. thats really the last thing i can think of

 

I Could be wrong.. but if you've got a full floating axle... are they packed with grease.. or just sit in there an get axle fluid bath.. ? maybe i'm thinking semi floating? anyway my Dana 60 rear on the 4x4 just used the " slosh " of the axle fluid to lubricate them. and there is a gasket that goes on between the outer axle end flange and the drum

 

well it has been interesting doing my first full float axle....

i tried replacing the races....didnt work

i tried the hub on the other side...still binds

so i took it all off and took a good long look....

THE TWO DRUMS ARE DIFFERENT

my shoes are 12x3 and one of the drums is 3 1/8

ONE IS ONLY 2 15/16

cant tighten that down and expect it to turn...

thanks everyone who posted.

 

All 1973/79 F250 4WD's: The rear brake shoes are 12" x 2 1/2" as original.

No F250 4WD (or 2WD) came with 12" x 3" brake shoes. 12" x 3" brake shoes: 1967/78 F350 & 1979 F350 2WD / 1979 F350 4WD's have 12" x 2 1/2" rear brake shoes.

The Dana 60 rear axle has two wheel bearings/races per side. One each on the inside/outside of the hub.

There are two lock nuts and one lock nut retainer per side. The retainer is located between the two lock nuts, has "tabs" on it that are bent over onto the nuts to secure them.

Once the retainer has been used, it cannot be used again. People do not know this, try bending the tabs back, find out real quick that...this does not work, because the tabs snap off.

Once the tabs snap off, the retainer is as useless as teats on a mule. And...once the tabs have snapped off, the retainer looks just like a washer.

I had to take break while typing this jazz, cuz here in LA LA Land (Los Angeles), we just had a good sized rolling earthquake.

 

Thanks for the info numberdummy, didn't really help my situation but sparked my curiosity.

Its my understanding that the 250 or 3/4 ton came with 2 options a semi-float half ton 8 lug axle (heavy half-ton) or a full float 1 ton axle. (which would be the same as a 1 ton truck) so if you have the 3/4 ton with a full float you could use the 12"x3" pads without a problem? the drums have the surface, and the shoes are identical to the 12"x2.5" in every other way.

 

Thru 1984, most F250's came with Dana 60's, some late 1970's, early 1980's have Dana 61-1's. The so-called Light Duty 1983/89 F250's came with the Ford 8.8

In 1985, the Sterling 10.25 replaced the Dana 60, 61-1 and the F350's Dana 70. No F250 came with a Dana 70, these were used only in F350's.

You cannot use F350 rear brakes unless you have F350 drums. The F250 drums are not deep enough to accept 12" x 3" rear brake shoes.

 

LOL

I got mine from O'reilly And like i posted my whole problem was that one drum was too shallow. The drum that was too shallow was from like 1980 still on the shelf, but the two new ones i got were deep enough to accept the 3"s. guess they're not a strict on the manufacturing process anymore.

 

Did you get the correct drums...or not?

1967/96 F350's use the same wheels (except with DRW), have the same 8 lug 6.50" bolt circle pattern as 1953/96 F250's.

 

yeah its the drum the 250 calls for at autozone, o'reilly, and napa... lol oh well it works! my brakes were messed up bad before. now I can stop. almost too well!