 |
05-18-2022, 12:26 PM
|
#1
|
|
Member
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 31
|
Drum Brake Visual Inspection
On a 2004 National Tropical t350 XC freightliner, can the brakes be inspected visually from the backside to gauge remaining life? Drum brakes on each corner.
|
|
|
 |
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
|
05-18-2022, 01:03 PM
|
#2
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Eastern outskirts of Dallas, TX
Posts: 1,657
|
I’ve never seen a drum brake that can be inspected without pulling the drums off - I would suspect because road trash that might get in there would be far more detrimental to brake operation than what it is on disc brakes.
__________________
‘91 Ultrastar Champion‘02 Georgie Boy Landau 8.1l Workhorse
‘03 Jeep Wrangler TJ 2018 Jeep Wrangler JK toad
|
|
|
|
05-18-2022, 01:17 PM
|
#3
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Powell River, B.C.
Posts: 26,441
|
My front brakes don't have a backing plate , so lining is visible .
Rear has backing plate and I don't think there is a view window .
__________________
99DSDP 3884, Freightliner, XC, CAT 3126B, 300 HP /ALLISON 3060
2000 Caravan toad, Remco & Blue Ox.
|
|
|
|
|
05-18-2022, 03:29 PM
|
#4
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: The Bluegrass State
Posts: 8,046
|
In my 2006 Freightliner chassis. the brakes can be checked for thickness and or leaking oil seals from below. The edge of the shoes are completely visible.
__________________
Good Luck, Be Safe and Above All, Don't Forget To Have Fun 
Pete
Central Kentucky
2006 Fleetwood Discovery 35H, 2014 Honda CR-V, M&G Engineering Braking System
|
|
|
|
|
05-18-2022, 03:58 PM
|
#5
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 30,382
|
On standard S cam air brakes, the backing plates have slots to look at the shoes or can be remover by taking out two 3/8th bolts per half. They are just dust shields.
|
|
|
|
|
05-18-2022, 04:23 PM
|
#6
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Eastern outskirts of Dallas, TX
Posts: 1,657
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrMark52
I’ve never seen a drum brake that can be inspected without pulling the drums off - I would suspect because road trash that might get in there would be far more detrimental to brake operation than what it is on disc brakes.
|
May I qualify the above in that other than our previous P30 chassis (front disc/rear drum), and our current Workhorse (4 wheel disc brakes) - I’ve never worked on a more heavy duty truck chassis of any kind.
So, not saying it doesn’t exist - just haven’t seen it. 
__________________
‘91 Ultrastar Champion‘02 Georgie Boy Landau 8.1l Workhorse
‘03 Jeep Wrangler TJ 2018 Jeep Wrangler JK toad
|
|
|
|
|
05-24-2022, 02:28 PM
|
#7
|
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Spring Hill Florida
Posts: 21
|
Yes you can see the thickness of your brake shoes but it won’t show if it has any cracking from excessive heat! National RV Motorhome Owners group on Facebook is the place for information on your motorhome.
|
|
|
|
|
05-27-2022, 01:24 PM
|
#8
|
|
Member
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 31
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhitch54
Yes you can see the thickness of your brake shoes but it won’t show if it has any cracking from excessive heat! National RV Motorhome Owners group on Facebook is the place for information on your motorhome.
|
Picture added.
|
|
|
|
|
05-27-2022, 02:17 PM
|
#9
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Eastern outskirts of Dallas, TX
Posts: 1,657
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by surypap3
Picture added.
|
Thank you! Hopefully I’m not the only one that picture will hav enlightened! 
__________________
‘91 Ultrastar Champion‘02 Georgie Boy Landau 8.1l Workhorse
‘03 Jeep Wrangler TJ 2018 Jeep Wrangler JK toad
|
|
|
|
|
05-28-2022, 09:26 AM
|
#10
|
|
Member
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 31
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrMark52
Thank you! Hopefully I’m not the only one that picture will hav enlightened! |
When I was a kid, I hauled gravel and had to adjust the brakes weekly for safety. I thought it was easy to see to make routine adjustments. But that was a long time ago so I could not remember for sure. I hope others find it helpful!
|
|
|
|
|
05-29-2022, 08:02 AM
|
#11
|
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Spring Hill Florida
Posts: 21
|
Yes you can, but it won’t show heat cracks !
|
|
|
|
|
05-29-2022, 09:47 AM
|
#12
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Eastern outskirts of Dallas, TX
Posts: 1,657
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhitch54
Yes you can, but it won’t show heat cracks !
|
I guess heat stress cracks do occur in drum brakes - but not nearly to the same extent as happens in disc brakes.
What’s your experience with cracking on drum brakes?
__________________
‘91 Ultrastar Champion‘02 Georgie Boy Landau 8.1l Workhorse
‘03 Jeep Wrangler TJ 2018 Jeep Wrangler JK toad
|
|
|
|
|
05-30-2022, 06:47 AM
|
#13
|
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Spring Hill Florida
Posts: 21
|
I have a 2001 National Marlin DP and I was changing my ball joints and when they pulled my drums on the front suspension I noticed excessive heat cracks on the drum brakes and I decided to put new brakes instead of putting on the old ones even though I had plenty of brake thickness left.
|
|
|
|
|
05-30-2022, 07:27 AM
|
#14
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Eastern outskirts of Dallas, TX
Posts: 1,657
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhitch54
I have a 2001 National Marlin DP and I was changing my ball joints and when they pulled my drums on the front suspension I noticed excessive heat cracks on the drum brakes and I decided to put new brakes instead of putting on the old ones even though I had plenty of brake thickness left.
|
You replaced the brake shoes, or the brake drums? There is a difference.
As my memory of all the drum brakes I’ve worked on over the years has faded - I do seem to remember a cracking or crazing of the friction material on some rake shoes. But considering the bonding used to bond the friction to the metal of the shoe, that crazing doesn’t necessarily have an impact on braking capability. And it would be quite difficult for a chunk of friction material to slip away - assuming there was a backplate.
Dick brakes are a different beast - heat stress cracking of the friction material can cause brake squealing and possibly loss of a chunk of the friction material (assuming the adhesive of the friction material to pad backing plate fails).
__________________
‘91 Ultrastar Champion‘02 Georgie Boy Landau 8.1l Workhorse
‘03 Jeep Wrangler TJ 2018 Jeep Wrangler JK toad
|
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
|
| Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
|
| Display Modes |
 Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
