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I have just rebuilt the brakes on my 1956 firedome.
Prior to doing so I had a pulsing when applying the brakes. I still do and upon examination on a lift we found the rear wheels seem to wobble almost 3/4" when rotating them by hand.
The drums were turned but now there is an opinion that the rear axles may be bent. It would seem strange that both sides would seem to do it the same or that the two axles would be bent about the same.
Might this more likely be rear bearings? Could worn rear bearings result in this wobble?
Does anyone have a NAPA or O'Reilly number for rear bearings?
There is also a decernible clicking from the rear wheels but it might be the moving of the wheels against the brake drum.
Thanks, once again.
Mike DeLapp
Mike,
Can you remember when this pulsation first manifested itself? Any other incidents around that time? Was the vehicle transported or involved in an accident? Could it have been tied down around the rear axle housing?
Although unlikely to happen to both sides, could there be something between the drum and the axle flange?
If you are getting a noise during rotation, it's obvious that the drum and/or the axle flange have excessive axial runout.
If the bearing(s) were reall, really bad the result would be a negative camber (tires leaning in at the top) situation.
To check for runout, jack up the rear of the car, place stands under the axle housing and remove the rear wheels. Place another jackstand adjacent to the brake drum and balance a large screwdriver on the stand with the blade pointed at the outer circumference edge of the drum. Rotate the drum and observe if the space between the drum and screwdriver blade exceeds 1/8". Remove the drum and repeat the test on the axle flange. If the runout is the same, the axle is bent.
I have had the car since october and have not driven it other to a shop to do work. Therefore I dont know what may or may not have been done before.
Your test for axle run-out is good and I'll try to undertake that
Thanks
Mike
If I determine the axle is bent, what are the preferred methods of fixing the problem?
Find axles to replace? Are they easily available?
Fix the existing axle?
How big of an project is it?
some success
I jacked up the right rear, started the car and moved into drive. With the tire/wheel spinning I head a rod next to wheel and foun the out of roundness to be about 3/4". I remove wheel and did the same thing with the rod guage next to the brake drum and found very little deviation. I replaced wheel with spare tire, did the wheel test again and found minor deviation. It ran and brake smoother. Checked the other side and some movement so now looking for replacement rim. This may do the trick.
Amazing how we amatuers panic, but the idea of gauging with a rod or screwdrive is elemental when someone suggests it.
Thanks so mucha and I will post final results after replacing other wheel.
Mike DeLapp
