air brakes update

Got the single axle FL 80 moved thanks to good advice here. Thought there would be one spring brake for the whole rearend but each set of wheels has its own spring brake. It's 1999 so cast iron T-bolt holders (which had never had T-bolts removed) rust-welded to steel T-bolts & were impossible to drive out. Good place for some grease or Never Seez. Noticed several cast iron chips missing from the cover so I hammered the cover, chipping it away till I could pry the bolts out.Bench grinder wire wheel fixed the bolts. Crank, crank, crank til nut stopped. Gotta recommend the 5 inch deep well socket or racheting boxend wrench. The videos mentioned were especially helpful.

Noticed several cast iron chips missing from the cover so I hammered the cover, chipping it away

Not sure how to read this but here goes.

Are you saying the brake can is rusted to the point the can cover has chips missing.

If so please listen to this warning. That spring in the can is very strong and under great pressure. So much so an accidental release can kill you. If that can cover lets go from rust it can release the spring.

Now that you have the spring caged leave it caged. Yes it will mean you dont have parking brakes but caged is the safest place for that spring.

If you already uncaged the spring to activate the parking brake be very careful around those cans.

ty

no, just the thin cast iron shell over the bolt.

Ok that makes me feel better.

I was afraid I was reading it wrong but that spring is so deadly I couldnt take the chance by not saying anything.

still if you chipped it id get REPAIRMAN out and replace brake chambers. you virtully have a stick of dynimite there. 2000 pounds caged and dangerous

Happy it all work out for you.

If you decide to replace the chambers. They can be gotten as piggybacks with just the side of the chamber you have caged up now. The other side have somebody step on the brake pedal put a vise grip on the shaft then unbolt the clamp on that half. It is the light spring with no real danger. then with the old one off you can put the new half back on the old piece bolted to the axle. IT does take a bit of practice to hold the pieces and put the clamp back on around the seem. I put the top side on first then the bottom you can swing up and put the bolt in with one hand hold them together with your 3rd hand and start the nut. LOL Not that bad. Yes the other spring you have caged can kill you if it comes loose. IT is a half inch thick rod coiled for the spring and the one you will be working with is only a bit under a 1/4 cinch with much less tension on it. IF the base plate is rusty change the whole thing. Measure the old rod and then cut the new one to match. Put the nut on first so you can after filing the burrs off unscrew it to make sure of getting the clevis and all on and adjusted. There will be 2 5/8ths bolts holding it to the bracket along with the cotter pin and pin through the S-cam slack adjuster. It will probably have auto adjust slack adjusters on it so unless you remove them you don't have to worry about them. While under there look at the shoes for wear. that should have outboard drums which makes the job easy since you don't need to pull the wheel bearings to replace shoes. If you do replace the shoes DO get the spring kit with the new shoes and take the old ones in for the core charges.

The center section that the cage bolts are held are cast aluminum not cast iron. That being said I would also be concerned about the safety of the chamber. If you have someone nearby that drove truck or worked on them to give you an opinion as to their safety. Most chambers in last 30 years are sealed so parking brake section cannot be separated from center section. That is where the injuries and deaths occurred. Hope that helps. Steve.

yes it could be cast Aluminum. Didn't think to test with a magnet. Just saw it was shining when struck & shattered like cast iron.