• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

front drum locksup when wheel is tightened

gaspar sosa

Active Member
Local time
8:22 PM
Joined
Sep 8, 2016
Messages
31
Reaction score
6
Location
Las vegas, NV
hello,
My little problem is that I change front brake new cylinders pads and drum but when i tightened the wheel ,after done all work is done, it locks up it only happens on dirver side passnger is fine. Everything works great put on the wheel put onlug nut and when reach to a tighten point it completly locks up the wheel I dont understand why? any idea
 
Drum brakes?? Drum cocked and hitting backing plate. Disc- wheel hitting caliper? Did you change anything else? Need more info.
 
no just change those parts it spin free and good, I put the wheel on no problem all good no problem till I tight all the way the lug nuts once that is done it locks up. I am thinking on get a new drum
 
I'd look at inner wheel bearing. This is odd, wheel only attaches to the drum and spindle shouldn't affect wheel turning. Thinking more about it doesn't make sense unless the drum is loose on spindle like old bee was saying and drum cocks. check spindle to drum fit.
 
Last edited:
Dumb question. Are the brake shoes the same width?
Stranger things have happened. It really doesn't make sense that it turns until he put on a wheel, doesn't sound like he's confusing wheel with drum?
 
here is how it happens went to oreilly and bought 2 front drum 2 wheel cylinder and the shoes that came alll 4 in one box change everything passenger side no problem at all when doing the driver side I thight the lug nuts 7/8 of it no problem it turn spin whatever want to call it when I tighted all the way it locks up I order a new one opping that will solve my problem.
 
Can you post pictures if things don't work this time? Take picture of drum off so we can see brakes and the inside and outside drum. What year car are you working on?
 
Almost sounds like the drum groove is contacting the backing plate lip.
 
There are only a few possibilities , I think you may have installed a drum that is too wide and when you tighten the wheel it binds against the backing plate . The other problem is that one shoe could be too wide and was placed in the wrong box and when you tighten the wheel the shoe is jammed to drum and locks the drum up . Any other problem is highly unlightly .
 
This is off the wall, but if your using 14" steel wheels did each go back to the side it came from ?
some of the b body tie rod ends run real close to the tire side wall on 14" 70/60 series. depending on adjustment.
if one of the wheels has a different off set and has switched sides it could be making contact.
 
This is off the wall, but if your using 14" steel wheels did each go back to the side it came from ?
some of the b body tie rod ends run real close to the tire side wall on 14" 70/60 series. depending on adjustment.
if one of the wheels has a different off set and has switched sides it could be making contact.
I've seen that before.

I bent a rear drum on a '92 Dakota once. Had the back wheels off. Decided to apply the emergency brake so I could tighten the lugs while still in the air. The drum must have hung crooked before I applied the brake. Put the wheel on then tightened the lugs. That bent the center of the drum and it made a heck of a vibration the first time I hit the brakes out on the road. Live and learn!

This one is weird, being on the front of the car. Time will tell...
 
Last edited:
This is off the wall, but if your using 14" steel wheels did each go back to the side it came from ?
some of the b body tie rod ends run real close to the tire side wall on 14" 70/60 series. depending on adjustment.
if one of the wheels has a different off set and has switched sides it could be making contact.
I like your idea, it just makes NO sense it turns ok until he tighten wheel. Is wheel hitting something but he said pass side ok ???
 
here's a suggestion . remove the wheel and see if the drum is turning freely . if it is , get some big flat washers that fit over the lugs and tighten the nuts on again without installing the wheel . if the drum is free , you now knows it's the wheel , if the drum is locked up then you know you got a problem with the drum.
 
I like your idea, it just makes NO sense it turns ok until he tighten wheel. Is wheel hitting something but he said pass side ok ???

Only reason I brought that up Fran is I ran into that on my 67 with 14" wheels. My tie rod ends had not been adjusted even when installed by prev owner. My wheels both had the same back space but the left tire sidewall was only aprox 1/8" away from contact after new tires went on {tires had just a little more width}.
right side had near 1/2" clearance. had to redo it and set the toe again.
different brands of tie rod ends could be possible also ?

if the drum is set on the hub flush & correct I would think it would show a problem even before the wheel went on if there was a wide shoe ect.

Not sure of the year of car & if he has the original swaged lugs/studs on his drum / hub or not ?
 
hello again thankyou all for your comments, I try went back and got my self a new drum put it on and same thing, then I start changing all pieces from right to left one t the time untill I had drum brakes hardware and there is one point when the drum turn that touch the brake pads and the wheel for some reason make it worse my guess is that the hub assembly is mont likely to be damage. For now I going to take some time and consider take the loss of the money spend and get a good conversion kit. Again thank you for your feedback it realy help.
 
These guys are on the right track. It sounds like you've maybe got one set of brake shoes larger than the other. The side with the "too wide" shoes contacts the drum when the wheel is tightened. The other possibility is a wide drum on a narrow pad brake. When you tighten the wheel, the drum hits the backing plate. I suggest you take a VERY close look at the two sides vs. each other. If everything is for sure OK & exactly the same on both sides, then it's a wheel bearing issue.
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top