Replaced all drum brake hardware on a 91’ XJ. 4L, AX15, 4X4, 30 front, 35 rear, 231.

Before... The passenger side was rusted to the hilt. Making horrible noise.

After... On the driver’s side, new drum barely fit over the shoes. Making noise.

But last night, after a few hundred miles, horrible noise, thump, thump, thump, thump (I know, so descriptive... bash me now). And the Jeep was vibrating with each thump. Sounded like the tire was going flat, or was going to fall off.

Took the driver’s side drum off, spayed all down with brake cleaner, put it back together.

Still hard to get the drum back on. But the loud thump and vibration gone. Now it’s back to a quiet thump.

Suggestions so far, switch drums to test the drum (but don’t drive with them switched), check the wheel cylinder, bleed the driver’s side.

Anything else?

Want to switch to disk, but i am trying to plan all out to replace the 35 (and maybe the 231, but that is another story).

 

The shop that did my rear brakes had a hell of time with noises, ended up being an out of round drum Get them machined or try new ones.

 

The issue is back with a vengeance now. Feels like the entire Jeep is going to fall apart.

 

Are you for sure it is not now just a tire problem?

 

I always replace my drums when doing the rears, however you can get them machined, use to be for around $10.00 each or for both, but perhaps the price has gone up.

How is the brake line going from the master cylinder to rear and line between two drums? Is your brake hardware fitted correctly? Something possibly could be off. You need to first adjust the shoes so their as close together as possible.

If somethings off with the hardware the shoes won't fit and adjust correctly.

 

Swap tires with another axle on the opposite side and see it it remains the same or if it moves.

 

Parking brake cable is rusted and not letting the shoes retract all the way. Drum overheats and warps. Need new drum.

 

So I am a father of four, married 27 years, work in IT, keep jobs for many years, educated, veteran, sane, stable, not brash, or over imaginative.

All to say... I am not a nut case.

I went hunting the night this started.

Lug nuts on BOTH FRONT tires were loose.

On that night I took a doe. Came out of the field early.

I say that because I believe I may have returned after dark to zero wheels on the vehicle.

A truck passed the parking area back and forth five times. I thought it very strange, like the driver was looking at me.

SOB, i could have had a major accident.

Was totally focused on the rear because I didn’t recently do anything to the front wheels. I had taken one of them off to “install” one of those plastic Jeep center caps.

But that was like day 3 of ownership. When this happened, had owned the little Jeep for at least three weeks and driven hundreds of miles.

 

I too am an IT professional. So the split personality... I like to build fast computer networks and fast cars..... well, now Jeeps ... (not fast but you get the point) lol.

Hearing what the root cause was.... that's enough to make anyone's backside pucker right up. That would've been a serious accident waiting to happen. Glad you figured it out in time!

 

You should check the studs for damage, they are not meant to take wheel stress like that.

 

X2 on this. Not hard to put new lug studs on front wheels. How are the front hubs? Not hard to swap them out either and then you've got new studs anyway. It takes some time but big improvement if you have noise in the front at all. Also could do front u-joints too. Check for play there.

Drum brakes are a pain on these Jeeps. Self-adjusters don't work well. If it were me, I'd have fun with the D35. It's lasted this long hasn't it?