Buyer beware - brake shoes and other stuff

[crispyboy]

I have been working on the J20 over the past three weeks doing some odd jobs.
I need to install new hub seals on the rear hubs as they have been leaking oil onto the brake shoes. Of course the brake shoes are ruined..... I went to my favorite local parts store where I normally can get decent help and decent parts - I got a new parts monkey instead. He got me some brake shoes - of course he say's it's all he can get. I reluctantly took them home and compared the new shoes to the old shoes. Here is what I found.
My old shoes had 45,000 miles on them. The old shoes had 1/16" more lining than the new shoes.
Also the actual amount of lenghtwise material differed by 1.5" on both the primary and secondary shoe.
I'll be taking these back in search of some better brake shoes.
See pics.
http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/crispyboy_photos/J20/brakeshoes1.jpg

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/crispyboy_photos/J20/brakeshoes2.jpg

I have also been doing some other odd jobs.
Here are the sandblasted and painted backing plates and drums.

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/crispyboy_photos/J20/j20backingplate.jpg

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/crispyboy_photos/J20/j20brakedrum.jpg

Here are some new BJ's Offroad stainless steel flexible brake lines.

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/crispyboy_photos/J20/j20stainlesssteelbrakelines.jpg


New BJ's Offroad sway bar bushings.

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/crispyboy_photos/J20/j20swaybarbusingsnew.jpg

New BJ's Offroad spring and shackle bushings. I had a spring shop press them in along with new spring insulators for the front springs. They also put some new spring wraps on the springs.

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/crispyboy_photos/J20/j20frontspringsrenewed.jpg

[fulsizjeep]

I will pay attention to the shoes. That is so wrong! :mad:
Need new brakes on our J20 too. Nice work there Steve! :thumbsup: I am sure it will pay off.

[710 Burner]

One thing I noticed is that your old shoes are riveted and the new shoes are bonded. That would account for the difference in thickness. You will have about the same usable amount of material before you hit the rivets. Are both shoes 1.5" short? Some are like that on one side (IIRC, the front shoe).
Edit: sorry, I just reread you post. You said it was the same on the primary and secondary shoe.

[flatbackdragon]

napaonline shows SS419 @ $36.09
AE419R @ $39.59
both 12 x 2.5
supplied by Rayloc decent shoe

they may have given you shoes for a J10 they are 11 x 2.

[crispyboy]

The new shoes were the correct ones. J20 shoes are 2.5 x 12" - big difference between that and J10.
I always knew there were cheaper brake shoes - glued on one's but the thing that really get's to me is that they cheapened the longitudinal dimension by 1.5" - that means less braking power!!!
If my drums were shot I think I would spend the $$ and go for rear disks at this point.

[Serious Johnson]

Steve:

Thanks for the heads-up -- care to tell us the brand or vendor of those? Nice lookin' work you're doin' there.

S.J.

[tgreese]

Yep - those are cheapies.

Get the Raylocs listed above, or another brand name riveted shoe. Expect to pay more. Riveted is more money, but considered superior for some reason. Length of the shoe is important too.

[crispyboy]

My parts man is trying to hunt some Raybestos up. Apparently Raybestos is discontinuing this line of brake shoes. These shoes fit many GM trucks and cars.
The discount brand is made by Inwood Automotive.
http://www.inwoodauto.com/
The shoes are actually manufactured here in Cincinnati which I find disheartening that these were of such poor grade. I try to buy domestic parts whenever I can..........
Rivited shoes are more likely to stay put compared to the glued shoes.

[justin'sbig7]

there are a lot of bonded shoes out there, and when i was a dealership mechanic, i never saw one come unglued, however i had a few riveted ones crack at the rivets... i wouldnt call one superior over the other. hope you get it straightened out

[beloth]

i just did the front brakes on my jeep and got pads, 2 drums and hardware and 2 wheel cylinders shipped for around $109.00

then had to get rubber lines here in town when i found the originals were about dead...anyway rockauto carries raybestos....

[crispyboy]

I returned the cheapies this afternoon. I also talked to the guys at "Hard-On Offroad" shop that carries the Dana 60 rear disk kit. The guy was very knowledgeable about his product and from the sounds of it the kit he sells is reasonably priced from what my parts man told me. $450 for the conversion with e-brake. If my drums were bad I might pull the trigger on the kit but.... One of the things that I am a bit weary of is that these brakes were designed for a big, heavy car (cadillac). My truck is sometimes loaded down with 3000 lbs in the bed or a trailer on the back. Are these disk brakes substantial enough to stop a load? Where's the engineering data?
Anyway I stopped at a Napa store on the way home and ordered some premium shoes from them. They will be in stock on Saturday morning. If these shoes are no better than the cheapies I'll rethink this rear disk conversion.

[HOOT]

Since you're waiting come on down to Warsaw and we can put on the disc brakes on My J20. As soon as it is done I need to go get a 74 J20 from IN and alot of other heavy hauling.

I've had the kit for over a year now and recently got a full set of new SS hard lines from Z&M Jeeps. New booster and master cylinder as well.

It is this weekends project.:o :rolleyes: :thumbsup:

[rusty crusty]

Go to the for sale forum and check out the hydroboost system Elliott is selling. That is going to be my next upgrade, then the rear disks.
BTW the disk conversion is way better than the drums IMHO.
But, opinions are like bungholes everybody has one and they all stink.:D