How do you change wheel cylinders?

[71400lb]

Hey everyone,
I was just wondering how difficult it is to change the rear wheel cylinders and brake shoes, on my 1971 3/4 Ton Cheyenne Longbed? It has the H052 10-bolt rear.

Reason I asked is because I brought it in to Pepboys to have the leak checked(from the rear right wheel)...and they said it would be a HUGE deal to take the rear hub off...that they'd have to remove the axels and so forth!

So is it a big involved job to change both sides wheel cylinders?

Thanks,
Rick
1971 3/4 Ton LB 2 whl drv
400/400
3.73:1 Open

[oldiron]

Unfortunatly they were correct. First you have to remove the axles then loosen up the lug nuts, Jack up the truck remove the wheels, take the retaining nut off the axle stub then remove the brake drum with the hub. Sometimes you have to back the automatic adjuster off to remove the hub and drum. I suggest you do one side at a time. This way you will have one side of the truck up at a tilt so your diff. fuild won't leak out. Also don't do like a friend of mine and have the truck all jacked up and one axle removed then go to the other side and start to remove the axle and find out you have parked to close to the garage wall to get the axle out. Then he had to cut a hole in the wall to get it all the way out.

[4x4Poet]

It's about the same difficulty as getting at the front axle wheel bearings only, on the rear, the wheel cylinders are under the drum that's attached to the hub via the pressed thru lugnuts (covered already). The wheel cylinders only unbolt after most or all of the brake springs are removed. And the brake line, of course.

I dug into my K20's H052 back in '94. If you have the space and time, tackle it. No big deal. Only potential special tool is the hub nut socket avialable at most auto parts stores and tool stores.

Edit: When H052 owners encounter the "difficulty" trying to get at the H052s rear brakes, they usually neglect them if they think of them at all. Many 3/4 ton trucks with rear drums pressed on the hubs never get the brakes examined, often to the point that the front brakes do over 90% of the braking. Expect to find you need a complete brake job.

If you have the budget resources, consider using Praise Dyno Brakes. Also, Eaton H052s can be converted to disc brakes using 14bFF disc brake conversion brackets and parts. Just retain the H052 hubs. With disc brakes, the caliper would always be accessible. More planning & more $$$.