Subject: Re: [TR] Grease in the rear drum

From: "Randall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 6 Jun 2015 15:35:16 -0700

> Pulled the rear drum on the TR3 and found grease 
> contaminating it inside.  At first I thought I had a 
> differential oil leak into the hub, but because it's more 
> like grease, is it possible that I've overpumped grease at 
> the axle bearing?

Could be either one.  There were several service notes warning not to over grease the rear bearings, so it was a common problem even
back then.

But gear oil tends to both mix with brake dirt, and dry out from brake heat, so it can be rather grease-like.  Brake fluif is
another possibility for the same reasons.

As Geo said, conventional gear oil has a distinctive smell to it.

OTOH, the oil seals are easy enough to change, once you've got the axle assembly out (6 bolts from the back of the axle flange).  If
you pull them out, I'd go ahead and change the seals even if they aren't actually what's leaking.

I'm sure you know this, but I'm going to mention it anyway: Replace the shoes.  No matter how much you clean the contaminated ones,
there will be more oil/grease come out when they get hot.  After that, they won't work right but you probably won't notice until you
need them for a panic stop.

-- Randall  

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From: "Randall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 6 Jun 2015 17:41:36 -0700

> Upon removing the drum I found that the brake shoes had 
> fallen off the carriers and were lying in the bottom of the 
> drum.  Apparently hot gear oil will dissolve the glue that 
> was used on the shoes.

That's actually interesting.  Many decades ago, a friend of mine with an MGA tried to clean his oil-soaked shoes in the ultrasonic
cleaner at work; and the linings fell off.  We just figured it was the "perk" (perchloroethylene) solvent, but maybe the gear oil
had something to do with it as well.

Between the two of us, we tried pretty much everything at one time or another.  BBQ grille, propane torch, even soaking in solvent
and setting them on fire!  Some things appeared to work, but after a few hard stops it became impossible to lock up the rear wheels
any more.  Back then it didn't seem like such a big deal, but I'll admit my attitude towards brakes has changed over the years.  

Especially since now, it seems like I'm invisible to every SUV, pickup truck and minivan on the road.  Scarcely a month goes by that
someone doesn't drive through where I would have been, if I didn't cramp on the binders.

-- Randall