Brake drums

I got tired of looking at my rusty brake drums behind the aluimium rims, yesterday i had a couple of hours so i pulled the drums off and painted them black. While i had them off i noticed a hairline crack on one of the drums. Is this normal? The truck only has 7000 KM'S on it? This crack is inside the drum whare the brake shoe makes contact.

 

No, that's not normal.

Are you still under warrantee? If yes, take it to the dealer and tell them about it.

Do you race the truck? Do you use the brakes HARD?

 

No I don't race, nor do i use the brakes hard. The truck will be going for the first service next month, i'll get it checked out. THKS

 

By the way, I don't know how many miles you'll be putting on it between now and service, but I think I remember reading that the brakes are covered for 12 months/12,000 miles.

You could probably convince them that the drums should be covered longer for obvious defects like this, but if you take it before that warranty period is up, or at least contact the dealership and get it on record that there is a problem now, it will probably be less hassle.

 

Probably true for wear of brake parts... I totally agree a crack in the drum isn't 'normal wear' and highly irregular in any circumstance.

I can't imagine racing being harder than bringing a 3500lb tow to a stop (well under the max legal w/out trailer brakes) so even that couldn't explain it if true. Definitely talk to the dealer about it.

 

Any way you look at it, drums should't be cracking at any time unless they've been abused by, say, allowing a stuck brake shoe to overheat the drum severely.

I've had one brake drum crack on a vehicle in the past, and that was because the drum had been turned to its limits and was due to be replaced.