Salt water in drum brakes

Hi all,

I had to launch my jet ski in saltwater the other day. Truck went in water half way up the wheels and sat in the water for about 5 minutes or less while unloading. Drove home and set the parking brake like usual. Next morning my back tire was locked up so bad I had to use 4Lo and the Diff locker to get free. (Only driver rear was locked up passenger rear spun on pavement which is why I used diff lock) Finally the brake broke loose and made a terrible sound while doing so. I was able to drive like normal. My question is, does anybody else drive in saltwater, does anybody else have this problem, and how do I prevent it? Should I not set parking brake until I drive truck around enough to heat brakes? Thanks any advice appreciated!

 

Never been in Saltwater.
But I did have my E-brake freeze on me.
We have a a place where we can back into a creek to fill up water tanks. (Cattle)

Only fix is to not use the brake and chock the tires.

If it happens again try going back and forth and see if it frees up easier.

 

Did you rinse the saltwater off when you got home? Saltwater will corrode even low grade stainless, imagine what it does to regular steel.

I rinse every time I drive on the beach.

 

Next time do the same exact thing. However when you get home take a hose and rinse off everything that made contact with the salt water and you’ll be fine.

 

Serious question.
How are you getting water inside to drum assembly to rinse the e-brake lever and springs?

I live in the South, we don’t have much rust issues here.
I haven’t ever really rinsed anything.

 

I would avoid driving a vehicle into salt water. It is very corrosive and difficult to clean from all the nooks and crannies.

 

I rinsed off entire undercarriage with pressure washer (at a decent distance as to not hurt anything) however it doesn’t seem like any fresh water got into the drum to clean it out. Thanks for the replies

 

I also have heard a lot of good things about “salt away“ so I have that on the way as well. Might focus a little more on spraying the drums down next time around. Could take drum apart and clean inside but that sounds like quite a bit of work!

 

dont set the parking brake as ' usual '

what happens is very close to the tongue on the frozen road side pole

in winter its worse

many first response vehicles DONT set parking brakes overbite............. Company Policy !!

on call outs cant ahve hobbled vehicles or the time to take to remedy

 

Find a freshwater lake. Back in for 5 minutes. Problem solved.

 

Do not submerge your drums in salt water.

If you do, disassemble them, hose out and lubricate the points that are normally lubed, wash the drums (they are just cast iron) inside and out.

Hopefully your trailer has Buddy Bearings that you keep lubed.

 

They're not 100% water tight, especially if they're sitting submerged. They'll keep the bulk of mud and stuff out and splashes of water, but submerging them is the difference here.

 

Bingo!

Yes salt water is corrosive, but you bought your truck to use it like a truck. Just hose down the rear axle/suspension frequently and lubricate the drum brakes every couple of years.

 

Hosing down after submersion does nothing for the drum internals, the wheel studs/inside lugnuts or the drum where the wheel mates.

Not to mention if submerged above the axle vent and a reroute has not been done.

Truck or not, folks who live and boat in salt water and care for their vehicle rarely even get the edge of the wheel wet, using just the tire in the water.

 

Wonder how much salt spray gets into the drums during regular winter driving on salted roads. No way to fully rinse out without disassembling. Would hope the brakes are designed to handle some salt exposure.
The sticking parking brake is a common thing, fresh water or salt water. I've had the same problem after launching my boat at the lake. Truck sat for three days with parking brake on. Had to use 4-lo to break free and made a loud clunk. Runs fine now. No longer set the brake after launching...

 

I’ve launched in saltwater hundreds of times. Been boating in Florida since the mid 70’s. I always take and “dunk” boat and trailer in the freshwater lake boat ramp on the way home. My trailers still look new. Rinsing will help but only slightly. When hubs are submerged in water it gets into places hose rinsing doesn’t get to. I definitely will not drive a vehicle I own in saltwater, even rinsing. I like my truck.

 

There are posts of this happening after a simple car wash; not just a salt water or submerging thing.

 

never set the hand brake............allows a clearance between drum & shoe

rinsing helps

dunking helps

yet when U put cast iron directly against ' metallic ' shoes + salt

U have 6th grade chemistry success