Purchased a 2007 Yukon XL, now to make it reliable!

[YukonGold12]

Alright I will look into those. I am replacing rear brakes now and boy did it need them. I’m finding that it’s Drum system? Rock auto sold the rotors and pads but I hadn’t seen the drum parts. I removed the rotor but now I am seeing this drum system. Do these components need replaced?

 

[swathdiver]

kinda sounds more like exhaust to me

Same here. Check the plugs, make sure they are tight too.

@YukonGold12 Don't forget to change your transfer case fluid too.

I just had to replace a hub. It did not make noises in turns this time, just noticed a slight vibration above 75 mph and suspected that the tires needed balancing. No, when we put the truck in the air for the tire rotation, that hub slumped the wheel over! Strangest thing. Check your hubs and ball joints and tie rods.

Max play is 1mm for the tie rods and .5 mm for the ball joints. The upper control arm is not rebuildable, it is completely replaced and the lower ought to be completely replaced as it is just easier to replace the whole thing then spend all the time and aggravation of pulling and pressing in new bushings and joints.

I have all the part numbers for a suspension overhaul on the forum here somewhere, we have the same truck basically. Does yours have a basic suspension or air suspension out back?

 

[solli5pack]

Alright I will look into those. I am replacing rear brakes now and boy did it need them. I’m finding that it’s Drum system? Rock auto sold the rotors and pads but I hadn’t seen the drum parts. I removed the rotor but now I am seeing this drum system. Do these components need replaced?

That's the parking brake. I've never replaced them on my trucks.

 

[swathdiver]

Alright I will look into those. I am replacing rear brakes now and boy did it need them. I’m finding that it’s Drum system? Rock auto sold the rotors and pads but I hadn’t seen the drum parts. I removed the rotor but now I am seeing this drum system. Do these components need replaced?

Those are your parking brake shoes. As long as your parking brake is working, no.

 

[YukonGold12]

That's the parking brake. I've never replaced them on my trucks.

I was just going to update this! Duh. I’m an idiot sometimes. As I was waking in the house for something it hit me. lol.

 

[Coveman]

I second if your parking brake is working you can leave those shoes alone.

I had an old ford with noisy lifters and Rislone was the motor treatment that seemed to do the most good.

 

[89Suburban]

I was just going to update this! Duh. I’m an idiot sometimes. As I was waking in the house for something it hit me. lol.

Good news in that pic is no axle seal leak.

 

[petethepug]

Good photo. There’s plenty of meat left on your parking brake pads. I would jamb a little of your grease that comes in your brake kit on the pivot points of the parking brake mechanism though.

Your picture shows leaking axle seals. It’s one of those jobs that requires the entire brake assembly removed from each axle, diff cover removed & axles slid out to replace the pesky seals.

Do it now if you have the time or catch it on your next rear brake job because whoever does the job will essentially be installing the new brake parts you bring in for free.

 

[YukonGold12]

Out with the old. In the the new. I decided to change them out, mind as well while I’m here and they are easy.

 

[OR VietVet]

I don't see an axle seal leaking on this side. Those park brake shoes are like new. You can replace but do your due diligence and check on the entire system adjustment procedure.

 

[petethepug]

Ur right, axle seal is on the backing plate. Phew! What’s the oil in the center of the hub though?

 

[OR VietVet]

Ur right, axle seal is on the backing plate. Phew! What’s the oil in the center of the hub though?

Rusted to hub. I guess?

 

[swathdiver]

Out with the old. In the the new. I decided to change them out, mind as well while I’m here and they are easy.

Did you set the spacing on those new shoes to .026 inches of space between the shoe and rotor with your brake drum gauge? Did you disable the parking brake actuator before doing this? Hoping all goes well and your violating the procedures doesn't cost you headaches and time.

My wheel studs are about as rusty on my donor axles and I was going to swap them out for new. But I'm not used to northern cars so don't know how rusty studs work with lug nuts and wheels.

 

[j91z28d1]

how would you even measure the 0.25?

I have changed mine.. their have adjusters on them that probably stuck, mine were. with new pads, adjust all the way in.. test parking brake pedal, adjust both sides equal amounts till pedal starts to engage about half way.

only thing to really worry about is them dragging, as long as rotors slide on and off easy and the pedal holds the truck on a hill when set, you're fine. technically even reusing the pads and putting on new rotors they should be checked for drag, especially when using non oem rotors. my aftermarket rotors made the pedal engagement much higher.. I was going to adjust them down a bit cause I was worried about them dragging and then one of my seals decided to leak all over them. so I replaced seals, shoes and adjusted to my liking feels wise as I have a annoying steep driveway.

 

[YukonGold12]

Did you set the spacing on those new shoes to .026 inches of space between the shoe and rotor with your brake drum gauge? Did you disable the parking brake actuator before doing this? Hoping all goes well and your violating the procedures doesn't cost you headaches and time.

My wheel studs are about as rusty on my donor axles and I was going to swap them out for new. But I'm not used to northern cars so don't know how rusty studs work with lug nuts and wheels.

I marked the adjustment before I took it off, then backed it off once put back on to account for the new pad height. This allowed the new rotor to go on super smooth. Once I get everything together I will ensure that the parking brake works and also make sure there isn’t any engagement while turned off. Thank you!

 

[YukonGold12]

View attachment 434526

Good photo. There’s plenty of meat left on your parking brake pads. I would jamb a little of your grease that comes in your brake kit on the pivot points of the parking brake mechanism though.

Your picture shows leaking axle seals. It’s one of those jobs that requires the entire brake assembly removed from each axle, diff cover removed & axles slid out to replace the pesky seals.

Do it now if you have the time or catch it on your next rear brake job because whoever does the job will essentially be installing the new brake parts you bring in for free.

No leak on the axle seals from what I can tell. What you are seeing in that picture is me going a bit too crazy with the liquid wrench. That rotor was rusted on good and took a few whacks to get it off.

 

[swathdiver]

how would you even measure the 0.25?

 

[Doubeleive]

I marked the adjustment before I took it off, then backed it off once put back on to account for the new pad height. This allowed the new rotor to go on super smooth. Once I get everything together I will ensure that the parking brake works and also make sure there isn’t any engagement while turned off. Thank you!

good luck....... bigest pita is getting the parking brake pad set because................... the only way to do it is to do it all over again and again and again....
there is a tool to set it but who has that....
all I can offer is to make it fairly tight to get the rotor on and then if it skims the initial layer off so be it.

 

[YukonGold12]

Alright. First round up updates. I was waiting on the last of the parts. RockAuto decided to send me rear rotors with the front pads..and front rotors with the rear pads

Updates:
- Replaced parking brake shoes.
- Replaced rear brake rotors, pads, and hardware.
- Bled the calipers while pushing in the piston to make sure I get all that gunk out of there and not back into the system.
- Glad I did, because I exchanged all the brake fluid in the revisor. That stuff was dark!
- Exchanged the power steering fluid, figured I can since I was under the hood. Solved the power steering fluid noise I heard while starting up the car.

- Performed the burn in procedure for the rear pads
- Hill tested the parking brake. All good there.

Pictures attached of the vehicle and the dark brake fluid. Darkest I’ve ever seen brake fluid, can’t wait to do a brake flush.

Next up:
- Front brakes and rotors
- Front upper control arms
- inner/outer tie rods, need to check if I have to rent a tool. If so, I may push this to next week when I go into town.

 

[YukonGold12]

Working on the front brakes. First one is done. I had to drill out the rusted rotor screw. Couldn’t get it out even with the hammer punch and ultimately ended up stripping it.

New rotors didn’t have new screws. So my question is, best place to get new ones? And is it drivable without them?