[GirlsRideToo]

Left brake handle and foot pedal and parking brake barely working. Replaced brake cables with no improvement. Checked for water in right rear brake and muddy water poured out. Today I pulled off right rear tire to check brake shoes. Bought this 2014 Rancher coupLe of months ago and sent to mechanic for repairs. He told me he replaced rear brakes shoes. Did he? Here is photo. Mud all around shoes and rusty. Also, brake drum looks odd to me. Is this the correct drum?

 

[GirlsRideToo]

Ok, I did find photo of brake drum in my service manual and my drum seems to be correct one but it's a rusty mess. Should I clean it up or replace it??

 

[shadetree]

spec the drum, if out of spec ( worn down too much ) , replace it. shoes look good to me ?. as for being replaced ?, hard to tell, never seen it to start with .

 

[wheelsquad]

had you even ridden the machine after the guy "serviced" it? if not I'd never take anything to that guy again and tell all your friends never to either...

 

[GirlsRideToo]

Wheelsquad, I have ridden it 4 or 5 times, through some mud and shallow water. Nothing I would think that would make the brake look that bad or account for all the discoloration in the wheel. I assume I should see at least a little bit of new shiny color on the "new" brake shoes. Also, the springs on the shoes and the arm? that attaches each shoe were so rusted. And, from the looks of all the screws I removed they had not been removed in a long time. I used this mechanic at the recommendation of a friend who has used him for years and is his best friend. I had my doubts about him when I found that he had "replaced" the left brake cable but rather than use the correct length cable he used a shorter cable and actually CUT a notch in the right front plastic to route the cable. :crying
The brake/clutch felt like it was hanging up on something and would then "pop" into place but still not work well. I found his botched job when I replaced the cable myself with a new one - correct length and routed correctly.
I just hope he did a good job on the new top end. It's running well with lots of power.
Total bill was $750.00 with top end, "brakes" and cable, oil change and filter, air filter, spark plug, valve job, and antifreeze.

 

[GirlsRideToo]

Shadetree, The drum does not appear to be worn down. I cleaned it well and lightly sanded the inside butter edge, as recommended on the Youtube Partzilla video. What is odd to me is that there appears to be most of the brake lining intact. I mean, it appears to be the correct height, but it looks very "slick". If the mechanic replaced the brake shoes he must have used some he had laying around? And, why would he not replace the seals when it is obvious mud and water are getting into the wheel.
I have ordered new brake shoes, seals and all the parts that have to do with where the brake cables attach. I don't think I can do any worse a job than the mechanic did or claims to have done.
Thank you for your reply.

 

[retro]

I would keep looking... both for a real mechanic (LOL) and for more bad bearings and seals in the swingarm, axle tube & rearend. You might be able to clean up and save some (or all?) of those brake parts. There are ways to remove rust and corrosion and make them parts look & function like new again. May be able to clean and repack bearings too, but you won't know until those are cleaned in solvent whether any are rusty, worn out or otherwise junk. All of these things take time... and require patience. You'll need new OEM seals throughout.

If you want something done right ya gotta learn to do everything for yourself on this planet. Perhaps you are the one you've been looking for all along...?

If ya got a good set of tools, ya got good help... get crackin'!

 

[shadetree]

when I clean brake drums up ?, I use my Dremel with a small grinding wheel ( orange ), and lightly knock off the crud on the drum surface, I then use my bench grinder that has a wire wheel on it, and clean off the glaze on the shoes if they are not too worn ?. hats off to ya for taking this on !, we need more folks like you .

 

[LedFTed]

the pads look good from the picture. the aluminum shoes have a lot of oxidation. brand new shoes dont like like that. takes a while, years..
your rear brake cable goes to a lever with a pin. that pin part can stick, and cause many problems. especially with a break cable. mine has been replaced twice, on the 2000es. im still having a problem. used the wrong grease, the last time, to keep that pin moving. so i have too pull it out again, and redo it. my rear drum is wore. its cheaper for me to go to disk, than buy new drum, and repeat the same thing over and over.

 

[Goober]

This is a project you can do yourself, so long as you have good tools and the manual. Read the procedures in the manual first: steps, special tools, supplies, and most importantly *inspection criteria* all given.

You hit it exactly what am I looking at and what am I looking for. In the manual.

You’re likely gonna need tools–6pt metric sockets shallow and deep well and a set of wrenches (spanners) metric open end/box end; you’re gonna need antiseize compound and you’re gonna break or strip some bolt heads. Be careful with those brake springs–friend of mine taking off with needle nose pliers slipped and stuck himself in the eye with those pliers!

 

[rodp]

While you have it apart take the brake actuator out of the back plate and clean and grease it. Mark where the actuator lever sits on the actuator (so you can put it back the same, the factory mark will probably have gone) and undo pinch bolt and remove the lever. tap the actuator out and clean it up, then lube before refitting.

 

[GirlsRideToo]

when I clean brake drums up ?, I use my Dremel with a small grinding wheel ( orange ), and lightly knock off the crud on the drum surface, I then use my bench grinder that has a wire wheel on it, and clean off the glaze on the shoes if they are not too worn ?. hats off to ya for taking this on !, we need more folks like you .

I did as you suggested and things cleaned up better this time. I don't have a bench grinder anymore (sold it) so I used a wire wheel in my drill which I secured in a vice on my workbench. It worked and I was very careful.
Thank you for your kind remarks. You are a southern gentleman. :smile

 

[GirlsRideToo]

While you have it apart take the brake actuator out of the back plate and clean and grease it. Mark where the actuator lever sits on the actuator (so you can put it back the same, the factory mark will probably have gone) and undo pinch bolt and remove the lever. tap the actuator out and clean it up, then lube before refitting.

You are correct, the factory mark is not there. The lever is a bit of a mess so I'm glad I ordered a new one. Some of the indents were bent. I assume someone tried to pry it off.
The actuator had lots of build up on it but looks good and I cleaned it very very well as Shadetree suggested. Cleaned and lubed where the actuator seats. Will lube actuator and also use some anti seize.
Thank so much for your help.

 

[GirlsRideToo]

I would keep looking... both for a real mechanic (LOL) and for more bad bearings and seals in the swingarm, axle tube & rearend. You might be able to clean up and save some (or all?) of those brake parts. There are ways to remove rust and corrosion and make them parts look & function like new again. May be able to clean and repack bearings too, but you won't know until those are cleaned in solvent whether any are rusty, worn out or otherwise junk. All of these things take time... and require patience. You'll need new OEM seals throughout.

I have located another mechanic and will meet with him next week. He did some work on my Kawasaki Mule and Yamaha Big Bear several years ago and he did a good job as far as I can remember. A friend of mine had used him for years. In the past, I had bad experiences with my local Honda dealership and don't want to go that route again. Unfortunately, they have a bad reputation for repairs.

Yesterday I found that the rear axel boot is missing the bottom side. Appears to have been torn away. Ouch! Since the boot needs to be addressed ASAP, will talk with new mechanic about inspecting the axel and bearings while replacing the boot. I simply don't have the physical strength or a way that I feel safe lifting and securing the Rancher to be crawling under it.

I am going to ask him if he will allow me to come to his shop when he does the repair so I can see how everything looks. My friend does not think the mechanic will have a problem with that. :devil

 

[Goober]

LOL with you, not at you.
Too bad about your local Honda shop; hope this works out for you. Maybe kick it off by bringing some shop towels and a jug of GoJo.

 

[shadetree]

I would keep looking... both for a real mechanic (LOL) and for more bad bearings and seals in the swingarm, axle tube & rearend. You might be able to clean up and save some (or all?) of those brake parts. There are ways to remove rust and corrosion and make them parts look & function like new again. May be able to clean and repack bearings too, but you won't know until those are cleaned in solvent whether any are rusty, worn out or otherwise junk. All of these things take time... and require patience. You'll need new OEM seals throughout.

I have located another mechanic and will meet with him next week. He did some work on my Kawasaki Mule and Yamaha Big Bear several years ago and he did a good job as far as I can remember. A friend of mine had used him for years. In the past, I had bad experiences with my local Honda dealership and don't want to go that route again. Unfortunately, they have a bad reputation for repairs.

Yesterday I found that the rear axel boot is missing the bottom side. Appears to have been torn away. Ouch! Since the boot needs to be addressed ASAP, will talk with new mechanic about inspecting the axel and bearings while replacing the boot. I simply don't have the physical strength or a way that I feel safe lifting and securing the Rancher to be crawling under it.

I am going to ask him if he will allow me to come to his shop when he does the repair so I can see how everything looks. My friend does not think the mechanic will have a problem with that. :devil

invest in a atv lift jack !. well worth it. I bought mine from sears a few years back, and my back thanks me !..lol. around 100 bucks I think I paid for mine. can lift 1500lbs very easy, very stable.

 

[Dan Collins]

your rear brake cable goes to a lever with a pin. that pin part can stick, and cause many problems. especially with a break cable. mine has been replaced twice, on the 2000es. im still having a problem. used the wrong grease, the last time, to keep that pin moving. so i have too pull it out again, and redo it. my rear drum is wore. its cheaper for me to go to disk, than buy new drum, and repeat the same thing over and over.

I have the same bike as you and have pretty much the same problem as you. when i pull on the rear brake handle or push on the foot brake nothing really happenes. I think my brake drums are fine tho cause i can push on the assembly where the brake cables go into at the back of the bike and they work fine. Is this the cables gone?

 

[rodp]

You really need to disconnect cables to find where the problem lies. Just undo the wing nuts at the rear brake then check cables for ease of movement, also check actuator on rear brake to make sure it's not seized up and rotates freely (it will be seized, or partly seized, odds on)

If you have any doubts about your ability, take pictures first so you know how to re-assemble.

 

[GirlsRideToo]

Thanks to everyone for great advice and guidance. The job is now complete! I cannot say it went without hiccups. After cleaning up and greasing all the old parts, I reassembled everything just to see if this would solve the problem. It did not. So, I waited for the new brake parts to arrive and started over. I am posting this in the hopes it will help someone else. This will bore anyone but a beginner, like me.
I re-cleaned the wheel with brake cleaner
I installed the new actuator using recommended grease on the piece as well as in the insertion hole. Installed new felt seal coated with motor oil. Make sure this felt seal is present! Wiped away excess grease that oozed out at actuator head. Important step!
I put thin layer of anti-seize on actuator where the brake shoes sit. I checked that it moved freely and was aligned correctly! Important step! The wide tooth area of the actuator must face outward, away from the axel. IF you put it in the wrong way you will have to remove the brake shoes and rotate the actuator to the correct position.
I applied thin layer of anti-seize to the two post that hold the brake shoes (on the right hand side).
I installed the new brake shoes, wearing new clean gloves. I thought they were in place but it took a gentle tap with a rubber mallet to get them fully seated. Important step! Installed metal holder and secured with new cotter pins.
I inserted the spring, wear indicator and cable holder onto the actuator while I held it firmly in place. If you have trouble getting the wear indicator or cable holder on and are not holding the actuator in place it will want to push back out and the spring will come loose. Aligning the cable holder correctly is critical to success - match the punch marks! I could not see the punch mark on the old actuator and I kept putting it on incorrectly. This was due also to its bent teeth The new actuator was simple to attach and slide on with no resistance. If the cable holder is not pushed all the way onto the actuator you will not be able to insert the bolt that holds the holder in place.
I disconnected the cable at the left handlebar and made sure it was not twisted or routed incorrectly. Cable is only 1 month old.
Installed new handlebar bracket and reconnected parts (In another post on this forum). Reattached the cable at handlebar.
I inserted front and foot pedal cables, with springs, into the wheel bracket. I tightened only the brake pedal cable, for now, until it had the correct free play and felt reasonable firm.
I checked the movement of the brake shoes by moving the cable bracket forwards and backwards a few times and watched the actuator. Everything was moving freely.
Back to the wheel:
I inserted a new O ring on the wheel and applied grease per manual.
Installed brake drum.
I applied grease to the axel grooves, carefully. Do not get grease on the axel threads.
I checked that the rubber seal on the wheel cover was not damage and still pliable. Coated the seal with grease and installed the cover.
Installed the wheel nut and had a friend depress the brake pedal while I torqued the nut to 101 ft lb. Inserted new cotter pin.
Remounted the tire.
Adjusted the handlebar brake cable to meet the adjustment of the foot pedal brake cable.
Drove up and down my driveway and adjusted both brake cables a few more twists.
All working fine now, well, except for the parking brake. It does not hold as well as it should but I think the problem is with the left handlebar lever. It is loose around the bolt, probably due to age and abuse. I have ordered a new lever and see if that fixes the problem.
I did find that it is very important to follow the steps carefully and place grease and anti-seize where necessary. Also, adjusting the rear brake before tightening the wheel nut made the overall adjustments easier.
I hope this is helpful to you.

 

[retro]

Great work! Great writeup too! Thanks for sharing your experience and celebration with us!!!