The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Is it safe to re-use brakes soaked in gear oil?

The brakes have not been used on my truck for 20 years give or take. The truck is a 59 2 ton.

We tried to build pressure so as to safely drag me around the yard to fire the motor. Thankfully, one of the rear wheel cylinders started leaking, so I was saved from certain death.

I started chasing that this week, and found out that the seal was leaking, so now have the hub all apart and am goign shopping for parts. More on that awesome fun later in the project journal, but...

The brake pads (if that is the proper phrase) look new. They must have just been done before the truck was parked. My father says to use them. My Uncle/Cousin says they are ruined from the gear oil saturation. At best they won't grip, at worst they will cause a fire. He did not think there was a proper way to clean them.

Just curious what the general consensus of the forum was. Thank you

As far as what the technical term is, drum brakes use "shoes" disc brakes use "pads".

As far as the oil, you will not be able to get it all out of them. You can get the surface to look clean but once they heat up, the oil will come back to the surface. I am not sure if the brake lining itself will separate of fall apart because of the oil sitting in them for so long but, if I were using it on the road, I'd replace them. (should be able to have them relined at a local shop that relines clutches and brakes). My 58 2-ton weighs 8500 pounds empty. I would not want to run brakes on it that I was worried about.

found this thread right after posting, sorry:

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=507370

no worries, be safe!

Despite the shear joy I get from taking the tires off an on the truck, I think I will replace the brakes (if I can find a replacement kit). In my mind, I will be driving the truck often, and really don't want to run over a longhorn, or worse. Besides, it is good practice for me.

Hopefully I will have a brakes update by the end of the week. That and the gas tank, I may actually go for a drive.

I think you are doing the right thing. Check your hubs and be sure they don't need turning. Nothing better than pushing down on the brake pedal and know you are going to have brakes. Just my thoughts on the subject. Good luck.

They could not find an entire new brake system where I ordered the bearings,seals, and wheel cylinders for my hubs, they instead need to have new pads put on the old system. I compromised in the short term to just clean the pads I have now, so I can roll the truck around and test other parts of the truck. This is assuming the industrial de-greaser they are soaking in actually cleans the brakes. When the project gets closer to wrapping up and being a daily driver, I will find someone to re pad the shoes. I may have the drums turned at the same time, although everyone I asked said that the drums were good enough as is for now. I'll put the new springs and cylinders on, and we are cleaning up the rest of the moving parts. Should hold up for my future test drives.