Part from rear brake assembly??

[Brodo]

I have always heard a squeak in my RR brake but thought it was cheap pads because everything looked good. I recently heard and felt a grinding noise a couple of times from the rear end (not when braking) so I pulled the rear wheels and drums off and checked the drive shaft ect. It all looked good so I put it back together and drove it again - the squeak was gone and I could not get it to make the grinding noise again. When I pulled back in the driveway I found this on the ground where I had been working. I am going to pull it apart again today but does anyone have an idea of what this is? I suspect it was caught between the brake shoe and dust cover. The head appears to have been square and it is not threaded.

 

[porkysplace]

Push rod from the wheel cylinder.

GM CUCV Parts and Illustration Catalog 52D

Section 5 page 1 of this TM shows the brake parts .
part # 32 is what you have there.

GM part # 2622667

 

[Brodo]

Thank you Sir!

 

[Warthog]

Also in the TM 9-20320-289-20P parts manual. Figure 95, item #5

 

[infidel got me]

I don't know how brake fluid is not pouring out of your brake drum. If it were me, I would replace both wheel cylinders along with the wheel cylinder link. Don't skip anything on brakes as they are a safety item. Good luck!