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S C O R E !!
DRUM Brake Overhaul - Now, for something totally different...
- Thread starter moparedtn
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Fingers crossed, my friend.
You know, overall I was blessed to find nearly everything on the system to be in far better shape than
a fella had a right to expect. It was good to see some people in Fred's past were honest, really.
This was very interesting to say the least. Just to know you can still get part's in the USA made part's. Could not help but laugh when the brakes did not work but all was good thank God for that. A lot to take away from your experience. Some of the best work I have seen done is by shade tree mechanic's. That is how I learned to do a lot of stuff on cars and trucks. Now Fred has a new set of brakes and you can be happy too say you did it all by your self.
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Honestly, I'd done this sort of job when I was in high school through my 20's - but not in some 30+ years now,
so it was rather embarrassing to have to relearn much of it (but thankfully, memories returned, too!).
Yessir, I managed to round up all the parts US-made - but I tell you what, if anyone else wants to do so,
they best get to steppin' quick - because in some cases, I got the last ones wherever it was I fetched from.
VERY soon, I don't believe it will be possible at all.
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Note to self: The factory wheel grease dust cap part number is 1613416.
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And now for Ed's theme song!
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Absolutely! Got to finish this whole sideways redneck train wreck of a project, after all!
Right there with ya on the knee thing, too - this deal about took it out of me and reminded me
that not only is my immediate time limited - but my mortal time is, too.
Know that feeling for sure. Need one of those self lifting creeper's. Want me one like the human hoist-tech- chair turns into creeper YouTube. Probably pricey.
And then getting up after loading mini-fridge in garage!!!
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UPDATE 6/25/21:
First drive....what the heck, why not, it's been a good life.
I took Fred down off the ridge and just showed some blind faith that there would be some manner
of brakes when I got to the bottom - which thankfully there was, as it turned out.
Today was a fairly short loop through town on errands, then out the valley to visit Otis at his Memory Lane:
https://www.timesnews.net/memory-la...deo_db5193d2-7d2f-11eb-9c50-0338e7751a0f.html
Verdict? It's early yet, but yeah a couple:
1. The shoes had some grip from the get-go, impressive given that the drums are old and lightly glazed.
2. The pedal is fair (about midway down) the first hit, then after one pump it gets rock hard and immediate.
(I wonder why?) It does this every time. Quite odd....
I'm more confident these will get even more bite-y as they cut their way into the drums, but I'm already
relieved and quite satisfied.
First drive....what the heck, why not, it's been a good life.
I took Fred down off the ridge and just showed some blind faith that there would be some manner
of brakes when I got to the bottom - which thankfully there was, as it turned out.
Today was a fairly short loop through town on errands, then out the valley to visit Otis at his Memory Lane:
https://www.timesnews.net/memory-la...deo_db5193d2-7d2f-11eb-9c50-0338e7751a0f.html
Verdict? It's early yet, but yeah a couple:
1. The shoes had some grip from the get-go, impressive given that the drums are old and lightly glazed.
2. The pedal is fair (about midway down) the first hit, then after one pump it gets rock hard and immediate.
(I wonder why?) It does this every time. Quite odd....
I'm more confident these will get even more bite-y as they cut their way into the drums, but I'm already
relieved and quite satisfied.
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UPDATE 6/25/21:
First drive....what the heck, why not, it's been a good life.
I took Fred down off the ridge and just showed some blind faith that there would be some manner
of brakes when I got to the bottom - which thankfully there was, as it turned out.
Today was a fairly short loop through town on errands, then out the valley to visit Otis at his Memory Lane:
https://www.timesnews.net/memory-la...deo_db5193d2-7d2f-11eb-9c50-0338e7751a0f.html
Verdict? It's early yet, but yeah a couple:
1. The shoes had some grip from the get-go, impressive given that the drums are old and lightly glazed.
2. The pedal is fair (about midway down) the first hit, then after one pump it gets rock hard and immediate.
(I wonder why?) It does this every time. Quite odd....
I'm more confident these will get even more bite-y as they cut their way into the drums, but I'm already
relieved and quite satisfied.
After a couple of drives check your adjustment on the new shoes. I know they are self adjusting but you're checking for that also
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Very much true, my friend. Thanks.After a couple of drives check your adjustment on the new shoes. I know they are self adjusting but you're checking for that also
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So....what's up with the one-pump gets better pedal syndrome?
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Speaking of which...today we took Fred to town for the usual Saturday errands and I decided it was
time to perform the bedding in procedure prescribed by the shoe manufacturer.
Actually, their literature didn't specify this procedure specifically for drum brakes (so I'm guessing it's
probably for disc pads), but it sounded logical to me anyways - and I wanted to know, you know?
Wife and I set out to the 4-lane and I told her to cinch up the lap belt real good, then HANG ON GERTIE!
The procedure said to run the car up to 60mph, then get on the brakes HARD - DON'T come to a complete
stop, but rather at about 10mph to set off again and immediately do the same thing again.
First time I tried this, I didn't pump the pedal before going for it. The pedal went about halfway down and
there was some initial braking, then it sort of faded out....just like the car used to do with the old shoes.
Slightly disappointed, I hit it again and when Fred got to 60, this time I pumped them once, then STOOD
on them - and was rewarded with a high, firm pedal and all manner of woahhhh (including a little lock up!).
I made a note to get a good grip on the wheel because at some point in that one, the car tried to go in all
4 directions at one point or another.
These new shoes were AGGRESSIVE. Me like!
Off again for try #3, which was similar to #2 except this time my wife proclaimed she was smelling hot brakes.
Sure enough, so was I - and that was a good thing! The dancing under full braking stabilized a bit, too.
The instructions talk about there being the desire to get the metal surfaces hot enough to "blue" them and
I reckon we were there, all right.
I decided to do it one last time, not the 5-6 times specified by the manufacturer...and was treated to some
serious braking, the likes of which Fred has NEVER seen (and again, keep in mind, these are old drums on
these new shoes!).
We then drove the half dozen miles at highway speed to the other side of town to go to the store, allowing
the brakes to cool some in the process (and for frazzled nerves to settle some, too).
I do believe these Porterfield shoes are the ticket!
Now, again....why do I have to ALWAYS pump the pedal once to get that rock-hard pedal??
Don't under stand why your pumping the pedal. I used Dot 5 in my new system. Manual brake's half pedal before brakes engage but stop's firmly. But every thing is new on the car. Have you replaced the master cylinder. Could have a leaky valve.
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The master cylinder was new when I bought the car 11 years ago - and of course, Fred hasn't gone very far since
(say, less than 1000 miles) so I figure the m/c is probably ok? Still looks new, no leaks, etc.
It's the "replacement" one with the single bolt holding the lid down...
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Gotta be something like that, I'd guess?
I've done the one-man bleed process with the Mighty Vac kit AND we've done it "old school" with my wife
providing all the pedaling - and I'm not gonna stand Fred on his nose to "burp the master cylinder"
...but I guess it won't hurt to get under there and do it again??
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