The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Wierd 51 brakes

The brakes on my wife's 51 Chevy 1/2 ton have always acted strange.When you stop normally all is well, but make a hard stop, not enough to lock the wheels,the [censored] end want to steer one way or the other, never consistant.The front end stays straight,the steering wheel doesn't pull,it's the back brakes.7 years ago when I built the truck,everything was new,wheel cylinders, drums,shoes, hoses,shackles,bushings and pins, the truck tracks perfectly straight,the U-bolts are torqued , springs are fine.The rear axle is a 80's Chevy 1/2 ton .The truck has only been driven 15,000 miles since the re doing.
I pulled the rear drums, the shoes are only making contact on 1/2 of each shoe, equally on all shoes.
Hmmm,might be the problem, ya think? I guess it's time to visit the local relining shop to get new linings and have them fitted to the drums.

Tony, have you done a "major brake adjustment" by the book? I...'m not familiar with the brakes in your later axle and don't know if procedure is the same. You know the one where you loosen the pin, tighten the shoes, roll the drum and check for drag, repeat until perfection is achieved.. Does the later axle have bendix style brakes?

The pivot pin on the later axle isn't adjustable like the early models.I just got back from the brake reliner, he said the shoes are distored , spotty relining job,probably the cause of the wierd braking.He's got good shoe cores, reline them,arc them to the drums, 30 bucks,what a deal,lol.