The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Not stopping....:^(

OK, everything is back together, but now even less brake power.

I had the drums turned, so cleaned those with brake cleaner. After getting everything attached I sprayed cleaner on the shoes. Then bled the system from back to front.

But going down the street and coming back was scary. Pushing the pedal goes to floor and truck slows down...very slowly. (At about 15mph took over 20 feet to stop.)

What is wrong?

Have you adjusted the brake shoes to the newly turned drums? It could also be air in the lines, try bleeding the brakes again and make sure you have a full pedal.
Tom

No emergency brake on the brakes on this beast. I have the one that contracts on the drive train.

As for the adjustments...I did turn the start thing until I heard just a bit of rubbing. Figured that was right?

Shoes are on with short in front and long to back.

Not sure what you mean by master bleeding through...haven't touched it.

Not sure what is meant by adjusting shoes to drums?

I will re-bleed the whole thing again...but not till next weekend...took today off to try to wrap this up...but seems no luck.

Adjusting the brakes until you "heard just a bit of rubbing" might be your problem. Here's what I do:
Run each adjuster out until the wheel gets very hard to turn (this centers the shoes to the drum).
Then back them off until theres a slight rubbing noise.

Try that and see if that makes a difference. Good luck!!

sablesurfer,

Did you buy a manual for your truck? It would be money well spent.

Stuart

Hey Stuart...I have found a CD copy of the manual with the '65 addendum. Going to order it out of the next paycheck.

(Have to slow down the amount of money going to the truck.)

Also pump the brake pedal every once in a while. It helps to "center" the shoes too,
Scott

You might be missing something - that the manual would point out to you. One thing, you should start bleeding the brakes from the farthest wheel out from you master cylinder and work to each closer wheel as you go. Its helpful to have someone assist too, make sure they dont start up on the peedle before you close the fitting and that they keep the master from running low and sucking air. A clear hose is real good for wacthing for bubbles - something like you would use in a fish tank. Pu**** over the fitting and run it into a bottle and you will be able to watch the bubbles. Sure sounds like air in the lines to me, I am no expert - but have done several brake jobs over the years. Hang in there you will get it and feel darn good when you do.

I might be mistaken but I think you can destroy the pads on the shoes by spraying brake cleaner on them.

Air bags might be an option in this case LOL!

You need to put a kit in your master cyl. Any time you move everything around like that if it wasn,t leaking before it will be shortly. When they say a master cyl. leaks down it means the fluid is leaking by the piston instead of applying pressure to the brakes. Put a kit in the master cyl. & bench bleed it. Adjust the brakes till you get a heavy drag & then back them off 4-5 notches. You may still have some drag with new shoes but once they seat in to the drums it will be just right. With the self adjusters you have to poke something in the adj. slot to push the adjuster lever back so you can back off the adjuster. When you get it right the pedal should go down very little to apply pressure.

Ok, went back into the wheels tonight. I have set the adjuster as suggested. Things are better...but not as good as I think they should be.

If I pump a few times the petal travel is less each time...prolly means air in lines?

Also, if really stomp on it...the left rear will lock up, but none of the others. (Only doing this at like 5mph to see how working.)

Is that also probably air?

As for rebuilding the master....sheesh...going to be all new soon....sigh.

A couple of statements you made seem like cause for concern. You said you sprayed brake cleaner on the shoes, does this mean they had oil or grease on them and/or they are not new. If they had gear oil on them from a leaky rear seal no amount of brake cleaner is going to help as the oil will leach through and cause a problem like you described about the rear locking up. It's a lot of work to pull the rear drums on that truck so everything should be new or serviceable the first time.
Also, doesn't that truck have self adjusters?
Fred

Even with self adjusters, they have to at least be close starting out to get a good pedal. Also, relying on the self adjusters to bring it up with new friction installed will take a rather extended time to accomplish. As far as sprying the friction material, it's virtually impossible to put o new shoes without getting some dirt/fingerprints on them. Spraying them with brake cleaner will not hurt them. Most brake cleaners are not much more than alcohol anyway.

Yeah...what Bill said.
(I just sprayed them because I was also spraying the drums after they had been turned. Figured I'd get any drity prints off if possible.)