My hot hot rod (M-word) has front discs(GM-style with GM style master cylinder) and Ford rear drums. I KNOW "pedal" is determined by the rear shoes/drums.... I KNOW the front brakes do 75/80% 0f the stopping.... I DON'T KNOW how to get more pedal! The brake peal seems to go tooo far down toward the floor to make me happy. (just far enough that for a split-second I think...whooops!... pops into my tired brain) Would a wheel cylinder from a front drum brake set-up give more pedal since it is smaller (I think?!)than wheel cylinders on the rear drums. Just spit-balling here....... Thanx 6sally6
First thing that comes to mind is. Are rear brakes adjusted correctly? More info on master wouldn't hurt.
Going to a bigger dia. piston ***y. in the M/C will give you more pedal but, will increase pedal effort.
Do you have a residual valve for the rears? Then there’s the volume needs vs the volume delivered. Math required there.
I'm with Johnny. Make sure they're bled out good, and adjusted up, dragging on the drum while you spin it by hand.
Front brakes don't do 75/80% of the the stopping. You would need a deceleration rate of 1G or higher to get that sort of weight transfer. [on street tyres???] I ***ume you have a GM Metric caliper kit [and you could have the low drag variety calipers] Then you must use a GM stepped bore [quick uptake] M/C eg: S10 Chevy. Another cheat method is to add a pressure residual valve to the front circuit to prevent pad "knock-off" [the correct M/C is often cheaper when you factor in fittings] Or swap the Calipers for non low-drag variety Smaller rear wheel cylinders will also reduce travel, but will upset existing brake balance. Take your "M" car out to a damp [ish] road and try the brakes at 25-30 mph . If the rear locks up first, then try a smaller rear wheel cylinders. Test it out first [this can save $$$$]
Thanx guyz! I DO have the low drag calipers and correct MC to go with it. I HAD the rear shoes clicked down until the wheel wouldn't make a 1/2 turn. Seems like any tighter would just eat up shoes and drum! Bandit Billy might be on-to-something (OR on something!!) Might check out the fizzibility of a drag chute!?! Like I said......just thinking out loud. 6sally6
Yup but.........the adjusters don't seem to be adjusting. Might not have'em hooked up just right. 6sally6
You dont mention what year of Falcon based unmentionable it is, but 67 and up use a different pedal and support for power brakes and manual brakes. I am just wondering if your pedal ratio is off?
Nope......was manual brakes drum/drum......now manual disc/drum. I used a GM master cylinder to work with the S-10 'stepped' calipers. I made the pushrod adjustable but I can only do so long before it causes my brake light to come on. 6sally6
Pull the handbrake lever out a couple of notches ,then pump the brakes up. Then go for a drive and see if it improves. The handbrake prevents the shoes retracting so you should have more pedal. If this ^^^ works, then disconnect the handbrake and adjust the shoes out. If your brakes feel soft , note the Mustang has 10" drums with 7/8" wheel cylinders Whereas the S10 [your calipers and M/C] have 9" drums and a 3/4" wheel cylinder. So you in theory have too much rear brake bias [without testing] It probably would be a step in the right direction by installing 3/4" bore wheel cylinders Ford Pinto rear wheel cylinders [#D1FZ-2262-A] are 23/32" bore which is slightly smaller than 3/4"
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