Im a newbie to engineering and mechanics so please forgive my elementary question: My 64 Gal which still has all original braking system (drums) is braking extremely hard to the right even after I've adjusted them. What could this be? I've replaced all shoes, cylinders and replaced master cylinder. Oh, bled all as well. Thanks for any advise or instruction!
Have your drums turned. Maybe that will help. My buddy had the same thing going on in his 37 Olds. He put all new parts and it still pulled. Had hisdrums turned and it took care of it.
i would also check your front rubber brake line on left side. sometimes they collaspe on the inside and shut off brake fluid . happened on my ranchero
Here are some things to check: 1. Crushed hydraulic line or bad flex hose on the opposite side of the pull. 2. A pocket of air that you did'nt get out when you bled the brakes. 3. Front end may need aligning. 4. Is the long brake shoe in the back on both sides of the car? Good luck.
Replace the rubber lines even if the sort of looked okay. old lines collapse and hold pressure. Had the same problem with many drum brake cars. fixed the crazy pull every time just changing the lines.
The problem will most likely be found on the left side. The right side is working. That's why it pulls that way. I'd replace the brake hoses if you plan to keep the car. Hoses can block the fluid to the cylinder and cause your problem. Since you are new, are you sure you got the shoes on the correct way? I've had cars come in with both short shoes on the same side.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that I did that part correctly...won't hurt to look again though! At the time I replaced all that stuff, I didn't replace the hoses because they looked as if they were recently replaced by the original owner. I plan to keep the car and drive the hell out of it!
Another candidate to change the rubber hoses. They can be sneaky petes. Look good, but collapsed inside.
I'm thinking you got something wrong on the left side, too. Take both hubs off and carefully compare every brake piece, right to left and be sure every part is a mirror image on the other side. Also check the fit of the shoes to the drums. It's possible the left drum is slightly overize and the shoes need to be "arced" to match the diameter. Bad contact shoe to drum will reduce braking force. 1st question we shoiuld ask is, Did it work well before you did the repair? Frank
Check the control arm bushings very carefully. The lower control arm forward mounting bolt is an eccentric. Any bushing play will allow the control arm to move outward and rearward on the vehicle and can cause a pretty severe pull. The Galaxie front suspension design is famous for allowing alignment changes during braking, a very common problem. Rubber brake lines should be replaced regardless of how they look if there is any question as to whether or not they are original. Also confirm wheel cylinder diameters are the same from side to side.
Or freakin' all the above!! It's was a 1 owner car that has 119,000 miles on it. It's never been touch until I got it.
Well if the tire is moving around when you apply the brakes, you will be able to see that from the side if you have someone drive it and apply the brakes. If it's control arm bushings you will see the tire move back in the wheel well when the brake is applied. If that is happening then you need to check to see what is allowing the movement. The nice thing about front suspension work is that you can see it with the naked eye.
It has to be the rubber brake lines. They can look good as new on the outside but the inside can be swelled shut.
Might as well add my 2 cents. If you want to want to eliminate the drums as being the problem, switch them side-to-side. If it pulls the other way then you know its the drums. While you have the car up, take the tie rod end off at the spindle and turn the wheel back and forth. Do this on both sides. They should turn with the same amount of force. If one turns harder than the other its probably a frozen lower ball joint.
If the wheel cylinders are not siezed, and the hoses etc are OK, check the alignment. Uneven Castor, side to side, will cause pulling under braking. So will worn components.
Another possibility, is the shoes are installed incorrectly. Should be one long, and one short, lining on each side. IIRC, the short lining goes on front. Check the rear brakes while you are at it.
my 64 wagon is doing the same thing at the moment pulling to the left.To check what was happening Idrove down a dirt road hit the brakes and the left front locks up first so it must be the right front not working .correct ?
sometimes shoes from different manufacturing runs get in the same box the shoes are then unmatched........
First drum brake job I did I put both primary shoes on right and secondary's on left and it would grab the wheel out of your hand on stopping. Check the shoes.
Aside from both brake lines, also check or replace the lines at the actuator( i think its called) And because its a 64 you also have that floating suspension deal going on in the front that you will have to put a stabilizer bar to control too. Mine was doing the same thing even after the stabilizer bar, but then i replaced the lines at the actuator and that did it.
Ok...I took the drums off and I indeed messed up the position of the shoes. I fixed the front placing short pad in front and long pad in back. Now that I have the back drums off, I see that I placed 2 longs on the p***enger side and 2 short on the driver side. No wonder this car was braking hard to the right!! I know,...Im learning the hard way here. My question now is: does the back follow suite as the front: short in the front and long in the back or would it be long in front and short in back? Thanks!!
Ok...I took the drums off and I indeed messed up the position of the shoes. I fixed the front placing short pad in front and long pad in back. Now that I have the back drums off, I see that I placed 2 longs on the p***enger side and 2 short on the driver side. No wonder this car was braking hard to the right!! I know,...Im learning the hard way here. My question now is: does the back follow suite as the front: short in the front and long in the back or would it be long in front and short in back? Thanks!!
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