Hello all, Newbie here... I just got a new (to me) 54 Chevy truck. My brother in law has had it for the past 20 years and it has set in his garage for the vast majority of that time. It runs like a champ. It is in great shape. All original except for a 12 volt conversion. When I got it he said that it pulled to the drivers side when the brakes were applied. He thought that the PS front wheel cylinder was locked up. I have removed and rebuilt all 4 wheel cylinders, the master cylinder, replaced the two front flexible brake hoses, adjusted the shoes, and vaccuum bled the wheel cylinders. It still pulls to the drivers side when braking. I am a fairly competent shade tree mechanic but I am very inexperienced when it comes to drum brakes. I would appreciate your feedback/suggestions. Also, is thare an area on this board for answers to silly Newbie questions? I've never owned a vehicle this old and I know there are issues of lead additives for fuel and other such info. Cheers! Here's a couple of pics
Really nice 54! Does it have the original radio? When you get tired of the grill guard, I will help you disgard it. I am no mechnaic, but have some luck adjusting, rebuildling old brakes. I have always adjusted each brake tight, then back off until each frees enough to allow the wheel to spin about one revolution before stopping. Sounds like you have already been past this point. There are experts that will step up here. Nice truck. Original 325, 3 speed, or 4 speed? Jim
Welcome, Bruce! Nice pickup. There's a couple of other things you might want to look at on your brakes. Check the brake return springs to make sure that they are attached properly and not weak or broke. Another thing is the anchor pin might be out of adjustment causing a brake shoe to put more pressure on the hub than the other one. Also check to see if your wheel bearing is ok. As far as an area on the board for newbies to ask silly questions? Use this one. I do all of the time
A couple things you might check are to visually inspect the drum to see if it's been turned and a ridge left on the inner edge where they didn't start the cut far enough in. You can bevel the edge of the brake shoe to clear a small ridge but not a big one. If it passes visual inspection then have the drum measured for roundness at a brake shop--preferably an older one. Since the steel brake line runs along the passenger frame rail and across the front crossmember to the left side make sure it hasn't been mashed. You might unscrew the steel line fitting at the rubber hose and see if you get a good fluid flow. As a last resort have both drums turned so one isn't slicker than the other. This along with what Ken mentioned are about all there is to drum brakes.
Thanks! No radio. Can you add an original looking radio? The grille Guard has already been removed. I like the look with out it better. Yes, all original as far as I can tell. 3 on the tree!! This truck is way too fun. My son and I have been having a ball so far. Some day it may be his... I am going to buff out the paint and I think it will shine pretty well. I really like the black bumpers on yours. That is a beautiful truck. Cheers
Good call. That's how I ended up changing out the front flex lines. I was bleeding the cylinders and got to the front passenger and was getting nothing. I pulled the flex line and it was completely collapsed. the core was solid rubber vs a tube. I've never seen that before. I blew out the rest of the lines. I drove it around today and it has improved. I'm going to get a helper and bleed the brakes with the pedal method. Hopefully I'm just dealing with some air. I find it interesting that the brake plumbing has three wheels going off of 1 line and the drivers front going off of it's own line. Cheers
AD stands for Advance Design. Your best bet is to buy a copy of the 1954 Chevrolet Truck Shop Manual. It will be money well spent. Many vendors sell it. I'm lucky enough to have my grandfather's grease-stained original! If you need info on where to pick one up, let me know. The anchor pin is the pin that holds the brake shoes on on the top of the brake assy. It allows the brake shoes to expand when you apply the brake.
Grille guard Bruce, Don't let that grille guard go! Most 54 and early 55 Chevy's had grille guards, or they had the tips of their grilles punched in. Mine is mended today. If you wish to get rid of that grille guard, you let me know on a PM and we might deal. I have family in your neck of the woods. My truck has black bumpers to match my running boards. Pleased that you like it. Jim
Great looking truck-- if one brake line was swollen shut, it would be a good idea to replace all of them--cheap way to feel secure about the most important system in the truck- Happy driving!
Thanks, I've got the same grease stained shop manual. Mine's actually covered in one of those old plastic telephone book covers. The Anchor Pin is a stationary stopping point where the brake shoe rest when not being applied, correct? I guess I do not understand what adjustment there is. Cheers
Thanks, There's a little rust in the floor board but other than that it is very solid. A far cry from my past experience working on old Toyota Land Cruisers. Finding any of them that were not rust buckets was impossible. Cheers
I'm planning on holding on to the grille guard. It's pretty unique. It is a "Smash Hit" made in Waco, TX. It is all solid. No tube steel here... Pretty cool design. I just really like the look of the front end without the guard. I may borrow your idea of the bed liner on the running boards - I really like that. Cheers
Thanks, I replaced both front flex hoses but not the one in the rear. I was getting a good fluid flow to both rear cylinders when I was vaccuum bleeding them. Good point on replacing it and knowing what I'm dealing with. Cheers
Anchor pin is adjustable There is a nut on the backside of the backing plate that holds the anchor pin in place. To adjust the anchor pin, loosen the nut so that the anchor pin moves either forward or backward (the pin is in a slot that allows for movement). Don't loosen it too much or the springs will try to pull the anchor pin out. With the nut loosened, adjust the brake shoes to where they both rest evenly on the drum. That should be the point at which the anchor pin is properly adjusted. Tighten the nut back, then readjust your brake shoes. Hope my explanation made sense and hope it helps. Ken
One thing that I didn't mention is that when you've run the brake shoes out, you need to gently tap the anchor pin, so as to insure that years of use and abuse has not "frozen" it in that position. If I'm not mistaken, there's a section in the shop manual that has the exact procedure on how to adjust it. I'd follow it before I'd follow me!
One other question. The "Primary" shoe is the wider (more surface area) of the two, correct? And it is installed towards the front of the vehicle, correct? Cheers
