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brake problem

jaybyrd66

jaybyrd66

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crossville TN
ok guys im totally stumped on this one, ive been having trouble with my brakes for a while now. my right front brake locked tight on me in town the other day after i parked it and went in to eat at a resuraunt and when i came back out she wouldnt move a bit, so i had to tear it down and ended up having to put a wheel cylinder on it. while i was at it i went ahead and put new shoes and wheel cylinders on both sides on the front, i left the back one alone as they are just fine. my problem is that i was driving it the next day and my front brakes start acting up. they go from working fine to dragging real bad to not working at all and just back and forth between the 3, and when they dont work at all its really hard to push the pedal and then the back brakes lock down and it starts sliding. i decided to bleed the brakes again and it didnt help at all so the only other option i could think of was the master cylinder so i put one on it. i bled the master cylinder before i installed it like the instructions said to do. i test drove it up the road and it acts like it still dont hve very good brakes and when i really push the pedal the back brakes lock and slide. any ideas guys? im desperate lol. (sorry for the long post lol)
 
I would go back and look at the front brake installation again. It could be, adjusters installed wrong or pads installed backwards.

dv
 
1. The star adjuster: Make sure driver side and passenger side are correct. If I remember one side has reverse threads.

2. The springs are attached correctly. Inculding the springs that hold the shoes onto the backing plate. Also make sure the pins are the right size. When you purchase a new spring kit it come with multiple sizes.

3. The front shoe is on the front and the rear shoe is on the rear. It will go togther perfectly fine installed backwards. But it doesn't like to work right.

Basically take it apart and put it back together. Use the 1963 truck manual to guide you threw the process. This book has been an unbelievable help through the last 8 years.
 
thanks guys, ill give all this a try tommorow, and i know the pins are the right ones cuz it still has the old parts on it and it worked fine when i first started driving it, and the springs are fine too cuz there are not that many and they were easy to remember where they went :) but maybe i did put the shoes on backwards. ill check that. those dam drum brakes can be tricky as hell lol
 
If you are going to all that trouble buy new springs and adjuster kit. Your old brakes have been seated just right for a long time so some of that stuff dosen't act right when you put old hardware and new brakes. Trust me I tried it once. From now on new brakes get new hardware.
 
ok ive done all i can think to do, new master cylinder, new brake shoes, new wheel cylinders, new hardware kit and springs and adjusted them out where they need to be, even found a diagram to look at to make sure i put it all together right. they worked fine in the driveway, i could hit the brakes and the front brakes would slide in the gravel but as soon as i hit the road and hit the brakes the back will just lock and slide and the fronts wont do anything. im out of ideas guys, yall got any? im hopin someone does
 
Im no expert But maybe a slug of something in the line? Do you have a porponial valve? maybe thats bad?? sorry i dont have anymore to contribute.Kilroy was here!!!!
 
thanks for the reply and dont appologize, every little bit helps but no it dont have a proportioning valve on it but it worked fine without one before, thats what has got me puzzled on it now
 
If I remeber correctly there will only be a porpotioning valve when you have disk/drum set up. Going back to original statement that the pads locked up after you parked it hints at bad return springs. I just replaced one on my 49 PU that strectched and would not return the pad. DOn't remember who stated to replace the parts, but it is excellent advice. Also check to make sure the small pad is on the front and the large pad is on rear. A little trick to keep them from sticking is to file the leading edge at a 45 degree angle until the wear a bit. As to why the will not lock up after you replaced everything sounds like air in the system. If you can power bleed the brakes. There are kits available that are expensive but makes the job quick. If you pretty handy you can take an old master cylinder cap and braze in a fitting, attach a hose to a canister with break fluid, about 5psi of air pressure and now you have a homemade power brake bleeder. (Not quit that simple but with a little thought it can be made). Always start at the furthest from the mater cylinder and work forward. If you still have the single master cylinder then the smallest amount of air will cause a mushy peddle and not be able to lock the brakes. Long answer but hope it helps.
Rick
 
thanks for the reply crewcab, im still tryin to figure this thing out. ive bled the brakes til i am blue in the face and that just doesnt seem to help at all. maybe i will eventually get it fixed. i miss driving it really bad
 
The last thing I would check is the rubber lines. They may look good on the outside but could be swollen shut. This would cause the back brakes to lock up and the fronts to barley work. This was another problem I had with my brakes. Put an eye ball on all the brake lines and make sure they are not kinked anywhere. One small problem can cause a whole lot of stuff not to work.
 
i guess thats about the only option im left with :( i hate to replace them cuz they are not really that old but you never know
 
well my brakes were doin that before, they were dragging real bad and locking up but now they just dont work at all no matter what i do. the wheels just roll free, but ive got great back brakes.
 
jaybyrd66 said:
well my brakes were doin that before, they were dragging real bad and locking up but now they just dont work at all no matter what i do. the wheels just roll free, but ive got great back brakes.
Click to expand...

Mine was doing the exact same thing as yours. Started locking up hard if I stopped for more than a red light length of time, then pretty much stopped working. I replaced the wheel cylinders, pads, master cylinder and proportioning valve.

I didn't get the problem fixed until I replaced all of the rubber brake lines and blew air through the metal brake lines. The rubber brakes lines can collapse even though they feel OK. That turned out to be my problem.
 
thanks for the reply GTP, ive been trying everything i can to keep from having to replace a bunch of lines but that sounds like it may be the only option im left with
 
Make sure you use the correct type of wrench to get the old line off. A regular box end wrench will round off the corners. Get a good set of tubing wrenches. You can find them at Sears.
 
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