Need brake help...

[garyssv]

I'll start by saying that I did a search on this problem and read through about 20 pages and couldn't find an answer so I thought I would try this before I go completely crazy.

I have a '66 that is almost completely stock with drum brakes all around and I want to keep it that way. It drove fine for a month after I got it and then it started pulling hard (it would change lanes if I didn't have a tight grip on the wheel) to the left when applying the brakes. These are the things I have done to try and remedy this problem. New drums, brake shoes, wheel cyclinders, master cyclinder and new ruber lines. I even replaced the steel lines on the passenger front side thinking maybe those lines had corosion build up in them. After doing all of that, it still pulls hard to the left almost like the right front wheel isn't braking at all. I know I have good pressure because everytime we bleed the system I have good flow at all 4 wheels.



Can someone HELP!!!!!!!!!

 

[Skiddy]

Jack up the passengers side (the one not pulling) manually adjust the adjuster. turn the tire while doing so and you should get a very light drag back it off a hair then it should be adjusted correct. Check the other side also so that they should be the same. Good luck

 

[garyssv]

I had it on the lift yesterday and adjusted all 4 wheels so they were the same and it made no difference. We even tried adjusting the right side a little more and that didn't make any difference either.

 

[Rustytruck]

In the old days they used to grind the brake shoes individually to fit each drum so the contact path to the drum is the same on each wheel. With drum brakes no one has them in the front anymore so no one does this these days and I doubt you could even find a shop that has the equipment. The best you can do is have the trums turned to exactly the same diameter and hope for the best. I got rid of my front drum brakes almost 25 years ago because they are unsafe as stock manual brakes especially these days with all of the traffic, crazy drivers and down right rude zigzaggers in the traffic lanes. Also check that your tires are the same size and have the same amount of tire presure. Maybe also try the brakes with a passenger in the passenger seat. Did the 66 have self adjusting brakes? if not consider converting those in to the system. Yesterday I just finished my latest brake adventure and added hydroboost and the braking is awsome. I understand your commitment to keeping your rig stock and if you must keep the drum brakes concider at least adding some form of power brakes even to your drum brakes. What good is an all origional Bronco if it is all smashed up on the side of the road with its owner dead. In the 29 years i have owned my truck my adventures in getting better brakes is something I never regretted and probably has saved my life or my truck at least 10 times. Broncos were never designed to be commuter cars at the speeds we ask them to drive these days so if your asking the truck to run with the pack at least concider getting the brakes a little more up to date. The life you save may be yours, your family, your best friend or maybe even mine.

 

[garyssv]

I agree with needing to improve the brakes, and I plan on adding the power booster and a dual master cylinder as soon as I get these other braking issues taken care of.

 

[Skiddy]

Only other thing I could think of is you may have some air left in the lines

 

[ugly74]

I'd look into upgrading those to disks.
mine's still got manual drums all the way around, and they've always worked fine for me. just this Saturday night (more like sunday morning) I easily locked up the tires from about 45mph to avoid squishing a suicidal bunny. but I definitely think about them being "just drums" when the little lady decides she wants to drive it. one of these days...

 

[03COBRA]

Discs. It was the first upgrade that I did and defintely well worth the money. You can do a lowbuck pick and pull conversion or buy a complete setup from one of the vendors. Money well spent however you decide to do it. Makes driving this thing enjoyable as opposed to a chore.

 

[NoJoe]

Hi: Just a thought, my nephew's 63 Falcon did that and he conned me into checking it out, well he had 2 primary shoes on one side and 2 secondary shoes on the other, and he used to build auto trannys with me. Good Luck, Joe.

 

[garyssv]

Thanks for the info guys. I had the drums turned and it didn't make any difference so I took it to another shop and they swaped the right and left drums and the problem went away. Not really sure what the problem was, but I think I'll just buy new front drums and see what that does.

 

[Johnnyb]

so many problems

Drum brakes in general are hokey. Press-and-twist spring retainers, flimsy clips and thin cables that are supposed to actuate self-adjusters.

I drove an all-drum EB from '83 to 2001 and the best single improvement I made was front disks.

-J

 

[deltarat]

I still have drums and replaced everything in them new. I can lock them up and turn loose of the wheel if I wanted to. They must be completely bled and adjusted the same all around. Some time it is the rear brakes causing the pulling. With that said, I will have 4w disks and hydro before I finish my restore.

 

[Redleg]

Drums are flakey at best. I went to all the trouble of rebuilding the front drums to perfect condition and I still didn't know when the "left or right" dart would appear. Most of the time it braked great, just sometimes the white knuckle snap right or left left me sweating. With the discs, no problem.

 

[67u13]

Is your brake system a manual adjust system or auto adjust? You could upgrade to auto adjust without losing much original stuff.

 

[garyssv]

I think after all the trouble I've had, I'm just going to quit spending money on the drums and do the front disc conversion. I wanted to stay with drums, but it's just getting to be too much of a headache to deal with and for what I've spent so far on the drums I could have already had a 4 wheel disc setup. I guess you live and learn.