Brakes - very frustrated. (1 Viewer)

[illinikev]

I have a '68 with all drum brakes, and my strong preference is to keep it that way. However, I've read through i believe every drum brake post and still can not get my brakes adjusted correctly. I've adjusted the push rod into the master cylinder in and out several times and I still can't get it right. I can get the brakes reasonably effective at one setting, but then if i drive it on the freeway for any period of time the brakes get firm until the point they've actually locked up and I had to leave it overnight to cool off. If i back out the rod some then the brakes are just plain ineffective in stopping the truck.

any advice here?

 

[pb4ugo]

Buy or male a tool. I think most a/p stores sell it.

 

[peesalot]

I would adjust the rod to the functioning setting, make further adjustments at the shoes. The shoes should be adjusted with wheels on lug nuts tight. Set the shoes so they drag a bit, hopefully you have good pedal feel, if it's spongy you may need to bleed the system, I have had great luck with gravity bleed, open all bleeders with little vacuum tube connecting bleeder to empty water bottle, periodically fill master, let flow thru a but, sometimes you have to vibrate the rear cross over tube to get the rear wheel cyls to bleed. Once you test drive if the rims get hot back off 1 click on adjustment of shoes. Remember, set the shoes with wheels on, lug nuts tight. I usually ran them tight, spun around the block to where they got a bit warm/hot, then back em off, sometimes the spin around the block will seat them nicely and backing the setting off is not necessary as the adjustment on drums is so close to too tight or too lose, its a fine line and this all assumes your master is working properly.

 

[3_puppies]

Buy or male a tool. I think most a/p stores sell it.

View attachment 3878630

1968 doesn't have a booster unless it was added, stock would be single circuit, again unless it was changed
I'm thinking you need to adjust all 4 wheels, there are 8 cylinders total, if you need the procedure, ask for it, the drums need to be snugger than you think with some slight drag

maybe a bit more info on what you have, would help with the advice

 

[timmyisinthewell]

How old are your rubber brake lines? I've had them deteriorate internally and act like a one way valve. Maybe this could be causing your brakes to lock up overnight.

 

[illinikev]

1968 doesn't have a booster unless it was added, stock would be single circuit, again unless it was changed
I'm thinking you need to adjust all 4 wheels, there are 8 cylinders total, if you need the procedure, ask for it, the drums need to be snugger than you think with some slight drag

maybe a bit more info on what you have, would help with the advice

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I should have been more thorough in my description. it's a 1968 40 without a booster and i have upgraded to a dual circuit. So far I have taken your suggestions and adjusted the push rod length (it was off) and now going wheel by wheel adjusting the brake cylinders as specified in the Chassis and Body Repair Manual.

I'll let you know if this improves the situation. Again, thanks for the support by this community.

 

[POPO AGIE]

When I built the rear axle I did not think twice about converting to disc brakes on the rear and putting a factory drum brake on the transfer case. I only have one drum brake to worry about.

The last time I did a brake job when I was in college I put new pads on the front and repacked the wheel bearings, I bought new shoes for the rear and found that they were not even touching so the wear was at a minimum. That was when I realized that the rear were not self adjusting.

I also leaned how to bleed all 4 breaks by myself and the brakes worked so much better then the time before that when I had "help" repacking the front wheel bearings and bleeding the brakes. My "help" did not want to follow the factory manual and adjusted the bearings his way and did not think the rear breaks needed to be bleed.

The rear shoes I bought did not work anyway because the parts store did not know the difference between mini truck parts and Land Cruiser parts so I took them back to get my money back.

 

[illinikev]

1968 doesn't have a booster unless it was added, stock would be single circuit, again unless it was changed
I'm thinking you need to adjust all 4 wheels, there are 8 cylinders total, if you need the procedure, ask for it, the drums need to be snugger than you think with some slight drag

maybe a bit more info on what you have, would help with the advice

this is helpful, especially to know it should be more snug than I thought. so far, back wheels are mostly done. they both spun freely when i started so that's an issue at the get-go.

 

[trainbufftony]

I usually lift a wheel at a time and adjust ine shoe until it draggs a tiny bit then the other until drag has doubled.
Do all the wheels this way.
Of course make sure they're bled and the cylinders don't leak air or fluid.
Lift all of their protective boots and check each side of each one for moisture.
Once that's all done check your pedal feel.
If it is too low go around and click each wheel cylinder thrice and see if that brings it up.
I've got a 55 but it's all the same

 

[illinikev]

thanks very much for all the detailed advice. I adjusted the rod length, then adjusted all 8 wheel cylinders as advised. now the brakes are pretty good. I've never gotten them to lock up the tires as others have described, but they seem safer. time will tell if they heat up on the freeway - i'll test that next week.

thanks again to everyone who weighed in here.

 

[JohnnyC]

Follow this recommendation…

From Pin_Head "To adjust, tighten until the wheel locks and back off 3 clicks. "

Everything else doesn’t work that well… including shop manual

 

[charliemeyer007]

I think it was cityracer that sold me the toyota little tool for adjusting the star wheel on the wheel cylinders - works really in the confined space. Shoes need to seat on the drum - that means more adjustment. Once the shoes are fully seated, the less frequent adjustment are required.

 

[illinikev]

I think it was cityracer that sold me the toyota little tool for adjusting the star wheel on the wheel cylinders - works really in the confined space. Shoes need to seat on the drum - that means more adjustment. Once the shoes are fully seated, the less frequent adjustment are required.

I bought that tool from Toyota and it's been incredibly useful.

 

[JohnnyC]

Once the shoes are fully seated, the less frequent adjustment are required.

Unless you DD the truck … you’ll be readjusting every 3-4 months lol

But you would just jack it up … leave tire on … and click it in some … pita time consuming ritual that needs to be done

 

[charliemeyer007]

When I first got Elsie back in 83, her brakes were bad. I didn't have a book or metric tools for that matter. I went to Mr. Brake, they turned to drums and ground the new shoes to fit the drum's diameter (fully seated) put kits in they bad cylinders. That brake job lasted for years on my DD. That was the only time Elsie ever went to the shop. I bought a book and tools.

 

[illinikev]

Unless you DD the truck … you’ll be readjusting every 3-4 months lol

But you would just jack it up … leave tire on … and click it in some … pita time consuming ritual that needs to be done

i've got the routine down now. Not too bad, especially with the Toyota brake tool.