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Author
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Topic: What is the problem with these brakes!
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masterrh
Journeyman Posts: 70
From:
Registered: Jul 2004
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posted 08-02-2005 10:37 PM
 
(1966 289, 4spd, 4 wheel drum, manual brakes, no booster, single resivoir MC)Man. Well so far vacation is being cut short because the brakes are inoperative. Here follows the shortened version of two straight days of non-stop work:
I replaced all 4 wheel cylinders, bled the lines (RR, LR, RF, LF) and there were no bubbles coming out whatsoever. The pedal felts pretty firm when I had it in the driveway... I even took it out of gear and let it roll down and it stayed firm and stopped the car. The problem is when I turn the car on and take it for a slow test drive around the block, the pedal suddenly has to go all the way to to floor to stop the car.
NOt quite sure why this is happening. The gasket underneath the cap of my Master Cylinder has a small tear in it... would that cause this? Any suggestions / things to check? Thanks guys!
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Masters
1966 289 4spd 'R3D 5'
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/639289/6 W/optional accessories.  [This message has been edited by masterrh (edited 08-03-2005).] [This message has been edited by masterrh (edited 08-03-2005).]
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adragon8u
Gearhead Posts: 5867
From: Oceano, Ca. member# 2895
Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 08-02-2005 10:44 PM
Are you losing fluid? Maybe your MC is bad.
any signs of leakage around the firewall or where your MC mounts?------------------
"It's better to have loved a short girl,
Then never to have loved a tall"
http://webpages.charter.net/adragon8u/mystang
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exlocal
Gearhead Posts: 1552
From: hacienda hts., CA, USA
Registered: Dec 2004
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posted 08-02-2005 11:03 PM
What happens with the engine off (you do say you don't have power brakes right) and you pump the brake pedal then hold it down? Does it slowly get lower or hold it's height? If it goes down lower, you either have air in the system somewhere, or the piston in the MC is leaking internally or you have an external leak that you haven't found yet, or the rubber hoses are expanding due to old age.------------------
reliving youth
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Toronado3800
Gearhead Posts: 1163
From: St. Louis, MO
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 08-03-2005 01:01 AM
masterrh, where'd you get that five and a half foot tall blond accessory? If origional isn't a big deal you can get a dual resivoir Master Cylinder and up the safety factor. That way you'll have a new gasket, verify you don't have a bad M/C, and  get to bleed brakes again.
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masterrh
Journeyman Posts: 70
From:
Registered: Jul 2004
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posted 08-03-2005 01:12 AM
Well the car may be broken half the time but the one thing it does seem to never fail it is attracting beautiful women (or maybe its the driver  !)I did all the tests mentioned above, and checked for leaking or lowering fluid and they were negative. In my Haynes manual one thing it says on the trouble shooting is that the brake shoes are incorrectly adjusted, which is entirely possible since I didn't adjust them because I figured they were working self-adjusters.
How far do I rotate the adjuster nut to push out the shoes? Or what am I looking for to know that they are adjusted (manually) correctly? Thanks! Could anyone email me pictures of their brake shoes (front n rear) correctly assembled so I can compare? Thanks! Send to masterrh@jmu.edu
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Masters 1966 289 4spd 'R3D 5'
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/639289/6 W/optional accessories. [This message has been edited by masterrh (edited 08-03-2005).]
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Mike W
Gearhead Posts: 135
From: CA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 08-03-2005 04:26 AM
Can you pump the brake pedal to bring the pedal back up? I have had several dual master cylinders that would show up with this problem over time. I am leaning towards a problem with the MC.
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Scott H
Gearhead Posts: 1480
From: Chicago area
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 08-03-2005 07:25 AM
You've identified the problem....the shoes are having to move too far before contacting the drum, causing the pedal to have to travel to the floor to push enough fluid.You need to insert an adjuster tool through the slot in the backing plate at each wheel. It should contact the teeth on the shelf-adjuster. Pull down on the end of the tool to turn the star wheel and expand the shoes. While doing this, rotate the drum (or the tire if they are still on the car) until you feel the shoes start to drag. One good pull on the tire to rotate it should get you about one revolution.
If you didn't adjust the shoes at all then you will have a lot of adjusting to do thru that little slot. You may find it faster to pull off the wheel and drum, adjust the shoes until the drum barely fits back on, then do a final adjustment thru the slot in the backing plate.
The shoes will continue to adjust as they wear-in each time you apply the brakes with the car rolling backwards.
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adragon8u
Gearhead Posts: 5867
From: Oceano, Ca. member# 2895
Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 08-03-2005 09:14 AM
^^^ TTT!------------------
"It's better to have loved a short girl,
Then never to have loved a tall"
http://webpages.charter.net/adragon8u/mystang
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