48 Chrysler brakes

[Guest 48windsor14]

Hello, I have recently gotten my Chrysler to the point where I can now drive it but have a question about the brakes. It is a 1948 Windsor, I bled the brakes and made sure that every brake line was tight and not leaking any fluid. The wheel cylinders are all new as well as the master cylinder, I was just wondering if you are supposed to pump on the pedal to get the car to stop. When I drove it I had to pump the pedal a couple of times because it would not stop even after pumping the pedal the car did not completely stop. I just wanted to know if maybe I should bleed the brakes again or adjust the brake shoes or maybe if this is normal. I would really appreciate any help as this is my first car of this year and know almost nothing about these brakes. Thanks in advance.

[hwellens]

If the pedal rises as you pump the brakes, there is air in the system. Bleed again. If you cannot get the air out, I would think something is wrong with the master cylinder.

[24Chry48]

  These brakes are like any other brakes. Either you have air in the lines yet or your shoes need to be adjusted up a little.

[JACK M]

There are threads recently about how to adjust the shoes on these. With some reading it is pretty straight forward.

As suggested, if you pedal is coming up with pumping then there is air still in the system, If it comes up only slightly then it could well be the shoe adjustment.

There has been discussion lately about different length pins that go between the shoe and piston.

[keiser31]

Just to inform....ALWAYS adjust the brakes prior to bleeding them or you will forever have a soft pedal.

[ply33]

Just to inform....ALWAYS adjust the brakes prior to bleeding them or you will forever have a soft pedal.

And it is impossible to properly adjust the brakes without the shoe linings arced to the diameter of the drum they are to be used with. There are a number of ways to arc the shoe linings:

 

1. Adjust as best you can and wait for them to wear in (with lots of adjusting along the way).

2. With a shoe arcing machine. Seems like most of those disappeared when people got serious about asbestos.

3. I used sticky back sandpaper from my local hardware store, placed it in side the each drum and the hand sanded the linings until I had good contact over the whole shoe.

4. Probably lots of other ways to do it that I haven't heard of or thought of.

 

With properly arced shoe linings, proper adjustment and well bleed hydraulics the pedal should be high and firm.

[Rusty_OToole]

If the brakes are adjusted correctly and no air in the system you do not need to pump the brakes. You will have a firm pedal when you depress the pedal 1 to 2 inches.

 

The brakes on your car were state of the art for the times and will stop the car straight and sure. But, unlike the loose leaf brakes featured by other makes, yours must be precisely adjusted.

 

As Ply 33 pointed out the shoes should be contoured to the drums for full contact and best efficiency. Then, there are 2 adjustments. Major adjustment and minor adjustment.

 

Major adjustment is done only when overhauling the brakes or replacing brake shoes. The shoes must be adjusted to mate with the drums and have .006 clearance at the pivot end, .008 at the movable end. If this is done the shoes will have full contact with the drums and the brakes will work at full efficiency.

 

The minor adjustment is done to take up wear. When properly adjusted there will be 1 -2 inches of free play at the pedal. As the brakes wear the pedal will get lower. When it gets down to 2 or 3 inches from the floor you should adjust the brakes, and the pedal will be back up to the top.

 

After working on the brakes you may have to adjust the brakes once or twice within the first month, once they are bedded in they will go 5000 - 10000 miles between adjustments depending how much you use them.

Edited August 27, 2015 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)