Hi Folks
My 56 Olds Super 88 with standard brakes has a very hard pedal and doesn't stop unless I step on it with both feet. I changed the shoes, master & wheel cyl and hoses. Any ideas why this happens? Did I forget to adjust something? I adjusted the shoes already.

Please help.
Thanks

Steve

Email: steveclassic@earthlink.net

hard pedal meaning that there is absolutly no sponginess? Do you have someone that can help you by pushing on the brake pedal while you have either (or both) the front wheels and rear wheels raised. I would think this would be the easiest quickest way to get a reading on what is really happening.At least than you can isolate the problem.At first guess though it would seem that the front brakes are not doing too much since they provide more of the braking than the rear.Really there is not a lot that can go wrong if,as you say,you have replaced everything.Just curious,did you replace the front wheel cylinders with the original 1 and 3/32" bore wheel cylinders?

The front cylinders are the correct 1 3/32" bore, I had a set that were 1 1/8" bore, but I found a set of the originals so I used them.

What is your test with the car raised up and all four tires in the air? I can do this easily.

Can the shoes be of hard lining type? They are wagner thermo quiet riveted in the front and bendix in the rear.

Anything else I should look at?

thanks

okay so I've noticed now that you've also posted in the general forum.
I always like to keep things simple at first,so it would be helpful if,by raising sets of wheels,and with someone pushing on the pedal,you can actually rotate the wheels and feel which are grabbing and if you are still able to turn any or all wheels if the pedal is depressed fully.This may sound simplistic but if you come to find "eureka,my rears aren't doing anything" then we are much further ahead. In my mind and from what you are saying,this seems like a real possibility.
Also,you didn't mention if the emergency brake was adjusted and working properly(holding).

Okay, I had the car up in the air and with the pedal depressed all four wheels are holding and can't be turned at all. E brake holds fine as well.

I also checked the shoes and they all have even wear so they are touching the entire drum.

Any other ideas? Should I switch to power brakes?

Did you replace the hoses as they could be collapsing on the inside. Jeff

Where did you get your brake shoes?? Were they new old stock, or fresh stuff? Sounds like you got some real hard lining's. NAPA stores can usually get fresh new stuff for the old Oldsmobiles or Fuisck.