Drum Brakes 101

[rapidride2]

Just did a COMPLETE overhaul of brakes on my 52' Roadmaster. Front drums were lightly turned, new shoes, spring kit adjusters, wheel bearings, hoses and stainless inline tube brake lines (which fit great btw) etc. I have only done one front wheel as of now.

Scenario: With the adjusters completely turned in, new Bendix shoes and lightly turned drum. My front wheel&tire, and drum won't move unless i literally 'hug' the tire and wheel to move. The drum is completely on as well

Question: Should i let this ride until 5 or 10 miles after driving the car and check then? Or is there something else I can do. I do know for a fact that my adjusters are all the way in.

Edited May 17, 2014 by rapidride2 (see edit history)

[TexasJohn55]

You cannot leave them tight, it will overheat and burn the shoes and could damage the drums. Make double sure that the shoes are seated properly and rest on the anchor pin at top. Try the other side and see if it is tight also, try another drum on the one you have together. If you bought standard size shoes and not oversize,, you will have to find a brake shop that can grind the shoes down a little to fit the drums. I would not grind the drums any more. A brake shop can measure the drum inside diameter and see where you are compared to specs.

[TexasJohn55]

Measure your old adjusters and compare to your new ones to see if they may be shorter. Check your rub pattern on the shoes to see if they are rubbing at the top at anchor pin or the bottom at adjuster. If only contacting at the bottom, the adjuster could be the problem. If you have full contact pattern, just too big.

[60FlatTop]

Whoever relined the shoes may have used the wrong thickness lining. I had that happen to me once. I think it was only 1/8" but it had me tearing what little hair I have out.

Our cars are the foreign cars of today. Remember all that Euopean stuff they used to screw up in the '60's? That's us today; furin cars.

Bernie

[JohnD1956]

Also check the width of the new shoes compared to your old ones. They may be too wide and hitting the inside vertical face of the drum itself.

[rapidride2]

I'll make some checks tomorrow. Thanks Guys.

[Guest 53 Roady]

When I went to pick up the 53 Roady the front shoes were soaked and the cylinder had returned to ore. The drums looked great, maybe NOS.The car had been "restored" in about 1989. I got cylinders and shoes from NAPA. The shoes were too big to fit in the drum with the adjusters all the way in. I had to put the old shoes on to ship the car home. I ended up at KC Clutch who relined my old shoes and arced them to the drums, NAPA cheerfully refunded my $. Maybe my great drums were thicker than OEM. Maybe Reliners added a little thinking all old cars have worn drums, or maybe a little slop here and a little metric there and......Good luck

Pat

[Airy Cat]

The '52 Roadmaster has 2 1/2 " wide shoes. They will interchange with 1968 Cadillac front shoes.

[packick]

I don't think anyone mentioned this but make sure the eccentric is adjusted properly. This will center the shoes in the drum. The shop manual usually tells you how to adjust it.