I am a decent enough shadetree mechanic with nice tools and what I thought was a pretty good set of troubleshooting skills, but I am totally at my wits end with a braking problem in my wife's '55 E7 pickup.
We restored the truck for the second time about 18 months ago and it preformed flawlessly until 2-3 weeks ago. The left front brake began dragging and making quite a racket. I took the drum off, inspected everything and found NOTHING obviously wrong, so I bolted it all back together and readjusted everything and drove the truck about a mile and all seemed well. My wife drove the truck the following day and after about 2-3 miles the problem came back.
So, I decided that the brake hose must be the problem and I replaced it. Again, I readjusted everything and put it back together and even installed a new wheel cylinder because I had a fresh one on the shelf. Next day same story--after 2-3 miles of driving the problem came back--this time is was WORSE than ever! I then added even MORE free play in the pedal (started with about 3/4" and now was up to 2"). No dice, same problem. For the heck of it I popped in a new wheel bearing too. Still the same story.
So, after getting some advice on the Monday Chat Night, I decided that it HAD to be in the master, even though the problem was PRIMAIRLY only on the left front, the right front was also dragging a wee bit as well. I have a frame rail mounted Corvette dual master with a tiny 7" booster, so off came the master for a brand new one. Now that the master, brake hose, wheel cylinder, shoes, springs were all new, I figurued all was well. And it WAS--FOR ABOUT FIVE MILES AGAIN.
I really wish we had never put in the dual master, but my wife INSISTED on it when we redid her truck. And the system worked FLAWLESSLY for about 7,500 miles.
My wife is about to shoot me. I am totally at a loss. Can anyone here give me some advice?
We restored the truck for the second time about 18 months ago and it preformed flawlessly until 2-3 weeks ago. The left front brake began dragging and making quite a racket. I took the drum off, inspected everything and found NOTHING obviously wrong, so I bolted it all back together and readjusted everything and drove the truck about a mile and all seemed well. My wife drove the truck the following day and after about 2-3 miles the problem came back.
So, I decided that the brake hose must be the problem and I replaced it. Again, I readjusted everything and put it back together and even installed a new wheel cylinder because I had a fresh one on the shelf. Next day same story--after 2-3 miles of driving the problem came back--this time is was WORSE than ever! I then added even MORE free play in the pedal (started with about 3/4" and now was up to 2"). No dice, same problem. For the heck of it I popped in a new wheel bearing too. Still the same story.
So, after getting some advice on the Monday Chat Night, I decided that it HAD to be in the master, even though the problem was PRIMAIRLY only on the left front, the right front was also dragging a wee bit as well. I have a frame rail mounted Corvette dual master with a tiny 7" booster, so off came the master for a brand new one. Now that the master, brake hose, wheel cylinder, shoes, springs were all new, I figurued all was well. And it WAS--FOR ABOUT FIVE MILES AGAIN.
I really wish we had never put in the dual master, but my wife INSISTED on it when we redid her truck. And the system worked FLAWLESSLY for about 7,500 miles.
My wife is about to shoot me. I am totally at a loss. Can anyone here give me some advice?
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