I'm an idiot re: troubleshooting brakes. UPDATE!

[Roscomacaw]

Allen did say he's got new springs.

Ernie, Allen said they'd driven it for months on a full resto (of the whole truck!) before the brakes started to act up.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1963 Cruiser
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door

[bige]

Jeez Biggs, just trying to help.

New doesn't always mean right or not defective. I've gotten plenty of "new" parts from vendors, Stude and otherwise, that looked right but weren't. My new heater valve from Stude International lasted 500 miles!

I'll simply suggesting that if the parts are coming from the same vendor or manufacturer it might make sense to check that they aren't "close enough" but dead on.

ErnieR

quote:Originally posted by Mr.Biggs

Allen did say he's got new springs.

Ernie, Allen said they'd driven it for months on a full resto (of the whole truck!) before the brakes started to act up.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1963 Cruiser
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door

[sbca96]

quote:Originally posted by bige
New doesn't always mean right or not defective. I've gotten plenty of "new" parts from vendors, Stude and otherwise, that looked right but weren't.

Like the rear wheel cylinder rebuild kit that had an air bubble in
the rubber cup which blew out coming off the freeway at 70 mpg and
took out the brakes on my Hawk? Single master cylinders suck. This
is the reason I push a dual master upgrade, new parts arent perfekt.

Tom

[Son O Lark]

Check to make you don't have two PRIMARY shoes on one side. This will make a very pronounced grab on one side.[:0]

[Jackson]

FWIW
I had a similar drum brake grab/lockup problem on the LR rear brake of a Chrysler Cordoba. After trying most of what has been suggested on this topic, I replaced the rear brake shoes and that solved the problem. Close examination of the old shoes revealed a hairline crack in the lining that was on the LR brake.

[img][/img]
34 STUDEBAKER STREET ROD
55 SPEEDSTER (in work)
63 R2 LARK (in work)
85 AVANTI (9K miles)

[nels]

Is the vent hole open in the MC lid?

[Allan Songer]

quote:Originally posted by nels

Is the vent hole open in the MC lid?

It's got a remote fill. I really don't think it's the master, as I am confident the problem would be with BOTH front brakes.

I'm going out of town on business for a few days, but when I get back I'll tear into this again and report back. Going to do some systematic left-right swapping. Unfortunately the wheel cylinders don't interchange, but I can swap everything else one piece at a time and check.

I think I'm going to order new wheel cylinders just in case.

[64Avanti]

quote:Originally posted by sbca96

Like the rear wheel cylinder rebuild kit that had an air bubble in
the rubber cup which blew out coming off the freeway at 70 mpg and
took out the brakes on my Hawk? Single master cylinders suck. This
is the reason I push a dual master upgrade, new parts arent perfekt.

Tom

David L

[sbca96]

Yup ... I misspelled "perfect" on purpose ...

and that should be 70 mph ... not mpg. Sorry.

Tom

[bams50]

Tom, if you don't get your spelling under control, Allen will never be able to get his brakes fixed!

Seriously, I have no suggestions to offer, but am watching this thread for the resolution. Good luck!

BTW Tom- what does the rabbit with the Chinese hat signify?

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[sbca96]

quote:Originally posted by bams50
BTW Tom- what does the rabbit with the Chinese hat signify?

Its a pancake.

Tom

[Allan Songer]

It all started with this image about 5-7 years ago and it became viral:

[sbca96]

quote:Originally posted by Allan Songer

It all started with this image about 5-7 years ago and it became viral

It has a different meaning for me, and its for Mike V.V.

Tom

[fmarshall]

I'm pretty sure the problem has to do with the brake drum.

I originally thought that either the shoes were mixed - two primaries on the left side or that the primary and secondary shoe were in the other's position.

But, since a couple of trips were made and the grabbing was gone, then returned, I reasonably sure it is the drum. Swapping the drums MAY make the problem move or MAY make it go away all together.

Sometimes, the inner seal can fit incorrectly or even be the correct seal, but not be installed all the way. What I have seen is that the bearing races do not get fully seated. Then when the drum gets fully torqued down, and eased off to pin the castellated nut, everything is fine.

Then add some driving and the bearing/race works its way in a little more.

When I have seen that happen, it was sometimes caused by a burr in the wheel, where the race goes. And sometimes it was an incorrect bearing race. In my years as an owner/operator of a NAPA store, I have seen mismatched bearings and races from Timken and BCA on more than one occasion - in fairness to the company, they could have been switched after manufacture. And lots of time parts folks and installers fail to check the part numbers for sets (note, the numbers are usually on the box and on the parts).

And if they aren't matched sets, then one has to be even more careful, as several races (cups) will fit other bearings (cones).

If its not a problem with the drum, I would be stumped too.

========================
63 Avanti R2, 4-Speed, 3.73 TT
Martinez, CA

[Allan Songer]

quote:Originally posted by fmarshall

I'm pretty sure the problem has to do with the brake drum.

I originally thought that either the shoes were mixed - two primaries on the left side or that the primary and secondary shoe were in the other's position.

But, since a couple of trips were made and the grabbing was gone, then returned, I reasonably sure it is the drum. Swapping the drums MAY make the problem move or MAY make it go away all together.

Sometimes, the inner seal can fit incorrectly or even be the correct seal, but not be installed all the way. What I have seen is that the bearing races do not get fully seated. Then when the drum gets fully torqued down, and eased off to pin the castellated nut, everything is fine.

Then add some driving and the bearing/race works its way in a little more.

When I have seen that happen, it was sometimes caused by a burr in the wheel, where the race goes. And sometimes it was an incorrect bearing race. In my years as an owner/operator of a NAPA store, I have seen mismatched bearings and races from Timken and BCA on more than one occasion - in fairness to the company, they could have been switched after manufacture. And lots of time parts folks and installers fail to check the part numbers for sets (note, the numbers are usually on the box and on the parts).

And if they aren't matched sets, then one has to be even more careful, as several races (cups) will fit other bearings (cones).

If its not a problem with the drum, I would be stumped too.

========================
63 Avanti R2, 4-Speed, 3.73 TT
Martinez, CA

Thanks for the input. I did install new wheel bearings as part of this process, but . . .

I'll get it fixed eventually and I will let EVERYONE know what the problem was when it goes away!