It turns out my joy ride after getting Faulkner running right, was not very joyful at all; the brakes – rear, I think – are locking up on me. At one point, they gave a terrifying squeal as if I had slammed on the brakes. We made it to the gas station (used a lot of gas tinkering, doncha know) and managed to creep back to the garage, but I can see that I’ve got to pull the rear drums and find out what’s going on. Hoping it’s not a leaking wheel cylinder, although I don’t see any evidence of that.
No time for a disk brake job; the Dutch/German/Portuguese invasion is about to get underway, and Carlisle will be here in no time. Gotta get these drum brakes working, that’s all there is to it.
Well, I pulled the rear drum on the passenger side – no sign of a leak, but wow, there’s a lot of brake dust. The shoes have a bit of glaze to them, and there’s one spot that looks a little scuffed. I plan to lightly sand the shoes with emory paper, then clean the whole mess up with brake cleaner spray. Anyone have any other suggestions? Tomorrow I plan to pull the driver’s side rear…
Anyway, as far as the brakes, when you step on them, they lock up and stay locked, or they try and grab/lockup everytime you step on the brake ?
I used to have a problem with one of my front wheel locking up after the car had been parked for a bit but a few steps on the pedal would clear it up.
Anyway, if you have no leaking wheel cylinders. I would check to see that both wheel clyinders are working correctly, expanding and contracting. To check that, usually I take one drum off and use two screws drivers, prybars, whatever you have and use them to hold pressure on the shoes like the drums would, then have someone slowly press the pedal and watch the shoes move in and out. To see that they do it smoothly. Maybe a frozed wheel cylinder or a ridge on one keeping it open. Or possibly a collapsed brake line not letting the fluid return and hanging the brakes on.
Other than that, all I could come up with is a drum out of round or something, but I think you would have noticed that on previous drives already.
They grab when I step on the brake, Nick, drag when I release and eventually free up.
Yeah, pumping doesn’t seem to help here.
Well, I think my first step – after I confirm the other side is not leaking – is to clean everything up, take some emory to the shoes lightly, then slap it back together and see where that gets me.
I don’t hear so well anymore, but it seems likely to me the screech I heard came from the rear. And if the front were grabbing, I would expect to have felt that in the steering wheel – correct? And I didn’t…
Bob, I put a very thin film of bearing grease on the shafts when I did the brakes a couple of years ago. It popped right off. (Hope the other side doesn’t make a liar of me )
OK, the driver’s side popped off easily too. And just like the passenger side, the driver’s side was loaded with brake dust. And… at the very bottom… it was a little, er, gummy. But, no leak from the cylinder. Hmmm…
And then I noticed – the pumpkin seal I had replaced by Midas last summer, was leaking. I guess Midas doesn’t have the “Midas Touch” after all. Looks like it managed to creep across the axle housing at high speed, and found its way behind the backing plate…
OK, I cleaned up the rear drums as best I could. I bet they don’t grab now. Looks like I’ve got another rear seal replacement in my future (this time, I’ve got to find a real mechanic. Maybe I’ll work on getting a green card for Matthew). Tomorrow, I’ll top off the brake fluid (Dot 5), and take Faulkner out for another spin.
Topped off the Dot 5, and bumped the idle up just a bit. Eased Faulkner out into traffic, stepped on the brakes – he stopped, no squeal, no grabbing brakes! I want to take it for a longer drive when company arrives, but I think Faulkner’s ready for a road trip.
Hi Dan - Glad to hear you brake problem is solved. When I first got my SF I removed the rear drums with great dificulty and when I put them back on I used grease thinking they would come off easily next time. Then I read somewhere the worst thing you can do is put grease on the axles. Well the next time I had to take them off nothing would get them to pop, I used a hub puller and heat to no avail. To get them to pop I had to use a 16 lb. sledge and after about six whacks they popped off. Needless to say I destroyed the drums. I used never-seize and have not had a problem since. Good luck next time.
Dick
You’re right! It’s been a couple of years, but I remember that’s what I used too. A little dab’ll do you. And it explains why the drums came off so easily for me (of course, having the right drum puller helped too).
best of luck..to me it sounds like your cylinders are at fault…but only time and testing will prove the result..
My mechanic missed out on the fact that I need a new centerlink . He has figured it out now…
Well, the brakes are fine after you take it for a spin. But let it sit for a while, and there’s the same old screech when you start off…
I popped the driver’s side rear again, because that’s where it seemed to me the noise was coming from. Again, more dust, not damp, but not dry either – and somewhat gummy on the lower part of the rear shoe. But, no sign of a leak. I popped the cover back, looks dry… but wait! Little droplets of fluid on the neoprene cover! A sure sign of a minor leak…
Gotta hand it to Roger, he’s the best 3,000 mile diagnostician I know of. I’m not gonna fool around with rebuilding, I’ll just order a new one. Thanks, Rog!
Hmmph, what do I know..anyhow, typically the individual cylinders are the sneaky culprits of brake problems…look at them first before anything else. they need to move freeely in and out., with no leakis
well gorsh…
once you replace that cylinder, do you recall the order in which you ought to bleed the brakes? (I Don’t). Is it nearest, lowest cylinder first, then furthest (and highest) last? Think like an airbubble, which is what you are trying to purge…
If you are careful during the change-out, air infiltration should be minimal, unless you leavew an open line and it begins to drip…Remember to “bench-bleed” the cylinder as best you can, prior to installation..
Do I need to bleed all lines? Whenever I’ve replaced a single cylinder, I’ve never done that… Bubbles can only travel uphill (meaning, heavier fluid can only travel downhill). With that wheel up in the air, above the others, as long as I lose less fluid than what’s in the length of line (should be easy), the bubble would have to travel downhill to reach the other lines. I think I’m safe – as long as I keep it up in the air when I bleed, and I minimize fluid loss.
Drat… When we visited Ed Ober, he mentioned a little bleeder valve that you put in line with the drain tube for the wheel cylinder. Couldn’t find one to save my life… Well, that’s what wives are for! I installed the cylinder, and Marie manned the brake pedal while I opened and closed the bleeder valve. Man! Is it hard to get fluid in the master brake cylinder with the booster in the way. But with a funnel and a piece of tube, I managed to spill only half a bottle on the plastic floor mat. (Thanks again, Dick )
Cleaned up everything real good again with brake cleaner, slapped the drum back on, adjusted, and took Faulkner for a spin. Not a peep, and he stops on a dime. Guess I’ll keep these brakes for a while – I’m in no hurry to do rotors now.
…and in two weeks, I’ll be tearing a (web)page from Ron Keij’s book – I’ll be driving my son and his bride-to-be to their wedding in Faulkner! Can’t afford to have bad brakes for that.
Well, today’s the wedding day. Yesterday I took Faulkner for a ride to get gassed up. There was a car in front, so I backed up – then, put it in drive. The same brake locking!!!
Now, I wonder if enough brake fluid soaked into the lining that sanding with emory paper isn’t enough; and that I need to replace the shoes. I think that’s my next step anyway. I’m wondering too if backing up tilted the shoes in a different position that caused them to lock when moving forward; perhaps adjusted too tight? I dunno, it breaks free once you get moving. But I’ll get the attention of a lot of wedding guests today, I bet!
ugh, Dan. Who needs complications on such an important day..
I dont know about the emory paper treatment. Were I you, I’d get a can of BrakeKleen (or similar) areosol and enpty the can on those shoes and drum.
I was told years ago that the BEST thing you can do to make these brakes work properly is to take the drum and a new pair of brakes shoes to a quality brake shop and have the drum “turned” and the shoes "shaped to fit that drum. THis is what I had done for my car’s front wheels anyway…
THere is also the possibility that the shoes are worn down enough that the brake cylinder piston has to travel further to effect braking, then doesnt want to retract.
Just speculating.
I hope the wedding goes great!
I hope everything worked fine today and your son had a great wedding!
I don’t know if I understood your problem and no doubt you’ve more experience with the car, but I can remember that we’ve had problems with the brakes, too. My dad used to drive backwards for about a mile or so, when he pulled the car out of the garage in springtime.
If he was trying to drive normally, the brakes blocked. So he drove backwards and grinded the brakes until they didn’t block any more. Since last year I don’t have this problem any more, because I ordered a new pair of brake tubes from the US. The old ones have been somehow clogged. Now the brakes are working fine!
But I don’t think that your problem is that simple…
)
)
