Brakes shudder, 1966 New Yorker. Also: spinning hubcaps.

[-stew-]

So my yorkie is running and driving once again, and I'm having some issues with the brakes. Being a younger guy (comparatively) with little to no 4 wheel drum brakes experience, I come seeking the wisdom of those here versed in drum brakes and full sized Chryslers. When I hit the brakes, whole car shudders, and you can feel it in the pedal. Every thing in the brakes is new, front and rear. Drums, shoes, hardware, wheel cylinders, hoses, adjusters and the master has been upgraded to a dual piston 1967 unit. The pedal is a little low so I'm gonna try and adjust the brakes now that I've put a few miles on it (I'd say ten miles.) Is this just an adjustment issue, or should I look somewhere else? Thanks in advance!

 

[commando1]

Stew, let's try process of elimination first.
Get up to speed where it's safe and jump on the parking brake.
Then back up as fast as safely possible and jump on the foot brake.
And again with the E-brake.
That will be a huge help in TSing.

Something went wrong in the installation process of the shoes I bet.
Who did it?

 

[tallhair]

That will be a huge help in TSing.

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Is that Chinese?

 

[-stew-]

That's a good idea, but I'm not gonna hit the e-brake on this car unless I first do it with the rear drums off. Call me a skeptic but I don't expect a 50 year old parking brake to release.

 

[commando1]

That's a good idea, but I'm not gonna hit the e-brake on this car unless I first do it with the rear drums off. Call me a skeptic but I don't expect a 50 year old parking brake to release.

Um, your parking brakes have to be in good working condition.
No sense trying to TS then.

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[-stew-]

Um, your parking brakes have to be in good working condition.
No sense trying to TS then.

Posted via Topify on Android

Why does my parking brake need to be in proper working order? So long as it's released, it had no bearing on the operation of the service brakes.

 

[saylor]

mine was front suspension where all the wobbly was coming from, especially when lightly on the brake. if I mashed it all the wobbly went away. after changing the front end suspension and steering, its all solid now no matter if im light on the brake or heavy on the brake. I guess it was ball joint and control arm slop is what im sayin.

 

[-stew-]

mine was front suspension where all the wobbly was coming from, especially when lightly on the brake. if I mashed it all the wobbly went away. after changing the front end suspension and steering, its all solid now no matter if im light on the brake or heavy on the brake. I guess it was ball joint and control arm slop is what im sayin.

It has four new ball joints, new upper control arm bushings, four new tie rod ends, new idler arm, new pitman arm, new shocks, new sway bar bushings...

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Did you clean drums with brake clean ootb if yes drums are out of round.

 

[saylor]

did you do the lower LCA where it goes in the frame and the torsion bar goes? theres a bushing in there too

 

[old_phart]

Did you have the "new" drums turned? I have found new drums that have been dropped and are seriously out of round. In one instance I had to return one and have the parts dealer get me another.

Jim

 

[-stew-]

Did you clean drums with brake clean ootb if yes drums are out of round.

Yes, I did clean all the parts with brake cleaner before instillation.

did you do the lower LCA where it goes in the frame and the torsion bar goes? theres a bushing in there too

I did not replace that bushing, although I believe I have a pair of them. I don't hear any noises as the suspension cycles. I'm not opposed to pulling the lower arms and torsion bars, but i don't want to if I don't really have to.

Did you have the "new" drums turned? I have found new drums that have been dropped and are seriously out of round. In one instance I had to return one and have the parts dealer get me another.

Jim

I did not have the new drums turned.



Upon inspection I found one of the rears needing a few cranks from the adjusting spoon, the parking brake does apply and release. Drivers side front needed a lot of adjustment, the passenger side needed a little. Passenger front wheel bearings needed some adjustment. And upon inspection/paying better attention to what I was doing, none of the drums seem round, fronts being worse than the rears. So as suggested above, I'm gonna have all the drums cut. Cutting the front drums, do they need to be on the hubs, or can I just pop the drums off? Thanks again!

 

[68Nwprt]

Put the car in the air and adjust your brakes until there is slight to medium drag when turning the wheel by hand. If there is a drum that is out of round, you will feel uneven pressure as you turn it. Have that drum re-cut and re-check. Do this with all four wheels. To have them re-cut just take them to a good automotive service center. Tire Kingdom did mine.

 

[bulldogchesty]

I think Stan was just trying to get you to find out if it is the front drums or the rear. If it shudders when you step on the e brake it is the rear.

 

[commando1]

Thanks Bulldog.

 

[-stew-]

I knew what he was getting at, and it's a good idea. But here in Wisconsin, usually after 4 or 5 winters, if a parking brake isn't used regularly it never releases after being applied. So I wasn't gonna apply it unless I was somewhere where I could take drastic measures to release the parking brake if needed.

 

[bulldogchesty]

Keep the handle pulled while you step on the e brake.

 

[-stew-]

Another thing... The guy I bought the car from had some shitty plastic wheel covers from the walmart on the car. He said he had these on because the factory hub caps would rotate a little every time you stopped, eventually tearing out the valve stems. And due to this he lost a hub cap and it got all smashed up, so the car only came with three good originals. I bought a set of wheel covers from a member here and they are rotating, too.

 

[-stew-]

Keep the handle pulled while you step on the e brake.

The problem is the cables bind up in the sheath because they rust from water and road salt getting in there over the winter, not usually an issue with the release lever.

 

[bulldogchesty]

I had that happen on my 68 Newport. Someone on here helped me with that. I had to bend up the metal teeth where it attached to the rim.