Brakes Stop Pulling

[Deanj]

My front brakes no longer pull to the left after replacing both front brake hose. I doubted that this was the problem because it seemed too "easy". Started with the hoses and planned to check the drum, shoes, brake cylinders, and maybe a spring. What a pleasant surprise to solve a serious issue and return braking confidence.

Dean

[bird 60]

Good to hear Dean. I would assume, even though I don't like using the word, one of the brake hoses had collapsed.

Chris.....From OZ.

[simplyconnected]

Did you ever cut an old brake hose in half? The hole is tiny. They make them that way because the inside surface area can hold extreme pressures.

These hoses are made in layers of rubber, braid, etc. Old ones de-laminate from the inside which closes that tiny hole. When that happens, the brake return springs cannot release.

The same thing happens if you mix DOT-5 and DOT-3 brake fluid without flushing the lines with alcohol first. The lines pack full of solids and when you apply serious brake pressure, the springs cannot return so the shoes/pads drag or lock up. - Dave

[Deanj]

Did you ever cut an old brake hose in half? The hole is tiny. They make them that way because the inside surface area can hold extreme pressures.

These hoses are made in layers of rubber, braid, etc. Old ones de-laminate from the inside which closes that tiny hole. When that happens, the brake return springs cannot release...

- Dave

Exactly. The new Wagner hoses were thinner than the old hose, which makes me think maybe those oldies were on the car over 20 years. I kept adjusting the right brake to make contact sooner and compensate for the pull. This really increased drag.

I adjusted the rear by the book (manual) because I can't tell what's going on. The front brakes are adjusted so the wheel spins once around. Is that too much?

Dean

[simplyconnected]

We depend on brakes to work properly every single time. Oddly, they are the most low-tech system in the entire car. They are simple and the shoes are designed to 'float' on the back plate.

So, what stops the shoes from turning inside the drum? That huge pin at the top. When you apply drum brakes while backing up, the whole shoe assembly rotates slightly until the front shoe butts up against the pin. (Self-adjusters take advantage of this action.) The farther out of adjustment your shoes become, the more they rotate inside the drum because the wheel cylinders push out at the tops of the shoes. That's also where the pin is located (just above the wheel cylinder).

Assuming your springs and hydraulics are good, when you adjust shoe brakes they should emit a slight 'scuff' sound with very slight drag. Before calling it 'quits' step on that brake pedal hard, then go back and check your adjustment. It may have changed.

Old school mechanics used to adjust so the shoes are tight, then back the star wheel off until drum/shoe contact is slight. I do this exact procedure when tightening the spindle nut, especially after changing bearings and races. I turn the front wheel as I tighten hard on the nut, then back it off so there is the slightest drag. - Dave

[OX1]

I suspected this issue when I first got my bird.
But I was going disk, so did not bother to replace
lines on drums to fin out.

Glad to hear that that was most likely it, as except
for the lines, it appeared the entire drum setup was
rebuilt.