manual brake shake boogie...

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InItSwingIt

InItSwingIt

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Just got a 66 dart. Dude i bought said he did the brakes. Havent really wrenched into it yet but looks fresh and greased unlike the rest of the car which makes me think he did indeed work on them, but the violent shaking when braking from 40mph+ makes me think he may have just thrown it together, taken dome shortcut, or bolted something together improperly. Brakes feel like thier bled and work great (for man drums) as long as your under 40mph. I know a little creeking is normal as the drums get hot.

What could cause this? I am not the first to assume warped rotors or drums, but thats how you make an *** from U and ME. What else could cause brake shake that behaves at low speed? What could he have done wrong? Can they be seated improperly or could something seemingly unrelated might be displaying itself as a brake shake?

Any feedback appreceated, im just looking for insight, so i dont haft to make every mistake ever made one more time next :violent2:
 
When you say shaking, is that mostly front wheel wobble you are feeling?

It could be the drums out of round, loose front end parts, shoes on backwards etc.

I would pull the wheels and drums off and have a looksee.

Welcome to the site.
 
Front end...e brake is smooth when pulled at speed...im gonna see what i can see wih my own two eyes...whats wierd is that its fine below 40mph...ima probly turn down the drums on the lath to be safe, could the new shes be seated improperly or taking an extrodanarly long time to break in?

What could come loose on the front end? Steering is amazingly tight. Nothing LOOKS wrong, lugs are tight and the ball joints look -10,000 mi. Im woundering who has had similar gremlins? Who can give me a clue as to what other phenomenon than warped drums could be taking place?

Thanks in advance...
 
If rear drums are wrong and their centers not fitting snugly on the center of the axle hubbs, they could be off center on the axle hubs and be shaking. Hard to say other wise, but BadSport's point above about the front end parts (particularly the idler arms and other steering links) being shot could cause it too; it's called steering 'shimmy'. Jack up the passenger side front, so the tire is just off of the ground, grab the tire and 'steer' it back and forth, and see if it moves signficiantly compared to the left wheel. Look at the idler arm to see if it moves up and down at all.
 
Popular opion say its most likely my drums? Ill check em and see whats real. Dosent pull either way, dosent have too much play in the steering, tracks real straight and dosent feel like a wheelbearing. I got front and rear factory sway bar, could that hide the feeling of something loose? Im playing the devils advocate cus i know if i dont ill pull the drums and they'll be true as truth and ill be scrathing my head. If i prepare to rebuild my whole front end it'll be the drums no question. Murphys law in effect is all.
 
OBTW, some other things to check:
1. The primary shoes are the shorter shoes and always go to the front. There should be a primary and a secondary shoe at each wheel.
2. Sand/file a little bevel on the leading edge (as the drum normally rotates) of each shoe's brake materials.
3. Make sure the shoes are the right width; they should cover about 85-90% of the width of the inside drum surface.
4. Make sure the shoes and drums are completely cleaned with Brake-kleen.
5. Make sure you find a diagram of the spring arrangement and see if the springs are installed right.

All simple stiff, but IMO it needs complete work over.
 
my bet is new shoes without turning the drums-- higher speeds more noticeable due to the extra mount of force required to stop, Lawrence
 
VDART said:
my bet is new shoes without turning the drums-- higher speeds more noticeable due to the extra mount of force required to stop, Lawrence
Click to expand...

Agree or the front drums warped from hard braking
 
VDART said:
my bet is new shoes without turning the drums-- higher speeds more noticeable due to the extra mount of force required to stop, Lawrence
Click to expand...



Seems like that to me now too. if he eyballed them bolted it together bled it and didint notice when he drove it round the block oce or twice. Ill check it all out when i have a minuet. Good insight. Thanks
 
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