10" drum or Kelsey-Hayes

I have a small block v-8 68 barracuda, with manual 10" drums all around. Problem is it pulls to one side. When you first start driving it the brake will lock up. By the time I turn around and go home it gets better but still pulls to the left. I have replaced the 3 rubber lines, blead the brakes, wheel cylinders seem to move ok, adjusted the brakes too. I had the drums checked, they dont need to be turned.

Checked the front end, no loose parts. Ball joints and tie rods are original, the car has 65K on it.

On my parts shelf is a set of spindals, dust plates, and core kelsey hayes 4 piston calipers. I pulled the caliper apart in an attempt to rebuild them but I'm having a problem getting them back together...and this is the first time I've done them.

I prefer to go with disc as the last time i got to the end of the track, the brakes were getting a little soft.

The car was also converted to silicone 20 years ago.

auto zone has loaded calipers for $110 each. RC4176 and 4175. I still need ball joints, lines, bearings and rotors minimum.

I've read about the arch of the shoe...but I dont understand why this would make it pull, and after all these years.

At one point I thought the left rear tire locked up rather than the front left. I didnt have a buddy to verify which locked first and no marks were left on the street. I do know it about ripped the steering wheel out of my hand. And scared the crap out of me. I was 3 houses down. put it in reverse and put it back in the yard. I put the car on jack stands, spun the wheels by hand, had my daughter hit the brakes..i wasnt able to turn the wheel but that doesnt say much I dont think.

When i do the brakes, i will be changing over to manual steering and plan on doing tie rods...

So my question, do I keep trouble shooting my problems with the drums or go to disk? I have $500 so far to make this happen but I would feel better knowing why it happened.

I want to drive the car this year. Funds are tight. I want matching rims and need new tires. I think I can pull off rims, tires and the swap...but like i said, why did this happen. And which way should I go.

Thanks!

And why did viglink add an ebay link on "tires"

have you checked your strut rod bushings? just a thought...These keep the lower control arms in place. If there shot and the control arm is allowed to move under braking that might give you the jerking steering wheel you speak of when your braking. For what it cost, I'd probably replace the master cyl. if you find nothing else.

The master circuits are front and rear and should be the same pressure across both front brake lines as they are common. The calipers you disected are not supposed to be taken apart but getting the pistons unstuck is sometimes impossible without going that route. I took frozen ones apart and got them back together, what is the issue, fitment? I would attempt the disk, much easier to equalize than the drums and less fade.

Disc brakes are better without a doubt but whether you can convert for under $500 is debateable. As for trouble shooting the drum brakes....check to see that there is nothing on the lining of the LF brake shoes and the shoes are installed correctly (short lining in the front) They have to be clean and dry. If they are, it's most likely that something in the RF is not working correctly. Double check the adjustment (including the self adjusters) and that both pistons in the wheel cylinder are free. The only thing else I can think of is that the hard line on the right front may be partially plugged.

Try rock auto they have the kh calipers alot cheaper i think around 60.00 each.

I had that problem on a 69 dart. Fixed it by replacing right side wheel cylinder. Good Luck

cylinders are EZ to repair, just a $8 honer and some $1.50 seals. Or ridiculously cheap 4.83 remans from Rockauto.http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=966851 The Calipers are about 50 a pop with 53 core charge so not bad if you can cobble your cores back to shape.

Thanks All! I'll try the cylinders 1st...

First, discs are superior of course but I think your brake adjustment might be suspect. I come from a time where drum brakes were normal and discs were rare. Your problem was a normal occurrence on misadjusted drum brakes. I think this is your case because you did not indicate that the car darts about when hitting bumps or wanders erratically driving straight and level which would indicate a front end issue.

I don't know your experiences so if I insult your intelligence, it is not intended. The problem is that it takes longer to describe the adjustment process than it takes to do it. I will pass on what I know to work. This assumes the brakes are in good working order as you indicated.

Put the car in the air because you must be able to rotate the tire when adjusting. Leave the tire on the car, this is key. You cannot adjust drum brakes with the drum off and you need the tire mounted because that is where you get the leverage to get the adjustment right. Using a brake spoon tighten up the self adjusting star from the behind the backing plate. Tighten the star adjuster until it gets snug. Now, here is where it gets to the point. Grab the tire at 9:00 and 3:00 and rotate the tire 90degrees. This part is hard to describe. You must turn the tire with an "AAARRRGGG". Not an ARG, and not an AAAAARRRRRRGGGGG. It should take a significant amount of effort to turn the tire but not totally locked up. It will probably be too loose. Adjust a few more clicks and rotate the tire again. You may have to do a few more clicks again until the tire is reasonably tight to turn. Then adjust the other three drums the same way to the same amount of resistance. Too much resistance is more forgiving than not enough. It just takes a few more miles for the shoes to loosen up. If your mother could turn the wheel, they are not adjusted adequately. Again, the key to good drum brake adjustment is equal but significant resistance on all drums. They will loosen up in about 50-100 miles, but they will be equal.

If you already adjusted your brakes in a manner similar to this, you have a different problem. My experience in the last ten to fifteen years is that properly adjusting drum brakes is a lost skill.

You could have a fluid contaminated shoe that is grabbing, and or a stuck wheel cylinder on the opposite wheel, and or maladjusted shoes.

If a cylinder is stuck, the shoe will not move leaving the other wheel on the axel to have its shoes over activated when brakes are applied.

You need to pull the drums, inspect all springs, adjusters, cylinders, and correct any deficiencies and readjust.