My rear brake started locking up on me after 150 miles of owning this car, sat in the garage for a couple days and it's now locking up with the touch of the pedal. What is the proper or correct distance from drum pads to the drum? Do you just set so the pads barely allow the drum to fit on? Not sure if I should go as far as to put a caliper on each and give it a 1/16 gap before reinstalling.....or am I looking way to deep into this and just make it a snug fit back on!
Drum brake pad to drum distance?
- Thread starter Turner
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67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Adjustment is not causing them to lock up, unless they are way WAY too tight to start with. One "popular" cause is hydraulic......the master cylinder rod or something else is keeping the master from returning the piston, and keeps the ports in the bore covered. To find out quickly, with the brakes in the "locked" problem area, crack a tube fitting and see if there is pressure, then see if the wheels turn
Oil and grease of any amount will do it also on the shoes. Don't adjust them with the drum off they prob will not be centered. I have always put the drums on hit the brake to center the shoes and adjusted them until they lightly rubbed. Just FYI
73 dart custom
Well-Known Member
Just had the passenger side brake lock up on mine a few weeks ago. Was replacing all the parts to be safe and found out the emergency brake had been stuck about half way on. But couldn't tell from in the car because the handle was where it was supposed to be. Just the cable hadn't released all the way apparently.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
When adjusting, do so with drums on the car. Tighten the adjusters up tight until the wheel will not turn, this "sets" them so to speak, then back off until they "still rub" lightly. On new shoes you may have to do this twice, after driving a bit. On a couple of my cars I had a "set" number of clicks in mind.....tighten them up, then back off 15 clicks. But this is arbitrary, and different for various vehicles.
Once again, adjustment is not the cause of this problem, most likely
Once again, adjustment is not the cause of this problem, most likely
I've adjusted the rear drum that was locking up......the drum pull off with little effort (indicating it was probably just fine). I've read a little about the rear brake hose collapsing internally also, causing fluid not to leak back after you apply the brakes. Brakes looked good and hardware appears correct and like new
Just a side note- you have your brake shoes installed wrong. Short shoe to the front- long shoe to the rear. Rear shoe (the long one) does most of the work. If I am seeing correctly.
mopar head
Well-Known Member
Hard to tell from the pic, but looks like your flex hose is too short.
Rear should be able to hang with out pulling flex too tight.
Looks as though it pulled the steel line down from the frame. ??
Rear should be able to hang with out pulling flex too tight.
Looks as though it pulled the steel line down from the frame. ??
I agree with Murray but it's hard to tell from that pic.
Another thing....the bottom spring appears to be incorrect. I've never seen one so heavy in that position. Hardware kits are only about 10 bucks.
Another thing....the bottom spring appears to be incorrect. I've never seen one so heavy in that position. Hardware kits are only about 10 bucks.
The flex lines feel pretty rigid too, how loose should the flex lines be......I could loosen the adjustment nut, any specs on this
Boy your right that bottom spring is big.....thanks for all the input, I want to make this car correct and safe
mopar head
Well-Known Member
I`m talkin flex hose "brake hose".
And I just went through most of my brake system on my 67 , found LF brake flex hose was collapsed and RF hose was`nt much better.
What surprised me was that even new hoses are just a little over 1/16 ID.
I doubt you e-brake cables are your culprit, loosen a little and test.
And I just went through most of my brake system on my 67 , found LF brake flex hose was collapsed and RF hose was`nt much better.
What surprised me was that even new hoses are just a little over 1/16 ID.
I doubt you e-brake cables are your culprit, loosen a little and test.
Rear hose has been replaced and is not tight......not saying its not bad though
I drove the car an hour ago after I took drum off and adjusted with drum on, and the brake was not locking up anymore. Like I said I do want to correct anything that is not correct
One little side note- do check the self-adjusters. The "stars" are left and right. Sometimes people mix them side to side so that they won't adjust.
The star when adjusting and it clicks makes my brakes grow bigger, I would have to depress the steel arm and adjust opposite direction to reduce brake shoe diameter.....is this correctly installed
Here's my hose tension
You are doing fine, just wanted to be sure. If you take two fingers and squeeze the cable coming from the top anchor to the back of the shoe surface you should see the bottom "arm" rise up. Then when you release the cable that arm will turn the "star". If that tightens the brakes, then your self adjusting feature is working correctly. Also on your rear end, on the fitting where hard lines meet the flex hose- I don't think a bolt should be there, it should be a vent. Not venting the reared can lead to pushing oil out of the seals. We don't mean to "nit-pic", we just want you get it right and have fun with your car.
I noticed it too ....lol
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