shoe adjust?

[120]

HELLO BRAKE MASTERS.

I have a three shoe car (1962 ss). I recently replaced the rear shoes which gave me more pedal and much better brakes, except that now I notice the front left grabs first or harder. If I hold the wheel for straight driving, it seems like the first instant the lefts want to grab and pull the wheel, though the rights are braking.

If all the front shoes are adjusted the same, is this an indication of the rights needing a hone? Or do I back off on the left shoes?

thanks
Bruce

[papajam]

If all the shoes, front and rear, are adjusted the same and the car pulls left, I'd check;

1) fluid on the left front brake shoes from one or more leaking wheel cylinders
2) one or more right front wheel cylinders sticking or frozen
3) right front brake hose constricted
4) front suspension bushings - could be caster change under braking. Is there a 'clunk' from the front end when you hit the brakes?

Backing off on the left side shoes may solve the symptom but I think that not only will this not address the root cause of the problem but the brake pedal travel will increase as well.

[AlfistiSA]

Hi Bruce

SS 3 leading shoe brakes are actually quite easy to adjust, despite what everyone says.

Firstly, papajam is 100% right, check that nothing is leaking / loose or worn out. Assuming that all is 100% and it's just adjustment, here is an easy way to do it.

Get someone behind the wheel, front end jacked up & both wheels off. slacken all adjusters 100% off - till they jam on the pins - remember when you are facing a front drum, with a spanner on the adjuster nut behind the drum, to slacken off the adjusters, to follow the direction of the wheel backwards, is to slacken & forwards is tighten. (tighten anti-clockwise on LHS - Sinistro and tighten clockwise on the RHS - Destro). Remember, this is when you are facing each drum.

Now tighten up each adjuster, one click at a time, alternating between the 3 adjusters, till the shoes just make contact, BUT, the trick is to have someone pump the pedal each time you have adjusted the 3 adjusters once each. This settles the 3 shoes into position as they are floating shoes & each click on the adjuster of an adjacent shoe affects the other 2 shoes. Otherwise it's the same principal as adjusting the 2 shoe Normale & Veloce drums.

It's a bit time consuming, but works like a treat.

Shout if you come unstuck, I've got a brake rebuild doc I can email you as well. This includes how to rebuild the whole system.

Ciao
Greig

[1750s]

New, related question on this process. Once all three adjusters are slackened, what constitutes a "click" - one rotation or is there something that can be felt when tightening?
Cheers
Russ

[1750s]

No reply required. I sorted thru this today. Thanks for the good basics, Greig.

[pathung]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1750s New, related question on this process. Once all three adjusters are slackened, what constitutes a "click" - one rotation or is there something that can be felt when tightening? Cheers Russ

[120]

there is a "click". if you look at the adjuster wheel which is spacing the drums when it is turned, it is notched all the way around.
it may be a little worn, but you should still be able to feel a slight bump that comes to rest.

btw, my problem was, pitted cylinders, replaced the passenger side. works fine now.