ArdWrknTrk Posted June 7 Share Posted June 7 Not sure what kind of crappy drum brake vehicles you've driven but I come down 6-8% grades all the time with the thing at highway speeds and the brakes never fade really at all even on hot days. I have 3.70 gears and downshifting to second it has excellent compression braking for an automatic but I've never needed to do that other than for testing purposes. That car weighs about 4400 with me in it and some stuff in the trunk. It has far better braking capability than the front disc rear drum setup on our old dodge van that weighed 400 pounds more, now that pile was scary to get stopped fast. I used to drive a black 70's Dodge van with a 318 and 3-on-the-tree We called her Mariah and it was like sitting in an oven. I'm glad one of the guys finally totalled it. I just remember how bad the brakes would fade in my grandfathers station wagon. He was very good about maintenance and adjustments, but he would say things on Sicilian that would make a sailor blush. (he also drove like a maniac, but that's not new) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted June 7 Share Posted June 7 I used to drive a black 70's Dodge van with a 318 and 3-on-the-tree We called her Mariah and it was like sitting in an oven. I'm glad one of the guys finally totalled it. I just remember how bad the brakes would fade in my grandfathers station wagon. He was very good about maintenance and adjustments, but he would say things on Sicilian that would make a sailor blush. (he also drove like a maniac, but that's not new) well, they seemed to work fine for the test drive, but I really noticed the absence of the vacuum booster more than anything. and with the aod I'm sure he could have good engine braking in either od/d position if he needs to come back down black mountain. next I think he needs to get it to a tire shop. I'm sure the old, hardened tires are more of a risk at this point. as easily as this barks second, I assume it will slide even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nothing Special Posted June 7 Share Posted June 7 well, they seemed to work fine for the test drive, but I really noticed the absence of the vacuum booster more than anything. and with the aod I'm sure he could have good engine braking in either od/d position if he needs to come back down black mountain. next I think he needs to get it to a tire shop. I'm sure the old, hardened tires are more of a risk at this point. as easily as this barks second, I assume it will slide even more. Both Pluto (my Bronco) and my old Jeep CJ5 came to me with 4 wheel drums. Now I don't live in the mountains, and neither is the heaviest vehicle in the world, but I never had any trouble with fade. I still replaced them with front disks, but that was mainly for wet weather performance. Hit the brakes after splashing through a puddle and there'd be nothing, then one brake would dry out and it'd pull hard, then another and the pull would change. 4 wheel drums are definitely tolerable (and can be great when dry). But I do really prefer disks, at least in front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted June 7 Author Share Posted June 7 Both Pluto (my Bronco) and my old Jeep CJ5 came to me with 4 wheel drums. Now I don't live in the mountains, and neither is the heaviest vehicle in the world, but I never had any trouble with fade. I still replaced them with front disks, but that was mainly for wet weather performance. Hit the brakes after splashing through a puddle and there'd be nothing, then one brake would dry out and it'd pull hard, then another and the pull would change. 4 wheel drums are definitely tolerable (and can be great when dry). But I do really prefer disks, at least in front. Both of my '69 Bees had/have drums in front - 11" if I remember correctly. And I learned very quickly that drums that large on a relatively light vehicle require a bit of finesse. For instance, if I used the procedure I was taught of adjusting the brakes until I can't turn the wheel by hand and backing off 10 clicks the car would pull to the right on initial application of the brakes. I had to back the RF off 12 clicks so it wouldn't pull right. As for fading, I didn't have any problems, even pulling a trailer as we did up over Wolf Creek pass. But again that thing had much larger brakes than most cars of that era and I know better than to ride the brakes. And, as Bob said, get them wet and you had nada until they dried. But there I learned to just touch the pedal as I hit the puddle and that kept most of the water off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted June 7 Share Posted June 7 well, they seemed to work fine for the test drive, but I really noticed the absence of the vacuum booster more than anything. and with the aod I'm sure he could have good engine braking in either od/d position if he needs to come back down black mountain. next I think he needs to get it to a tire shop. I'm sure the old, hardened tires are more of a risk at this point. as easily as this barks second, I assume it will slide even more. Bias plus? LS or no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordFETruck Posted June 7 Share Posted June 7 Both of my '69 Bees had/have drums in front - 11" if I remember correctly. And I learned very quickly that drums that large on a relatively light vehicle require a bit of finesse. For instance, if I used the procedure I was taught of adjusting the brakes until I can't turn the wheel by hand and backing off 10 clicks the car would pull to the right on initial application of the brakes. I had to back the RF off 12 clicks so it wouldn't pull right. As for fading, I didn't have any problems, even pulling a trailer as we did up over Wolf Creek pass. But again that thing had much larger brakes than most cars of that era and I know better than to ride the brakes. And, as Bob said, get them wet and you had nada until they dried. But there I learned to just touch the pedal as I hit the puddle and that kept most of the water off. Yeah, you do have to be careful in really bad weather driving through large puddles. I've done that in the yard tractor at work quite a few times driving through big puddles when the drains can't keep up they fade pretty bad when water gets inside of them but I've never experienced it driving cars with drums in bad rain storms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essmaker Posted June 7 Share Posted June 7 Yeah, you do have to be careful in really bad weather driving through large puddles. I've done that in the yard tractor at work quite a few times driving through big puddles when the drains can't keep up they fade pretty bad when water gets inside of them but I've never experienced it driving cars with drums in bad rain storms. Let the painting begin!! Again, I know nothing about body work and painting...but it will be much better than it started. After what seemed like an endless amount of sanding, some filler to correct issues, finally onto some primer. It'll probably take me a month to finally get paint on it considering the million other projects in flight but you have to get started to get anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scbill Posted June 7 Share Posted June 7 Let the painting begin!! Again, I know nothing about body work and painting...but it will be much better than it started. After what seemed like an endless amount of sanding, some filler to correct issues, finally onto some primer. It'll probably take me a month to finally get paint on it considering the million other projects in flight but you have to get started to get anywhere. Look what Jeff @ autorestomod gifted me, got new rubber on front, back is ok for a while. Chrome is good, Friends are good, Family that are friends are even better. (wheels, not the truck) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted June 7 Author Share Posted June 7 Look what Jeff @ autorestomod gifted me, got new rubber on front, back is ok for a while. Chrome is good, Friends are good, Family that are friends are even better. (wheels, not the truck) Even "just" the wheels is a big thing! Friends like that are wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viven44 Posted June 7 Share Posted June 7 I wish it was ready enough. Good enough for short distance/city driving. Its at a point where I could possibly drive it around 500 miles/year. There is still the 9" rearend. Abused possibly from all that mudding. 1) Big ol clunk going into reverse. I can tell there is excessive backlash (pinion-ring possibly?) 2) Original tapered bearing seal is leaking slightly. 3) I can tell one of the axles (passenger rear) is slightly bent. I could see a wobble when I put the rear on jackstand and had it idling in gear. I need to pull the axles and 3rd member, check ring pinion pattern. Adjust backlash. I have ordered new axles, set20 bearing/seal, and 3rd member shim kit.. I have both a crush sleeve and solid spacers. Haven't decided which I'm going with. Found about an hour to do the SET20 bearings on one side (it was quick because it was a new axle as well). Bearing + retainer was pressed on until stuff bottomed out... I was surprised to find that the bearing + race slid into the axle-housing without much difficulty at all. If it was any looser, I'd be worried about a spun-race. I applied some Black RTV on the housing-mating surface that the race sits in. Good news is the wobble in that side is fixed now. Whether the leak has been fixed is to be seen. I wish I had used more RTV on the outside of the race as well. Took the Bronco on a 50 mile drive today. It felt good actually with AC and everything functioning. Is it wishful thinking the Bronco could actually be a daily driver (I guess I don't trust my own build) ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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