I need serious help before I take my wheels off to fix my nrakes for the 7th time.

[ubtripn]

Here is the status:

New Parts for front brake job all from Napa and high quality. New brake shoes, new brake drums, new wheel cylinders, new hoses, new spring/hardware rebuild kit. Rear brake issue resolved, system fully bled.

I had some initial troubles due to spring pin lengths but got them worked out with the help of the forum but now I have these symptoms:

Right front is self-adjusting to the point where when the front is jacked up and I spin the tire it goes around twice to three times. The left spins about 5 or 6 times..

I took off the wheels, adjusted the brakes up against the drums then backed them off 10 clicks each. Drive it then jack it up and the right tire is doing the same thing again.

So I adjust them almost all the in where nothing is touching (brake assembly is centered) but the right tire eventually adjusts itself to where it only rotates 2-3 times when rolled by hand off the ground.

When I drive 5 miles and get home and the right drum is too hot to touch for more than a second or two.

Is this the norm? For those running power drum brakes, when you have the tires off the ground and you give one a good turn, about how many rotations do you get or should I get?

I have adjusted the brakes all the way off the drum, same thing develops and adjusted them up against the drum and then backed them each of 10 clicks and the same thing develops.

The only part not replaced is the start wheel adjusters. It is like th right side is adjusting the shoes too far. Is that possible? Does anybody know what I should check next?

I am going to take it apart for the umteenth time in the morning and the weather is starting to turn with light snow today, I must get this fixed. Thanks for any help you can provide.

[geezer#99]

Wheel bearing too tight!
Have you re-packed your wheel bearings?

[cdowns]

sounds like the best serious longterm help you could get would b a GM factory service manual and take a deep breath and start reading

[davepl]

Some random ideas, just in case they help:

No matter where you set them, if you trigger the self-adjusters they're going to set it to whatever setting they "think" it should be at. I've never heard of it, but perhaps the points of the star on your start adjusters are worn down, or the "stop bar" has worn such that the adjusters over-adjust.

On the rear I'd suspect parking brake cable tension, but this is the front...

What about hydraulics? Is it all stock? If you had residual pressure in that front line, maybe that'd be holding the pads out.

I've seen aftermarket brakes do this (aluminum parts heat up, causing expansion, and in turn braking), but only on discs.

It's a long shot, but maybe set your adjusters where you want them and then put a dab of paint on them AND the threads of the adjuster. Then you can look at them after a drive and see if they really are over-adjusting themselves.

[dogpound]

Lift front off ground, back off wheel bearing, Ad just so when you grab top and bottom of tire, Just rock so you no longer feel lose ness. Dont get mad only trying to help. Correct side for star wheel, and not in back wards. Good luck

[ubtripn]

UPDATE-Both wheels move about a 16th of an inch or so when I checked them like the board said so, I will also be installing apparently 2 bearings and a seal on both sides in the morning. I am also installing new star adjusters or whatever the name is BUT, the right front turns freely with the shoes backed off so I still don't know what the problem is. (And I have never done bearings.) Going to be a great day tomorrow=)

[ubtripn]

Great point on the adjusters, and the one on the right is worn down so I must be on the right track by replacing them. Thank you!

As for reading, I have the manuals and will be doing more tonight.

Is there a torque setting for the bearings? I am going to go look at the manual but I assume there is a nut that hold everything in place.

Thanks you three.

[ubtripn]

I just hope the couple of 5 mile trips I have made did not warp the drums but if they did it is on me. Also, why is there not a slot in the plate to adjust these brakes with the wheels on?

[RipMeyer]

Originally Posted by ubtripn

Also, why is there not a slot in the plate to adjust these brakes with the wheels on?

Sometimes you have to remove the knockout from the drum if its never been done. Hammer and punch.

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by ubtripn

Also, why is there not a slot in the plate to adjust these brakes with the wheels on?

Originally Posted by RipMeyer

Sometimes you have to remove the knockout from the drum if its never been done. Hammer and punch.

My K20 had no slots (or knockouts) in the backing plates. The shop that helped me finish my brakes said it's not uncommon -- they drilled access holes and then put in rubber plugs.

[vectorit]

Are you sure you have the correct adjuster for the left and right wheel?
Adjusters are specific to left and right.

[RipMeyer]

Originally Posted by Stocker

My K20 had no slots (or knockouts) in the backing plates. The shop that helped me finish my brakes said it's not uncommon -- they drilled access holes and then put in rubber plugs.

Sometimes its in the drum itself not the backing plate. YMMV

I did mine the other day.

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by RipMeyer

Sometimes its in the drum itself not the backing plate. YMMV

I have heard of that, though I haven't seen them myself. At any rate, I checked my drums very carefully. No holes, no slots, no knockouts.

[ubtripn]

It is so hard for me NOT to take parts off my 66 to fix this but at least the parts cost is low.

[ubtripn]

I would not get mad at all - your helping, thank you. So you are saying rock it, adjust, rock it, adjust until it just hits the point of no play? (I have double checked the position of the star wheel with the diagrams.)

[ubtripn]

I would take a more long-term approach if my wife had not filled my shop so full of stuff that I can barely walk to my workbench. I hate racing weather but I am in firefighting mode now because this is my daily driver.

[dogpound]

I read you where going to change your bearing. make sure you do the races also. and yes on bearing adjustment fine line in loose and to tight

[davepl]

I think you'd hear it if it were bad enough to create drag, but if the wheel bearings are shot or dry, that might heat up the drum. And it'd get worse as the metals expanded from heat.

The shop manual has the specs for adjusting the wheel bearings; it's significantly different between the 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks. In both cases you tighten them down to a specific torque value while slowly rotating the wheel, then back off a specified amount. But the values are different between the various trucks. If the spindle threads are a different pitch, for example, backing off 1/6 of a turn on the castle nut would do different things.

I doubt you could go "wrong" by torquing them to about 40 ftlbs and then back 1/6 of a turn, but use the right specs if you can.

[ubtripn]

Thanks, I will. I think I am going to just replace and repack the outer bearings then torque em. If the wheels have no play then I will stop there. If not I will do the inners as well. Regardless I will replace the star adjusters. Thanks all.

[Stocker]

Those adjusters can get very cruddy (for lack of a better term) over time.... the threads get frozen and they won't adjust anymore. Before installing them, unscrew 'em and apply a very light coat of anti-seize on the threads.

[ubtripn]

Will do, thanks.

[67Slider]

Been watching your troubles and honestly am a bit jealous I can't work on mine. I replaced the star's when I redid all my brakes if I recall they were like $4 at the local parts store. Keep at it! Just fought this with my wifes 66 mustang and the wheel bearings weren't hard at all. Best of luck.

[Secret Squirrel]

Dude that truck is mad at you. Onetime I made a comment about another muscle car "Dang I wish I had that car" while driving my 442. I kid you not I had nothing but problems with my car for the next two weeks. I suggest you also try apologizing to your truck, maybe she'll cut you a break.

[ubtripn]

Lol-she is!!! All the bearings were bad. When I went to replace them yesterday the castlenuts were not even hand tight!! Almost broke my thumb getting the races out. Had to buy a $40 set of race setters from Harbor Freight to set the new ones. Oh well, I am stocked to do almost any job now.

Seriously though, I feel like I bought the image of a truck, like the waves that come off a hot road. Sounds weird but what I mean is it looked real and great but I have replaced EVERYTHING. I have built the truck, a truck that appeared already built. Good thing I only paid $1000. It makes me wonder, if I were to take the money I have put into the truck, could I have bought a better one? I am at a total cost of $4000 with a motor that should go for a while. Still I wonder. But I like the fact I that I have worked on almost everything. Makes future fixes easier.

[Secret Squirrel]

Peace of mind is priceless, now you know exactly what you have. To top it off you learned a lot. Little things add up quick, happens to us all. I am already $2000 plus into my new project. Some people gamble, some people throw parties, I fix up old cars. It is my hobby, although my wife would question that I am having fun when this old truck acts stubborn. Just think, if everything went smooth we'd have nothing to talk about.

I bet the next classic you look at will get a wicked inspection in all those areas that the average Joe does not look. I think it was money well spent, besides look at all the new friends you made.

You look back on these memories and be glad you did not buy the $4000 truck (besides you'd would have spent money on it too).