Uneven Brake Wear

[Googenheimer]

I have a '67 LWB 2WD. I'm having troubles getting my brakes (drums all the way around by the way) to work well. When I bought it there was a rear piston that had given out and was leaking fluid. On the way home the brake warning light came on because the fluid had completely run out of the master cylinder. I replaced the rear piston and bled the brakes twice. Once with a assistant and then a week later by myself with a vacuum pump. The brakes still don't start working until the pedal is near the floor. Here are a few questions that I have:

1. Do I need to "bench" bleed the master cylinder because the fluid ran out?
2. What is the minimum thickness for the brake drum linings front and back?
3. I noticed that the passenger side front shoes were wearing unevenly. The front shoe was thicker than the back shoe which was almost gone. What causes uneven wear? It seems to me that it pulls slightly to that side when braking too.


Thanks for your help!

[Wrenchbender Ret]

The first thing I would do is get a new or reman master cyl. They are reasonably priced for that model. When you operate an old master cyl. in areas that it hasn't been used it stirs up all the crud & soon fails. Bench bleed it bbefore you put it on. Make shure all the shoes are adjusted up close to the drums. Then bleed it at the wheels as nessesary making shure the master cyl does not get low on fluid. You will have a good high pedal. It is normal for the secondary shoe to wear out before the primary.

[hdflstf]

If you ran the master dry, you'll need to bench bleed ti get the air out of it.