????

[big mike71]

Originally Posted by im tha best

I want the luxery of power brakes but i dont wanna to do a drum to disc converion. So i was wondering if i could install a brake booster and new lines and still run drums?

I did this on my chevelle and it really wasn't that much of an improvement. I would fix your brakes without the booster and save the money. Then maybe later you can switch too disc.

[mclairmo]

Originally Posted by Tynee

There's a lot of good info here, but I think the most important thing is to get the brakes working properly before upgrading. You may find that you stop well enough with properly function manual drums. You may not feel the need to invest in a booster and stuff.

Very true, the drums are self energizing, which means that the force of the turning drum actually causes the shoes to dig in or wedge harder into the drum and can give pretty good braking performancem which is why they worked in the older cars when they were new. However, over time things wear out and cause problems. I would try bleeding the brakes more and maybe even get the rear higher than the front when you do the rear and then switch and get the front higher than the rear when doing the front brakes. Air bubbles travel up. Also, tilt the front of the master cylinder down (lower than the back), remove the cap without spilling any fluid and lightly tap the master cylinder with a hammer to release any air bubbles stuck at the end of the piston bore.

[msgross]

wouldn't hurt to just do a complete brake fluid transfusion while your at it... completely get the old fluid out and replace it with new stuff. I would use some kind of mechanical bleeder though to make it easy...

[Longhorn Man]

you mentioned needing to pump the pedal...
when you pump and hold the pedal, does the peadle end up dropping down under your foot?
If yes, bleed them again (flushing the system is a VERY good idea)
If no, then adjust the shoes up.

[70Custom10Nut]

If the cylinders are leaking at all, replace them. if they look like the originals, replace them. About $50 for all four. Replace them when you have it all apart saves you from having to tear it all down again in the near future. You will have to bleed the air out starting with the drivers rear, and work around to the drivers front. The back ones are like the front except they have the park brake cable setup on them. Take both the drums off but only take one side apart at a time. This way you can refer to the fully assembled side as a reference. I just did mine for
around $100 for all four corners, but it will take a few hours and be ready to get dirty. Cnut