Replaced front brakes, now more probs?

[White70C20]

Well I fixed the problem with my front brakes. It turns out the lining on the pass. side front shoes came un-bonded and cracked apart. When I took the drum off, pieces of lining came falling out.
So, I replaced the shoes and all the springs on the front. I adjusted the brakes to where they almost drag, but the drum still spins.
I got it out on the street and now the brake pedal is very soft. I'm having a hard time slowing down.
My friend says it's just going to take some time for the new shoes to seat into the drums, and that I should apply the brakes a few times while backing up to adjust them.

When installing the new shoes, I did push in on the plungers on the wheel cylinders to get the shoes to fit snug. Could I have caused a leak?

Any ideas/suggestions would be appreciated. Again, this truck is my daily driver.
Thanks!

[luvbowties]

Originally Posted by White70C20

Well I fixed the problem with my front brakes. It turns out the lining on the pass. side front shoes came un-bonded and cracked apart. When I took the drum off, pieces of lining came falling out.
So, I replaced the shoes and all the springs on the front. I adjusted the brakes to where they almost drag, but the drum still spins.
I got it out on the street and now the brake pedal is very soft. I'm having a hard time slowing down.
My friend says it's just going to take some time for the new shoes to seat into the drums, and that I should apply the brakes a few times while backing up to adjust them.

When installing the new shoes, I did push in on the plungers on the wheel cylinders to get the shoes to fit snug. Could I have caused a leak?

Any ideas/suggestions would be appreciated. Again, this truck is my daily driver.
Thanks!

Did u have the drums turned?
Sam

[Mister-B]

You might try tightening them more, and if it drags too much, you can always back them out a bit. Take the truck to an empty parking lot and in reverse at about 5-10 mph, stab the brake pedal. Rinse and repeat a half dozen times.

Check your brake fluid level. If it is lower than it was, you have a leak somewhere

Did you install new springs, or were the old ones still good?

You might try sending a PM to Tbone1964 to see if he can chime in on this thread. He really knows his stuff. He helped me do my brake job, and he's a master a it
Posted via Mobile Device

[geezer#99]

You need to bleed the brakes. Moving the cups (plungers) in the cylinders will draw air into the cylinders.

[RexDodge]

Geezer has a good suggestion. If your drums spin free you need to adjust the shoes out a bit more. You should hear/feel a slight drag. The backing up trick will help but that initial setting will allow for a quicker "seating" time. Bleed the brakes and adjust your drag...should be good to go.
Posted via Mobile Device

[geezer#99]

Also be aware that with new shoes the cups that the plungers push on are now in a different spot inside the cylinder. If the cylinder wall is dirty or pitted at that new spot then you'll get air in to the cylinders every time they move in and out.
If after you bleed them they get spongy again you'll need to clean the cylinder bore to get a better seal.

[cdowns]

did u check those drums real good?
sometimes the damage you describe to the shoes is caused by overheating and in some cases if the drums have blueing of the metal that means they are toast and need replaced

[White70C20]

Thanks guys!

Yes, I checked the drums. They are fine. No I didn't have them turned. I was told it wasn't necessary.