Thread: Do manual brakes always feel like this?

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Thanks for all the replies guys... to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure what the master cylinder is from... i just looked at the Speedway website, and the manual setup they sell looks pretty near like what i have, including the master cylinder. This pic from their website:

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/3285...ail-Mount.html


The car was built when i got it, Its a Kilbourne chassis, and I believe that it may have been purchased by the builder with this setup in place, although it would have been taken apart for paint, etc., I say this because when I asked about various components on the chassis such as what type of discs, etc. he mentioned that he bought the rolling chassis from Kilbourne, as well as the body. There is only about 10 miles on the car, so I thought aboutt he "break in" idea, but I have put brakes on my daily drivers many times and didn't need to wait a week to have them work correctly, if you know what i mean. One other thing I might note, is that I have a tile floor in my garage, its waxed and shiny, and i can have my foot on the brake and pull it into reverse, then let off the brake slightly to ease out of the garage, and the front wheels skid across the floor as the back wheels roll... I attribute alot of this to the fact the front tires are timy and the back ones are huge, and the floor is slick, but the front brakes definitely are working, even without a ton of pedal pressure. I'm wondering if maybe the back shoes are out of adjustment and are not grabbing as quickly or as hard as they should? I think alot of it has to do with just not being used to the effort needed to brake without power assist... i just figured a light car like a roadster would have brakes like crazy, and it doesnt seem to be the case... I had a 69 camaro once with 4 wheel drums, no power assist, and it feels similar to that... I may rip up the carpet and try to bleed the brakes, but i really don't think air is the problem, although I'v e been wrong before!

Jack up the back and adjust the shoes so that when you grab the tire and attempt to give it a quick turn and then let go of it with your hand, it will only spin maybe 1/4 to 1/3 turn. Then go for another test run and report back.

Oh by the way, the flex lines from the frame to the calipers are braided steel. Here's the best pic I have on hand of the front brake setup:

Faith said exactly what I was going to say.......I have never had anything but manual drum brake setups, always using pretty much the same '40 Ford front, and whatever came with the rear I was using (generally 8 or 9 inch ford) and my cars stop on a dime and straight . But it takes a good amount of time to get them there, adjusting, testing, readjusting, testing, etc. Some people say these old time components are lousy, I feel just the opposite.

We also complicate things when we build these cars by using a master cylinder from one car, front brakes from another, rear from still another, etc.

With a little work, and maybe substituting some components, like the master cylinder, or residual valves, you will come up with very good brakes.......but like Faith said, never like power brakes, they are two different animals altogether.

By the way, I have used Silcone Dot 5 brake fluid for the past 20 years, and will never use anything else. I get no corrosion in the system, and don't have to worry about my paint getting eaten away. I know lots of people poo poo silicone, but that has not been my experience.

Don

Originally Posted by joeybsyc

There is only about 10 miles on the car

This line blew me away. What are you waiting for? DRIVE that thing man!

Originally Posted by SirSpeedy

This line blew me away. What are you waiting for? DRIVE that thing man!

Easy to say when you live in FL..... we are to get another 6 inches of snow tonight.
I would agree adjust the backs and go for a ride when the snow melts.
One thing about bleeding....you should not have to tear up the carpet. The master cylinder should be low enough you can get the top off.
Check level with your finger and use a squeeze bottle and a clear nylon/rubber line to put more fluid in it.
That is what I do...... under the car is a PIA but looks good.

Originally Posted by SirSpeedy

This line blew me away. What are you waiting for? DRIVE that thing man!

Well, I got the car in November, took me the better part of 2 months to get a title and tags, by then it was January, and snowing... I took it for one illegal spin on Xmas eve, and one more this week when it finally thawed out. Now its pouring rain, and more snow expected tonight. Not everyone has ideal rod weather all the time...probably nuts for me to even buy a highboy roadster living where i live, but thats my favorite body style, so i figured what the heck. Believe me, when its fit to drive it, it will be driven. if i had no intentions of that i wouldn't be working so hard to make it road worthy.