Re: Brake blues!

[Eric Sturgis <ericsturgis@xxxxxxxxx>]

I believe a 1964 Dodge 880 still has the old Total Contact Brakes as used in 1962 Newports.  Last year for that mess....yes mess!  My opinion.  Jacob you need to adjust the brake shoes in (loosen them), the top one and the bottom one.  They look like bolts.  Once you loosen them GENTLY tap the drum back ON the hub, if it doesn't move, (assuming the other brake drums are still on the car) gently push the brake pedal once or twice to re-center the shoes then try to take the drum off.  It should very easily fall off in your hands.  If it is stuck it's cause the brake shoes are adjusted out to far or your are not pulling it straight off the car and you are wedging the drum on the shoes as others have already stated. 

 

Now some bad news.  A broken drum may not be your only problem.  Beating on it the way you did, or using a puller on it if you had, CAN bend the Cams on the Adjusters or bend the backing plate, depending on how hard you hit it.  If the adjusters are Bent they will not hold the shoes out and you will forever be trying to adjust the brakes.  If the backing plate is bent it can be all kinds of fun.  It's easy to see once you get the drum off and look at things.  Bent means have it fixed or replaced. 

 

Cast iron is what the drum is made of, it can handle heat and pressure and keep it's shape very well, but it's also brittle.  That is why you were able to break a chunk out of it.  If you cars brakes look like the photo I sent you then you have two Erics' on our list that upgraded our front brakes to disk and took all this stuff off.  Mine is in my shed, I may be talked in to parting with parts you may need, IF you can't find them elsewhere. 

 

I would replace that drum, as it could have cracks in it you can't see and  if you break a brake drum while driving you will have NO brakes unless you have a dual master cylinder.  Also as Herb stated it will be out of balance and will probably vibrate even if it has no cracks.  I think when I was your age I did almost the same thing to my 1962 Newport, but I did it to the rear brakes.  Back then they were easy to find new ones, now...not so much.  But no worries, it can all be fixed!

-

Eric

Tacoma, WA

1962 Chrysler Newport 2 door HT

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