Re: IML: 1973 Brakes are "wrong"

[joestill1@xxxxxxxxxxx (Joe)]

Kenyon:

 

Coming from someone who has YET to feel good about the brakes on my 1961 Crown, I am probably least likely to offer suggestions but being least likely has never stopped me before.

 

Could  it be the master cylinder?  Perhaps it needs a rebuild?

 

--

Joe

 

> -------------- Original message -------------- 
> From: Kenyon Wills <imperialist1960@xxxxxxxxx> 
>
> > I replaced the entire brake system on the 1973. 
> > 
> > Here's what I did" 
> > 
> > Booster: 3 years ago - few miles since. 
> > 
> > Brakes worked well and were aggressive when you 
> > stomped on them. 
> > 
> > I replaced the following, mainly to get the 35 year 
> > old rubber soft hoses and seals off of the car, and a 
> > new, true rotor onto it: 
> > 
> > 
> > New: 
> > 
> > Calipers & Pads 
> > Wheel cylinders & shoes 
> > Master cylinder 
> > Soft lines: 2F 1R 
> > Turned both rotors 
> > Turned both drums 
> > NOS proportioning valve 
> > 
> > ================= 
> > FYI, the 1970-73 Rotors are apparently NLA - I had to 
> > source used ones. 
> > =======
> ========== 
> > 
> > So: 
> > 
> > The car now resists stoping. It stops, but requires 
> > almost double the pedal pressure and won't lock the 
> > wheels unless both feet are on the pedal and really 
> > jamming on it, and even then it's not that good a 
> > response. 
> > 
> > All 4 corners bleed OK, and none seem to be 
> > restricted, as I'd suspect that a crimped line would 
> > cause. 
> > 
> > Also: when the brake is applied, the pedal feels 
> > better in the top 40% of the swing until it seems to 
> > "hit" something and gets stiffer - the braking action 
> > seems to have two stages. I paid someone (I can't 
> > believe that I did that) to bleed and check. They 
> > said that the rear brakes are coming on first and 
> > that's what I'm feeling. I like the place, but the 
> > only mechanic that does work on older cars (and I like 
> > him very much) is Vietnamese, and is consequently a
>  
> > guy that is a little under 5 feet tall and he's 
> > uncomfortable driving the car and does not seem to be 
> > capable of testing it and providing a better answer 
> > than that the rear brakes are engaging first and I'm 
> > riding on the drums and not the discs. 
> > 
> > Before I go hunting for a defective/incorrect part in 
> > the system, which I did with the NOS, $300 
> > proportioning valve, and start tracing every metal 
> > line in the car's chassis, is there anything else that 
> > I could be missing? 
> > 
> > I feel silly for asking, because every stinking part 
> > is new besides the brake pedal, but maybe someone has 
> > something in their past that might help? 
> > 
> > Again - the brake booster is newer, worked great 
> > before I laid a wrench to everything else, and when I 
> > kill the engine, I can feel the vacuum disappear, 
> > although it seems like perhaps the difference
>  is less 
> > than I get on the two 1970's that I drove for 
> > comparison yesterday. 
> > 
> > 
> > Thoughts? 
> > 
> > I'm sorta thinking booster, but that's a guess and I'm 
> > reluctant to blame it because it's relatively new and 
> > has good lines to it. 
> > 
> > Kenyon Wills 
> > 
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