Total Contact Brake Tips (was: 1962 Imperial Disk Brake Conversion?)

[John M Brauninger <flightsweep@xxxxxxxx>]

Dave,

 

Did you ever have hard pedal after conversion to the dual MC?   What MC are you using?   How much pedal free play do you have?  If you are using a dual MC for a non-disk brake car you shouldn't need the external residual pressure (check) valves since they are built in.  I have a lot of experience with the '62 and older Lockheed Total Contact (the Bendix system came in '63) brakes including conversion to the tandem master cylinder on one of my 60 Imperials (using DOT 5 silicone - difficult to bleed out all air due to bubble formation with the slightest agitation).  When everything is right you have firm pedal with no more than an inch of travel just like when the car came off the assy line brand new.

 

#1 culprit is air trapped in the system due to incomplete bleeding -- front WCs especially since they have air pockets at the top due to mounting with respect to bleeder screw location.  Pressure bleeding works best because it forces fluid up into these voids.  The brake shoe lining also needs to be arced to the drums (in the old days brake shops had a machine to grind the linings to arc them to the drum curvature) to facilitate TOTAL CONTACT & adjusted just a hair back from locking the drum.  Since you have 200 miles on your linings you can check to see the contact areas.  Lastly if you don't really have 10 psi in the system you will have a lot of pedal travel.  If you quickly crack a bleeder screw open you should see a spurt of fluid then just a trickle. 

 

Contact me off-list for additional help if you like -- I don't think you need to throw in the towel in favor of a radical mod.

 

John B. 

 

 

 

On Sat, 28 Aug 2004 22:19:53 EDT Duckie26626@xxxxxxx writes:

 Fellow Imperial Fans Help:

   After putting on 200+ miles on a near complete Brake Rebuild, that included  "New-NOS" Shoes Up front, 5 of the 6 wheel cylinder replaced & 1 Rebuilt, Turned front drums, Cleaned rear ones,  Dual Master Cyl. 1 1/8 Bore Size,  Many Brake Bleedings, 1/2 of the brake lines replaced, Wilwood 10 psi check on both half's, I Have Come to the Conclusion that the Bendix Total Contact Brake System should be called the "Pedal of Doom System."  Somehow they Just Don't Inspire much confidence with a Soft Pedal & a Lot of Pedal Travel.   Has anyone found a Disk Brake Conversion Kit or A Home Brewed way of putting Disk Brakes on the Front of a 62 Imp. I'm a 50+ year old tool & diemaker at a DaimlerChrysler  Engine Plant, so I've done 97% of my own car/truck repairs from my high school days. I've found Kits for 62 Chrysler, but I don't have to tell anyone here that they are Different on the Imp's.  If needed I can make adapters myself or bore out housing's for bigger wheel bearings. It's a White 62 Custom with 55k miles & spent the first 24 years of it's life taking a little old lady from Toledo, Ohio to Church on Sunday & spent the rest of week in a heated Garage - No Kidding.

 

 Help.    Dave Van Buren

 

PS:The Info on the website was GREAT.  I replaced all 4 shocks & put all new front end parts (after looking on E-Bay for months),  235-75 15 Radials Kelly Tires All Around &

It Now Handles 10 Times Better!       Thanks!!