Hot Rods 57 chevy front drum brake problem maybe go to disc

here is what I did so far
I cleaned it the best I could
and I took a wire wheel to the brake drum they looked fine little rusty on the contact area where it bolts on , just lite surface rust -flaking paint and I wheeled all the way across the brake pad contact area bottoming out against the face
then I took some rough grit paper to the contact area there was a spot that looked like a slight pitting stain probably from this car sitting all cage up like a j bird forever
these are the same brakes when we originally restored this car for me to run around in back in the early eighties but like I said probably less than 5000 miles I drove more but that was on the brakes I had when I got the car also had one of those original power steering generator set ups we stripped the whole front end steering box and all came so close back then to strait axle but the my father and his friend Emerson Roderick our mechanic thought it might not be as safe bouncing all over the roads. lol
He used to drag race 57 chevys and held Class record at Drag City Illinois
Back to the car :
I also scrubbed those pads with that sand paper a bit and cleaned everything
I did both sides now they spin forward and backwards now
the drivers side looked fine I did it any way I was also spinning and locking up
I really don't know if its going be fixed sure was weird they way they were acting, one minute locking and the next time you spin the wheel acted fine for a bit
now I here just one spot dragging a bit on both drums
hopefully the brake adjustment is close

 

Wilwood set up found on ebay for like 800. that other wildwood was close to 1500.
I believe said it weigh 40lbs
I will try to get some fuel to fire the 57 up and see how the brakes work
thanks for your help

 

I had a 68 firebird that starting doing it after I got it on the road, and I had adjusted the brakes out with to much drag on it.
If it happens to be the forward shoe that is hanging up, the Self energizingdesign of the Bendix type brakes can grab the front shoe when on a ridge and pull it down into the drum thereby engaging the rear shoe and possibly locking the wheel. Add a little pressure to an already hung and dragging setup, and you are gonna lock that wheel up quick. however, if you spin it backwards it wont lock up because the hung shoe is in the front not the back.

The backing plates were pretty rough on the firebird and I ended up just replacing them. But with the wheel on, and jack up off the ground i could start spinning it and it would stop after about 1 turn. Adjust the brake off and it stopped doing that. Drove it again,locked up hard again. Jacked it up turned the wheel stopped again. Took me a bit to figure out the shoes were being help out by a ridge. Replaced the backing plates, lubes and adjusted. No more problem

 

Just curious...see how this stud looks like the knurled part is poking out past the surface of the hub? Is it really, or am I imagining it? If it is sticking out past the hub, and the hole in the drum for the stud is not big enough to clear the stud, the drum won't sit flat.

 

If you did the brakes in the early 80s. Those springs are almost 40 years old and have been stretched out almost 40 years. They are shot and need replaced.

 

It does look like it might be out a tad, but I cant tell for sure.

 

They may, I've done it more than once that's for sure.

 

Second mention

 

yea I broke the old stud that one works but its not sticking out
I just removed the broken remains out of the lug today
yea its old stuff that brake hardware it probably does need replaced ----disc im thinking
the old 57 sat in my dads barn from according to the old license plate from 1988 to about 2000.
cant believe it held up so well inside and out
the engine was out of it I sold off all my old 4 speeds T10 BORG. CAST iron case aluminum tail
we rebuilt it and I twisted the tail shaft off 2.54 first gear it went into a 62 vette
all my muncies were only 220. ratio they sucked off the line

 

That’s a whole book of information in those two words
....operations, theory, methods, and tasks needing to be correctly executed.

 

Don't be in a hurry to spend money on disc brakes just because the drums aren't working. And you don't need to spend $800 for them either. I did a conversion on the stock spindles AND with drop spindles. Picked up some good used rotors and calipers and stuck them on.

 

I found reading the 1963 motors manual that there are several styles of anchor bolts. some require adjustment.

 

Isn’t there a junkyard spindle swap for the Tri five group? Iirc it’s a later impala spindle that is taller and improved geometry and discs and bigger rotors?? Maybe I got it mixed up with something else.

calipers, pads rotors, bearings and hoses from the parts store won’t be free either. Add in the key component caliper bracket and it’s far from cheap.

 

Yeah i think you could do some searching and come out a LOT cheaper on Disc if thats the way you want to go.. My 56 has disc brake brackets, Chevelle rotors/calipers. I always try to use plain ole off the shelf parts.Brakes can be a beach to figure out some times Keep us posted.

 

I was told there'd be no Math.

 

both front wheel cylinders were replaced before the 2nd to last melt down drags
the ford 9" is all new also I wish they were self adjusting

 

Ha they lied to you

 

A lot of good info being shared here. I decided to keep stock brakes on my 57 for no other reason than the nostalgic feeling of knowing they are there. Right or wrong this thread has made me feel good about my decision

 

That's good
I to was having the same thought my car is all from the 60's except I went to a better 4 speed
for strength as I have broke lots of parts shifting gears I don't drive in heavy traffic any more as I cant carry enough gas with mech. injection especially if I go back to the blower 4 port
so I really dont have a problem as long as the drum stop me
if the car was relly fast it would have a chute

 

Self adjusting? Take the same hardware used for the rear self adjusting and put it on the front.