This is a simple question but has been a challenge for me as of late. How do I make my old buick stop...better...with the stock drums. People make kits for every GM vehicle execpt my 56 buick. I have only had cars with drums in back, not all the way around. I have adjusted the fronts as best I can (it says to adjust every 3k...yikes). Spending a grand on brakes is not in cards, but the good thing is the car is not a sprinter! Any tips and or comiseration would certainly be enjoyed. Oh yeah, they are manual brakes also. I fear of fixing my car up only to be cut off by a person merging a block ahead of me to then park in their trunk. SOS...help me. Thanks!
What all work have you done to the brakes? have you installed new shoes, rebuilt/replaced the wheel cylinders, turned the drums, replaced the hoses, rebuilt/replaced the master cylinder, and made sure all the steering/suspension parts are tight? if not, that would be a good place to start. The brakes on most 50s-60s cars are adequate if they're working properly.
My wheel cylinders have not been touched so that and the master cylinder may be the culprit. My lines are half new (back half) and been bled. The front shoes are in great shape the backs will be looked at this weekend...pending I get my exhaust manifolds back on...one cracked. As you know it, what shoots craps first...wheel cylinders or master? Thanks for your input.
Can I assume you are working with single servo brakes?? If so consider making at least the fronts dual servo. Another option is to go to high metalic linings. You might have to get inventive here. The "problem" with making your drum brakes "better" means that they will generate MORE heat - if left unchecked THAT heat could also be your undoing - brake fade and such.
My '55 Buick Special has the stock brakes set-up. I rebuilt them and they stop my car with no problem. I drive in some pretty heavy traffic sometimes and haven't ever come to close to having an "encounter"........
It will surprise you how staying on top of the adjustment routine will make a big difference. Yes, every three thousand miles, if not more. Another easier option is to use the larger-series brakes. If you are driving a Century or Sepcial, find a junked Roadmonster and swap brake assemblies - or at least the drums, shoes and backing plates for bigger brake surfaces. That helps. That, and just assume that you have a two-ton beast built in the day when stop-and-go was not an issue. A little space and a slower stye of driving, and you have plenty of stopping power. If a newer car can stop on a dime, my '54 Special takes a buck and change. It's just ll part of the appeal of an old car... Happy wrenching,
I got my motor back together last night and fired her up...nice to see the car alive! I did notice that the brakes made a high pitched squeek when I moved the car around when I hit the peddle. It is the master or wheel cylinders? The car was not run that much for 10 or so years and sat in barns....you know the deal. Just running through the car getting it back to square one. I need to check the back brakes next, but I think I have to just nut up and spend the money on a full rebuild. Kantor's has kits, but they seem pricey. I talked with a Napa guy and he said he could give it a shot (they have old books). Any recomendations? Tagman-I can rest at night know knowing that if the brakes get rebuilt I have a chance to drive in traffic! I almost got hit by a city bus the last time I took my car out...crazy.
"Tagman-I can rest at night know knowing that if the brakes get rebuilt I have a chance to drive in traffic! I almost got hit by a city bus the last time I took my car out...crazy." Maybe it's just because I'm getting older, but the FIRST thing I want my car(s) to do, is to STOP !!! Yeah, I love to go fast, but it's REALLY nice to be able to stop, too. Before you wreck your car, kill yourself or one of my family members, be responsible and get your brakes rebuilt. The stock Buick brakes work very good, but they gotta be in good working shape and need to be adjusted every once in a while. Make sure your brake lines are good, especially on a car that's been sitting for a long time. They usually rot from the inside out, as moisture gets into the brake fluid. Whenever I take any of my cars out, I stomp on the brake pedal before taking off. Better to have a brake line pop in the driveway, than in traffic. That bus woulda caused a shit-load more damage to your wallet, than a brake job.
Yeah, keeping drum brakes cool really helps their functioning. Back in the 1960's, we used to drill holes in the backing plates to help with cooling, BUT you need to be real careful where you drill so you are not interfering with the wheel cylinder, springs, starwheel, etc., and don't go overboard and weaken the backing plates strength . Also, some places have local businesses that do re-lining...they can frequently use better than usual materials (like metallic).
Check for leaking wheel cylinders. Just a little smudge of brake fluid or grease spilled onto the pads will make them work lousy. Hose everything down with brake cleaner if there's anything slimy on the brake pads. Replace the hoses. I had a front hose blow up on a '65 chevy truck once and the brakes went out completely. By downshifting, I managed to slow it down, but I still rolled through a red light going about 10 mph and luckily didn't hit anybody. That's also when I found out that my emergency brake cable was slack and the pedal went to the floor and barely slowed the truck at all. When the hose is about to blow, it swells up like a balloon and the pedal goes to the floor. When it does blow up, you have no brakes at all on a single master cylinder system. You could get under the car and have someone stomp on the brakes and see if the hoses swell at all or if you see cracks in them. Sometimes the inner part of the hose rots and the nylon braid falls apart and then it doesn't take much pressure to blow the hose open. If the brakes feel really mushy, you might also have air in the lines and you just need to bleed them. I learned how to drive back in the early '70s -- always in older cars with drum brakes. My grandpa was a truck driver and he always taught me to "pump the brakes" rather than just hold them on steady -- especially if you're going down a long grade or slowing from a high speed. Pumping the brakes keeps them from getting as hot and makes the linings last longer. Drum brakes work fine if you can keep them cool. When they get too hot is when they start to fade. Good luck!
Were the drums ever cut, I was told if there cut too much the shoes can't expand enoff to make good contact. A good garage should be able to check them for you.
Ah, Buick brakes. Such fun. I can tell you what I've done to my 60 Buick to improve it's braking ability. Some should be able to be applied to yer 56. I knew I wanted to get rid of the original non-powered single MC setup. My car had been sitting for about 10-11 years, so I bought new shoes, wheel cylinders all 4 corners, mounting hardware, and ran new rubber lines where needed, also bent up new steel lines for the front brakes. Next I went out to my local auto salvagers and poked around at their older stuff till I found a car with 4 wheel drums and a power brake dual MC setup. Ended up being a 1969 Chevy Caprice. The nice thing about GM is that they decided to not screw with some brake stuff for a long time. The rear wheel cylinders on the RWD cars and trucks are the same from 54 or 55 until 92 or 93. I couldn't believe it. Cost like 9 bucks a side. Also, being that I picked a Chebby for it's dual MC and booster, the auto parts stores can get it easily. Brand new setup with lifetime warranty only costs a C note. I did have to modify things to make the new stuff fit where the old stuff was. Drilled a couple new holes in the firewall, and bent the brake pedal assembly so the pedal wasn't 2 feet off the floorboard. As far as drums go, I was lucky to have the drums be in great shape, needing only a minor polish with some fine-grit sandpaper. Have the 12" 45-fin aluminum drums up front, steel rear drums. After the conversion of the Byooik, she actually stops better than any of my family's other cars, including a couple sub-compacts. You stomp on the pedal you better be ready to stop cuz she's gonna STOP. Which is good for where I live. Being very close to a U.S. Military installation, we've got all kinds of drivers from all kinds of places, and nearly all of em are nuckin futs. Local traffic flow get's really really stupid around 3:30 and doesn't quit till nearly 6:30. I swear there's at least one accident every couple days. Local wrecker companies just love it. Every time I've had to hit the binders on the Byooik HARD she hunkers down and whoa's pretty damn quick. Like I said you should be able to use some of this info on your Buick. When in doubt, replace it. New hard and rubber lines, new MC, new booster, new wheel cylinders, new shoes, new mounting hardware. Last and most important: Inspect the new stuff while you're still at the parts counter, I ended up sorting thru the local Autozone's rear wheel cylinders for them, they had about 4 outta 18-20 that should never have made it thru quality control.
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