Re: [Amc-list] Dang left-braking car, anyway

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

It's all but impossible to get drum brakes in perfect unison all the time. Different factors lead to slightly different wear in one corner or another. The self adjusters help a lot, but aren't perfect. One corner may have got more dust in it than another, and the adjusters have to move a certain amount before they do anything. There will likely always be a small amount of pull, and the pull can switch sides as the brakes wear down. 

Make sure all the adjuster parts are moving freely, Ray. The star wheels wear, and the threads can stick. I always assemble them with anti-seize compound on the threads, that helps. Left and right adjusters have left and right threads, make sure you have the right ones in! If one adjuster star wheel is stickier than the other or the wheel edges are worn that can cause uneven adjusting.

If a slight pull really annoys you the only thing you can do is switch toe front discs. That's not guaranteed to take all the pull out, could be from the back brakes, but it will reduce 75-80% of it -- pull in the front brakes is way more noticeable and harder than from the back. Of course you could put rear discs on too. 

It's not a modern car, it shouldn't drive and act like a modern car. If you want an appliance go get one! "Real cars" have little idiosyncrasies like a little pull in the brakes at times. Shouldn't be a dangerous pull, mind you, just a little. And the driver needs to actually pay attention to the "chore" of driving!! That's what my wife hates about driving my Rambler -- the steering is a bit on the sensitive side and you actually have to concentrate a little on driving, it doesn't drive itself like modern cars do!!

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Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:10:38 -0500
From: Ray Mick <rmick@xxxxxxx>

I have a 71 Javelin 6 cylinder with 9 inch drums I have yet to figure  
out why one adjuster continually gets tighter and tighter and the car  
starts pulling done everything you have to this point and still no  
luck Hoping you would come up with the answer. Next thing to do is to  
put on discs.

-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html
(free download available!)

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