I was all set to do that but the set I wanted to convert to has been out of stock from months now at ScareBird. They haven't responded to my inquiry either. I was looking at them. The only problem is I had to clean up and take one with me to match them up. Haven't left yet. At least you don't have e-brake on the front. I'll bet I can change pads on my rear discs quicker than you can change rear shoes.
No Doubt! And speaking of BIG, we've had the C8 'vettes in the shop for a while now, but I'm now writing on '24 E-Ray. Getting up into it close & personal, I swear those discs are at least the same diameter as my Wildcat's front drums. Calipers make me look like a four-year-old. Yikes. Devon
Well, finally got my wife to help me bleed the brakes and the front discs got out the air and work as expected. The rear drums, however, move a little fluid but will not stop the tires when I turn them by hand. I also didn't get much if any air out of them, which is troubling. The parking brake works great. I even got brave enough to have my wife gently press the brakes with the drum off. I saw NO movement in the wheel cylinder. She even went to the floor with no discernible movement. Where should I start troubleshooting? The rear brakes worked with the leaky master and the leaking wheel cylinder though it locked up with anything more than light pressure. I only have a distribution block, not a combination valve so there is nothing to reset that I'm aware of. I have an adjustable proportioning valve I was going to plumb in once I get all the wheels stopping again. The only thing I can think of is the rear master reservoir might have leaked dry while I was trying to get the replacement wheel cylinder installed. Perhaps I need to bench bleed it again? I assume the important part of bench bleeding is leveling the master so that the air isn't trapped at the front of the piston? Or, do you think the master is a dud? It is a new Chinese origin Raybestos pictured above.
You may have one or both wheel cylinders stuck or internal leaking pistons/cups. Even though they bleed a good strong stream when the pedal is pressed. The e-brake is mechanical, so the wheel cylinders are not in play. When the pedal is pressed and you open the bleeder on each of the rear, does it squirt large amount of fluid with great force? If it does not, then you may have collapsed or crud plugged lines. (looks like thick mud) From rust and fluid. If you get good fluid movement from one side, but not the other, check the line on top of the axel. If neither side, check the rubber line with the T block from the body line to the axel lines. It's the one in the middle top of the pumpkin. Break one line loose and check (bleed), then do the other, then where it the body line connects to the rubber line above the axel. Basically, working back to front cracking a line with pressure and finding where the pressure is and is not. If you had fluid on the linings from a leaking wheel cylinder, it won't take much pressure to lock a wheel, even if there is not enough pressure to "slow/stop" the car with good linings and drums.
The fluid is clean as I swapped to front disc a few years ago and basically did a complete system flush. I know the e-brake is mechanical but I was pointing out that the shoes are installed correctly and the parts are in order. As much as I hate drums, everything went together smoothly enough. Before the new master and single driver side new wheel cylinder, it would move pretty good amount of fluid when bleeding. With new master and while replacing the one wheel cylinder, clean fluid flowed out the open wheel cylinder line by gravity just fine. Now that the new master and new wheel cylinder is in place, I get a really low pedal and the rears move fluid but it is at a very slow rate from both rears, new and old. It doesn't shoot out of the bleeder but dribbles. No pressure and the brake pedal does not go to the floor when you crack a bleeder in the rear. I think I'll cut to the chase and check the master for pressure first to see where that goes. I'm thinking it needs to be bench bled again after I'm fairly sure it went dry while the rear wheel cylinder was being a little biatch.
OK, had a buddy help me again. We pulled the master off and re-bench bled it. It had air in the rear half from draining empty. Remounted it, bled it and the new rear cylinder brake locked really easily the first few times but it eventually burned off the residue I couldn't clean off with Dawn, brake clean and sand paper. All better now until I can get some rear disc brakes I like.
Glad to hear it! Nice feeling to surmise the root cause of a problem, then prove to yourself you were right. Devon
I wish we still had the good chlorinated brake/carb clean and not the crap Gretta Thunburg uses on her vegan salad.,. It's damned useless for cleaning and removing residue. (I said "vegan", not that other similar word that she might munch on. I'm not judging...)
I was pretty sure it was just the rear wheel cylinder when I took it apart. The area under the axle was cleaner, like it was a roof, shedding the brake fluid rain so I knew it wasn't the axle seal. I use it most for after an oil change to clean any oily residue off the bottom of the engine so I can see if any new leaks happen. I inherited almost a full case of the old-style brake cleaner when I cleaned out his garage. It will run you out of the garage if you have the doors down. That was what I used on the shoes but I'm guessing it had soaked up a lot of fluid.
After further review, it will still lock that side that had contaminated shoes sooner than the other one. I'm thinking I'm going to have to replace the shoes to get it to quit. I'm not sure there is any way to ever get all the brake fluid out of the shoe friction material.
I know they're not expensive but if you want to just replace the one side for now since your planning on a disk conversion, I have a bunch of decent shoes here & you're welcome to a side (or set) for the cost of shipping.
I appreciate that. Do you know if the front brake shoes are the same? I pulled the front drums off several years ago but kept them.
I believe they're 2½" in the front & 2" rear but I could be mistaken (I know wagon rears are bigger). If both 2", I believe they're the same.
Just looked & I have a mix of 2" & 2½ & I know none are from wagons so front is 2½. Lmk if you need any rears. I can't throw this stuff out but won't ever use all of it, lol.
I was never able to clean the drums enough when this happens. The fluid works its way into the pores of the cast iron. Replacing drums and shoes was the only fix for me…
Maybe I'll swap drums from side to side and see what happens. If it makes both sides lock up, I'll know I'm going to have to swap the drum too. That can only mean I'm going to wait until the disc brakes I like are back in stock. Did I mention I'm not a fan of drum brakes already?
Psst —- you ^^^ need a new ruler / tape measure… 1961 - 1970 Buick Full Size and 1963 - 1970 Riviera Fronts are 12 “ x 2 1/4 “, And the same vehicles’ Rears are 12 “ x 2 “….
