Bob:
Thanks, my objective is to knock the job out all at once and try to have =
the brakes in tip-top shape for a long time to come. I'm not trying to =
blow money, but I refuse to scrimp either. (See?, I'm indoctrinated with =
the "Safety Fast" ideology!)
Ted S. suggested trying to rebuild the wheel cylinders, but in the state =
one of them's in, I figured just swap them out for new ones and be done =
with it, while not worrying that the old one's might just screw up the =
seals as well...
If the M/C is toast, well, I'll find out after I've replaced the stuff I =
know is screwed up. Probably not the best way to go, but honestly, I =
just wanna get the thing stoppable as quickly as possible! Call me =
ignorantly anxious, but I've been like a kid on Christmas morn since =
I've gotten her. The brakes are the only thing between me and that =
twisty back road headed towards Vine Grove! :)
The drums are not bad at all, and the guy at the shop simply handed me =
some sandpaper "to get the glaze off".
Your idea of plugging the lines and trying to get pressure is an =
excellent one, and since I'm not buying parts til the first of the =
month, I'll have time to try it.=20
Thanks!
Dan
'73 B
----------
From: ROBERT G. HOWARD
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 1998 2:31 PM
To: danray@bluegrass.net
Subject: Re:, Now Just Brakes!
Hi Dan,
I would wonder about the 56M miles too, if you know for certain that
the drums have been replaced. Must have enjoyed some spirited driving,
one hopes, or perhaps the DPO just didn't get around to replacing worn
brake shoes. We may never know.
All the shops recommend turning drums. Yes, I know it's a good thing =
to
do for the perfect job, but I also wonder if the shops really take off
the absolute miniumum amount of metal. Next time I face the challenge,
I'm going to hunt up a friend who has a shop and see just how
out-of-round and bell-shaped they really are. There are calipers that =
can
be used for the bell measurement, I know. THe Manual has a minimum
thickness for the drum metal, thinner than that one must not cut.
Certainly the rotors do more of the stopping. I've heard that they do
between 65 and 75% of the job. Again, on my own cars, I am a heretic
here. I just don't see removing metal unless the rotors are scored or
are thumping/pulsing. I can't see how smooth ridges around the rotor =
can
do any harm, and they add a slight amount of surface area.
You are investing a lot of work into your brakes. It seems that it
might be worth while to try to test the MC. I'm guessing at this, but
perhaps there are plugs that could be screwed into the brakelines at the
wheel cylinder end. Then pressing on the pedal should give you an
idea--if fluid spurts out of the end, or the pedal sinks to the floor,
etc.
I thought I had a chart of brake fitting thread sizes, but can't find
it. If I do, I'll pass the info on to you.
Bob
|