It is possible that your rear brake shoes are not close enough to the drum. They
may need adjustment. Hopefully, you thoroughly cleaned all grease and oil off
the drum and shoes prior to final assembly.
Here is a quick test to find out. Pull the emergency to the point where you
think the rear brakes start to do something, just a little drag. Leave it set at
that position. This will load the brake shoes close to the drum. Drive down the
street and apply the brakes. If the back brakes become effective, then you need
to adjust your rear shoes. Release the emergency brake.
Raise the rear wheels off the ground (just clear is good enough). Spin the wheel
and move the adjuster until it starts to drag. Leave it at this setting as the
shoes need to wear into the shape of the drum. Do both sides.
Set the emergency brake to about half way. If you can still move the rear
wheels, you need to adjust the emergency brake cable. Adjust the cable until
you can't move the rear wheels. Set the handle back to the off position. You
should be able to move the rear wheels (remember they still should have some
drag left on them).
You will need to re-adjust the rears again in a couple of thousand miles as the
shoes have now worn into the shape of the drum.
Good luck.
Vic Whitmore
76 Spitfire
Thornhill, Ontario
Chris DeStaffany wrote:
>
> My 1975 spit has weak rear brakes. If I drive it on
> gravel, I can relatively easily lock up the front but
> no amount of pedal locks up the rears. I have
> replaced the rotors and pads on the front. Replaced
> the rear shoes and turned the drums. I have rebuilt
> the master cylinder and pdwa. I have bleed and
> adjusted the brakes many times. I have looked at the
> rears over and over and can't seem to find anything
> wrong. The cylinder moves and the adjuster seems to be
> working properly.
>
> The parking brake does not hold very well, but I'm
> thinking that that may be a streetched cable. Anyone
> out there got any ideas. I'm a little stumped right
> now.
>
> Chris DeStaffany
>
> ps I recently got help from the list rebuilding my
> PDWA. With help, I was able to determine that the
> switch was bad and now it works properly.
> Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices.
> http://auctions.yahoo.com/
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